By Becky Gulden

It’s a rite of passage for fifth grade students in Tipp City. A chance to go back in time before smartphones, tablets, and video games. It’s a chance to connect with nature and friends while getting their hands dirty in the great outdoors. Of course, I’m talking about Camp Kern.

Camp Kern’s motto is "to unleash the potential in all through enriching outdoor experiences" and Tipp City parent Derek Long says the camp lives up to the mission.

“This is a really good introduction for kids to get out, experience the outdoors and have an overnighter with friends in a safe environment,” said Long.

According to its website, the idea for Camp Kern, took off in 1919 when Carl B. Kern began working at the Dayton Y.M.C.A. He had a dream to give local boys the chance to spend time in nature, camping, hiking, and learning. What started out as a three-day camping trip in 1920 has turned into what it is today – a camp that serves more than 30,000 guests a year.

Camp Kern is in Oregonia, Ohio which is located in Warren County along the Little Miami River. It boasts 485 acres of woods, pastures, trails, and activity areas. The bus ride takes about an hour from Tipp City.

Fifth graders at LT Ball Intermediate School have been going to Camp Kern on an overnight field trip for decades. But in 2014 Tipp City Schools decided to part ways with the field trip and asked Tipp Monroe Community Services for help in keeping the trip going. Understanding the importance of the experience, Tipp Monroe Community Services requested help from the Tipp City Foundation to support the effort. Since 2014, The Tipp City Foundation has underwritten the costs every year to make sure fifth graders didn’t miss out on the fun. This year the camp outing received $3,600 to help roughly 100 students attend. The cost was $91 per student and if it weren’t for the grant, it would cost families $146 per student.

“This is an important fifth grade tradition,” said Kathy Taylor, Director, Tipp Monroe Community Services. “Camp Kern provides the fifth-grade class with an opportunity to explore the great outdoors.”

Taylor says for many students this is the first time away from home. Many are a little scared but overall, they have a blast learning team-building skills while stepping back into pioneer days.

Derek Long and his son, Aiden, both went last February. Derek was a chaperone. He says it was nostalgic because he also went when he was the same age.

“It meant quite a lot. That’s why I was so adamant about going with him. I chaperone a lot of Boy Scout events with my son but when the Camp Kern thing came up and he showed interest I was very interested in going. It was a nostalgic situation where I was able to experience my childhood with my son.”

The annual trip takes place in February. Aiden said before the trip he was most excited to spend time in the woods with friends and as it turned out while they were there, they got a dose of mother nature in terms of snow and ice.

“There was snow on the ground. We were throwing ice balls at each other,” Aiden said with a laugh.

Derek added: “It was very cold when we got there Friday – it had not snowed yet. It was about mid-day Friday when it began to snow and sleet a little bit and then it really came down and we had a hefty pile of snow covering the grass.”

The weather proved difficult to do some of the activities such as dipping home-made candles.

“The wax chamber wasn’t staying warm enough to keep the wax melted to make the candles,” explained Derek.

Aiden’s favorite part of the trip happened on the first night when the campers were given challenges. One of the funnier challenges was to see which camper had the smelliest boot.

Aidan says he came close to winning.

“Each table had to bring a boot up and then one of the counselors smelled each boot. I would not have volunteered for that spot,” Derek said with a laugh.

Campers also took hikes, found fossils, and learned survival skills like what to do if you get lost in the woods.

While it is too late to go this year, Derek says if you get the chance to send your child in the future it is worth it.

“It’s a good experience for young adults to get out, do a little bit of outdoorsy stuff, learn some skills they don’t necessarily learn in school. I’m a big advocate for wilderness knowledge. I’m an Eagle Scout and my son is in Boy Scouts, so I find it very important,” said Derek. “We live a very indoors life. I realized how many of these children don’t know how to camp or do anything pretty much outdoors for safety.”

If you want to learn more about Camp Kern or other community events you can call Tipp Monroe Community Services at (937) 667-8631.

If you want to apply for grants from the Tipp City Foundation you can visit its website at https://tippfoundation.org/. All nonprofits that have a service impact on the zip code 45371 are encouraged to apply. The Tipp Foundation accepts grant requests quarterly and the deadline for the next one is May 15, 2025.