Camp Rising Sun (CRS) is a full-scholarship summer camp program in Upstate New York where young people practice compassionate leadership skills, learn from each other, and build community.
You’ll return home with a better understanding of yourself, the world, and how you can make change in your own community.
CRS is four-weeks long and there are two sessions; one in July and one in August.
The Ethical Leadership Experience (TELE)
- Be part of a small, international cohort of students exploring leadership, identity, justice, and action issues.
- The Ethical Leadership Experience (TELE) is a highly interactive virtual program where you can: Work on collaborative projects with teens from around the world, share your passions learn about others’ interests, and make lasting friendships.
Summer Program Summary
- Type: High School Summer Program
- Location: Upstate New York, USA
- Duration: 4 weeks
- Sponsor: Louis August Jonas Foundation (LAJF)
- Eligible Countries: All Nations
- Benefits: Full Scholarship, No tuition, Travel costs assistance
Requirements
- You can apply from anywhere in the world.
- You should be at least 15 years old when your camp session starts and you cannot have turned 17 by the end of your camp session (your date of birth should be between August 25th, 2008 and June 24th, 2010).
- You must be available for the whole four-week in-person session in upstate New York.
- You must be able to speak English. English is essential for understanding safety instructions and for maximizing the benefits of the CRS experience.
- Children or grandchildren of any previous Camp Rising Sun alumni interested in participating in CRS must apply as legacy campers. Please follow this link.
- International campers will require a valid passport and visa (if applicable).
- Campers living in the United States do not need a passport to apply, register, or attend the program.
- Accepted applicants must complete a full medical (physical and mental health) evaluation prior to arrival and provide proof of vaccination, including being fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Exemptions will be granted.
Benefits
- Camp Rising Sun is a full scholarship program.
- Admitted campers pay no tuition to attend their program.
- When families or local alumni associations cannot afford travel costs to and from camp, LAJF has some funds to provide need-based financial assistance to cover travel costs. These funds are limited.
Selection Process
- 2025 applications opened on November 27th, 2024.
- Attend an information session (optional).
- Submit your complete application by the deadline for your region.
- Applicants selected for the interview phase will be invited to an interview by the selection committee of their region. Expect this invitation between January 15th and March 1st.
- Prepare for your interview, relax, and be ready to talk about yourself, your passions, and why you are interested in attending Camp Rising Sun.
- Interviews will take place between January and March. Specific dates will depend on our selection committee.
- LAJF will begin to send out admissions decisions (admitted, waitlisted, rejected) in March. The exact date depends on where you are applying from.
- We will host an admitted students and families information session (date TBD) with recent campers and their families.
- If you are admitted, you must register to confirm your place within a week of being admitted.
- We will accept candidates from the waitlist starting in April.
- Your selection committee will be available to offer you support before and after the program.
Required Documents
You will have to submit the following materials by the application deadline for your region.
- A completed 2025 CRS application.
- One (1) reference. This reference should be an adult who knows you well (teacher, guidance counselor, principal, a coach, club leader, religious adviser, or scoutmaster, etc.) References must be adults who are not members of your family.
The references are due by the application deadline for your region.
Application Deadlines
- December 15th: Ecuador (for 2024 admission)
- January 5th: Germany
- January 15th: Everywhere else in the world not listed here, Barbados, China – Tianjin, The Netherlands, South Africa, USA – California, USA – Colorado, USA – New York/ New Jersey, Zambia
- February 1st: Finland, Palestine*, Poland, Greenland, USA – Minnesota
- February 15: Denmark, Greece, Ecuador (for 2025 admission), Hungary, Israel*, Norway, Sweden
- February 16: Spain
- April 13th: Japan
Application Guide
Instructions for Camp Rising Sun
- If you are applying from a region where we have a selection committee, you can answer the questions in your own language instead of in English. See the list of regions in which we have committees here.
- We will not evaluate your answers based on use of grammar, spelling or structure. You can write using bullet points.
- Please do not use AI (e.g. ChatGPT) to write your answers.
- We really want to get to know you through the application and are looking for authentic answers. It’s really hard to get a sense of applicants when answers are generic and/or AI generated, therefore your chances of being offered an interview will be lower if you use AI.
- You do not have to answer optional questions. If you do not, this will not count against you.
- Some regions have additional required questions.
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to the Program Team at programs@lajf.org.
Learn more about Camp Rising Sun at: www.lajf.org/apply
