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S'MORE Sex Education Camp

S’MORE is a camp for science-based, medically accurate, open-minded, responsible (sex) education hosted by Planned Parenthood North Central States. Campers attend a half-day camp to learn sex ed in a brave, creative, and collaborative environment, and take on a weeklong responsibility to share information with their community. S’MORE Sex Education Camp is open to all youth who:

  • Are between the ages of 13-15, have completed 8th grade, but have not yet started high school
  • Have obtained parental permission to attend
  • Can commit to actively participating in the full 3 weeks of camp
  • Are located in or near Minneapolis, MN

The best part is that it's free!

Click here for more registration details.

Join us!

We have chosen to limit this camp to 10-12 campers this year. To ensure an equitable opportunity for learners to attend this program, we have an application process that will close on May 26. Applicants will be notified whether or not they are attending camp by June 2.

Apply now

Camp Overview

Planned Parenthood - Uptown Health Center
1200 Lagoon Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408

Monday, Wednesday, & Friday for 2 weeks
July 17-28, 2023
Half-day camp 12 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Graduation Ceremony & Reception
Friday, August 4, 2023
5:30-6:30 p.m.

Click here for more details.

Camp Experience

What to expect at camp
  • An opportunity to practice leadership in your community
  • Crafts and educational games in addition to traditional classroom learning experiences
  • Sex ed that is medically accurate, LGBTQIA+ inclusive, and sex positive
  • Lunch, healthy snacks
  • Microwave S’mores (sorry, these are the constraints of hosting in our office building)
Not present at camp
  • Summer camp experience that is exclusively focused on recreational fun 
  • Outdoor experiences like canoeing, archery, hiking
  • Faith-based instruction
  • An overnight experience
  • Open campfire with s’mores
What you'll learn about
  • Program Orientation & Peer Education
  • Puberty & Reproductive Anatomy
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Gender Identity, Roles, and Expression
  • How to Navigate Media and Peer Pressure
  • Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships
  • Consent
  • Birth Control Methods
  • Barrier Methods
  • Sexually Transmitted Infections
  • Pregnancy Options

Learn and Earn through Teaching

S’MORE is peer education program, which means that we ask campers to share what they are learning with the people in their lives. Conversations with peers, family, and community members all count whether in-person or online. These responsibilities extend the effort needed to complete this half-day camp into an all-week affair. Becoming a peer educator is real work, so Planned Parenthood will compensate any camper who completes 10 peer education conversations over the course of the camp with a $100 Visa gift card.

Why Should I Join?

  • Peer Education: When young people teach one another they learn something deeply and help their community at the same time. Our program empowers teens to support themselves and others in developing the skills to communicate their needs, advocate for themselves around boundaries and protection, and foster healthy relationships.
  • Leadership Opportunity: Every teen wants to be a contributing member in their community—and our camp gives them the opportunity to become leaders among their peers!
  • Engaging Experience: Campers can expect more than just sex education at S’MORE. We provide meals, crafts, and creative learning games. There’s always something to laugh about together in a sex ed classroom!
  • Bridge the Gap Between Knowledge and Fun: With a camp this engaging and relevant to teens entering high school, there’s no need to compromise between summer fun and addressing summer learning loss.
  • Affirming and Supportive: We respect all people at S’MORE. We’ll learn sexual health information that’s medically accurate, LGBTQIA+ inclusive, and sex positive.

About Us

Our Story

As sex educators with more than 3 decades of combined experience, we’ve noticed that middle school students can feel lacking in information about sexual health as they enter high school. We’d like to equip students in middle school and graduated 8th graders about to enter high school with three key things:

  • Self-confidence that comes from being able to articulate their boundaries around dating and relationships
  • Knowledge of the sexual health resources in their community
  • Practice communicating about sexual health with their peers, as a foundation for possible future sexual communication
     

Our Staff

Jon Lutz (he/him)
Favorite lesson to teach: Consent
Jon has taught sex ed in clinics, schools, homeless shelters, and the criminal punishment system since 2013. He joined Planned Parenthood in 2018. Jon hopes to use his specialty in educational games to create unforgettable learning experiences with campers this summer.

Katie Bashore, PhD (she/her)
Favorite lesson to teach: Healthy Relationships
Katie joined Planned Parenthood North Central States as the Manager of Community Education Programs for the Twin Cities in August 2022.  Previously, she taught Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies courses in a variety of college and university settings.  Katie hopes to use her deep understanding of how youth learn, process, and retain sex education to ensure that campers carry their knowledge well beyond summer camp!

What people are saying about us as educators
“Jon is an energized, entertaining and informative teacher. He allows teens to have great conversations, learn new material and feel comfortable talking about sexual health in ways that are fun and thoughtful. From healthy relationships to navigating the boundaries of coming of age in a high tech era, his students are prepared for what they are experiencing now, as well as what lies ahead!” -Health Teacher at Minneapolis Public Schools

Apply now

Have More Questions?

Please reach out to us at [email protected].