Our Programs

What is the SEED Program?
For over 80 years, Girls Quest has provided out-of-school enrichment programming for thousands of disadvantaged girls from the greater New York and Catskills regions. At our Summer Experiential Education and Development Program (SEED), located at Camp Oh-Neh-Tah, girls ages 8 to 14 participate in programs that promote literacy, ecological awareness, teamwork, peer support and role-modeling, creative expression, problem solving, and leadership.

Where is Camp Oh-Neh-Tah?
Camp Oh-Neh-Tah is located on 400 acres in the Catskill Mountains, in East Windham, NY.

What kind of housing and facilities are at Camp Oh-Neh-Tah?
Each cabin has electricity and houses 10 girls and 3 staff members. The showers and sanitation facilities are in close proximity to the cabins. Facilities include a dining hall, library, health center, theatre hall, and a windmill that holds a ceramics studio.

How is the food at camp?
Meals in our dining hall are nutritious, kid-friendly, and served “family style”.

Here is a sample menu:

Breakfast
Scrambled Eggs
Sausage
Cereal
Fruit Juice
Milk

Lunch
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
Garden Salad
Garlic Bread
Icee’s
Milk

Dinner
Chicken Quesadillas with Salsa
Lettuce, Tomato, Sour Cream
Veggie Dip Platter/Ranch
Salad Bar
Brownies
Iced Tea

There are also vegetarian options and Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches offered as a daily supplement to a particular meal. Special dietary needs can be accommodated.

What items are recommended to pack for camp? Should my child bring money?
The girls play in a rustic environment and bring home very dirty clothing, so send inexpensive or older clothes that you are willing to discard. Do pack one nice outfit for our final banquet. Laundry services are provided on a weekly basis for essential items only.

There is no trading post at SEED, so money is not necessary or permitted. If found, this and other banned items (electronic games, music players, tablets, laptops, cell phones) will be taken from your child for the duration of the program and returned at the end of her stay. For an overview of suggested items, you can download our  Camper Packing List ».

Furthermore, it is more likely than not that your child will leave or lose items at SEED, so it is suggested that you do not send anything valuable or expensive. We do go over all lost and found items with girls, but make sure to label all belongings with your child’s name. Girls Quest is not responsible or liable for lost personal items. 

What is the Summer Learning Gap (SLG)?
The Summer Learning Gap is the loss of learning and knowledge that occurs during the summer months when children are not in school. The SEED Program seeks to close this learning gap and focuses on building our girls’ abilities, confidence, and attitudes by effectively incorporating activities that support a child’s school-year learning with our summer educational sessions.

How are counselors selected and what qualifications do they have?
Our staff is carefully selected for those qualities of leadership, personal values, and caring that enable them to relate to and motivate young people. Criminal background and reference checks are completed on staff prior to hiring. Staff participates in an extensive pre-camp orientation and training program. All staff is closely supervised by experienced administrative staff.

The staff at Camp Oh-Neh-Tah is mature, enthusiastic, and diverse. Most of the staff members are Girls Quest or Girl’s Vacation Fund Alumnae or college students studying education, social work or related fields.

What are some of the program’s activities?
The program is designed to provide each girl with daily literacy-based enrichment activities as well as a wide array of additional classes and activities to choose from. Other activities offered include:
Swimming, boating, drama, dance, music, basketball, volleyball, soccer, environmental education activities, nutrition, cooking, art, Native American lore, crafts, hiking, cookouts and overnight camping, non-competitive games and initiatives, yoga, fitness, and clubs (knitting, crocheting, creative writing, double-dutch, etc.).

How does Camp Oh-Neh-Tah care for the health and safety of its girls?
The Health Center is staffed with licensed medical personnel (RN, EMT, Paramedic), to handle girls’ and staff’s day to day health needs. All medication is checked-in at our bus site and stored in the Clinic at Camp, where your child will take her medication under the supervision of the medical staff. Your child’s physician must approve all medication with specific instructions for our nursing staff.

What if my child is homesick or does not like SEED? Can my daughter be sent home early?
Since developing independence includes learning to trust and take care of oneself, we recommend that you give your child time to adjust if she writes that she is homesick or upset. Parents should not tell their child that she can come home if she is homesick. Children must agree to attend for a full session unless there is an emergency or illness. 

 In the past, participants have been sent home for bad behavior, family emergencies or illness. It is the responsibility of the parent to pay for all travel costs if a child gets sent home early by Girls Quest. Monies collected for the remainder of the session will not be refunded.

Can we visit the camp? Send Letters or Emails? Send Care Packages?
We do not allow parents to visit their girls while at camp. Correspondence with your daughter is a critical aspect of her camp experience. During their first few days at camp, girls are strongly encouraged to write a letter home. We do not offer email as a way to keep in touch with your daughter. The girls do not have access to a computer during their stay at camp. It is fine to send a care package to your child as long as it does not include any candy or food items.