MTS Summer Success Camp

Building Bonds, Shaping Futures: Together.

Empowering Futures One Summer at a Time

The MTS Summer Success Camp is an “outdoor learning model” for African American boys, ages 8–12. During camp, they will discover and explore their talents, interests, and values in order to succeed. The camp participants will move collectively, study culturally, learn cognitively, explore the community, and have fun. The boys gain resiliency, develop lifelong learning and teamwork skills, and become more confident in their day-to-day transitions beyond home and school.

Referrals

  • Parent, Guardians, and Family Members
  • All Public, Private, Parochial and Alternative School Counselors and Staff
  • Faith-Based Institutions and Churches 
  • Magistrate Court, Juvenile Justice Court, and Youth Institutions and Programs
  • After-School Programs 
  • Women’s Groups and Shelters 
  • Children Youth and Families (CYF) 
  • Youth Athletic Organizations and Sport Teams 
  • Family and Youth Support Centers and Community Groups

Program Eligibility

  • African American boys between the ages of 8 and 12 years old
  • Reside in the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County
  • Preference will be given to participants enrolled in Small Seeds programming within the six months prior to the start of camp

Program Purpose

Children who do not attend summer camp miss out on the opportunity to develop interpersonal skills and build critical thinking and problem-solving skills. A child’s inability to gain resiliency and life skills, positive self-esteem, self-reliance, and pro-social behaviors puts them at risk. Children who are offered a structured opportunity in a nurturing environment are able to become independent and confident while socializing and making new friends, all the while learning new skills. 

"The building blocks of self-esteem are belonging, learning, and contributing. Camps offer unique opportunities for children to succeed in these three vital areas and even beyond home and school."


- Michael Popkin, Ph.D., family therapist and founder of Active Parenting

"The biggest plus of camp is that camps help young people discover and explore their talents, interests, and values. Most schools don't satisfy all these needs. Kids who have had these kinds of camp experiences end up being healthier and having fewer problems, which concern us all."


Peter Scales, Ph.D., noted author/educator, and Senior Fellow, The Search Institute 

A group of children are standing on the edge of a swimming pool.
A diagram showing different types of activities including field trips

Faces of Humanity

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A group of young boys are playing basketball in a gym.

Sands of Time

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Camp Components

In order to meet the changing needs of our campers and provide opportunities for positive emotional, physical, and social growth in their lives, Small Seeds staff facilitate enriching activities with a focus on exercise, encouragement, and motivation in an atmosphere ideal for personal growth.

  • Camp runs Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. 
  • The cost for program participants is a $25.00 non-refundable deposit that must be paid in full prior to the start of camp.
  • Camp runs for 5 weeks in June and July.
  • Daily snacks and lunch are provided. 
  • Pick-up and drop-off transportation to and from your home is provided as needed.
  • Remote learning will be used as an alternative to onsite in-person engagement.

Curricula Used

(Pre-Post Testing)

This scale measures youths’ awareness, knowledge, and investment in helping to improve themselves and others. Responsible Choices emphasizes good behavior, hard work, personal responsibility, and fairness. (Responsible Choices Scale). This is a subscale of the Youth Assets Survey (Oman, Vesley, McLeroy, et al., 2002) and the Civic Responsibility Survey (Furco, Muller, & Ammon, 1998)

Online learning platform that leverages students' unique strengths, interests, and aspirations to build the skills they need for success in the K–12 classroom and beyond.

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning

The process of acquiring the skills to recognize and manage emotions, develop caring and concern for others, make responsible decisions, establish positive relationships, and handle challenging situations effectively.

Your child will have fun, learn new skills, and get opportunities to explore their athleticism in a non-competitive, supportive, and inspiring environment. Campers participate in a multi-sport environment, collecting points for skill development featuring: Climbing, Obstacle Courses, Low-Impact Parkour and Skateboarding.

Reach Out

For more information about MTS Summer Success Camp or to enroll your son, please call 412-665-2810.

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Non-profit