There’s something special about being a Chief. These are campers who have grown up at Lakota, who know every corner of campus, every tradition, every chant, and who now carry the spirit of the place on their shoulders. Much like seniors in high school, Chiefs occupy a role that is both celebrated and earned: younger campers look up to them, staff lean on them, and they rise to meet every bit of it.
The Chiefs program is designed for families searching for a summer camp for 14 and 15 year olds who are heading into high school and are ready for a camp experience built around leadership, independence, and making the most of their final years as campers.
Chiefs enjoy the widest array of electives in camp, giving them the freedom to build a summer that reflects who they are and what they love. The latest bedtimes, the most social events, and access to unique experiences are all part of what makes this division feel like a true reward for the years invested in the Lakota community.
This is also the time when campers get to experience a kind of structured independence that prepares them for life beyond camp, especially as they begin high school in the fall. They make real choices about how they spend their time, how they show up for their cabins, and how they represent Camp Lakota to everyone around them.
Chiefs are the most experienced campers on campus, and they take that role seriously. They lead by example during camp-wide events like College Olympics and Birthday Ball, guide younger campers through new challenges, and help set the tone for the inclusive, welcoming culture that defines a Lakota summer.
This isn’t a title, it’s a responsibility, and the Chiefs we’ve watched come through this program have consistently risen to meet it with generosity, humor, and genuine care for the people around them.
Camp Lakota maintains a strict no-screens policy because we believe some of the most important experiences happen when technology steps out of the way. For our Chiefs, who are teenagers navigating an increasingly digital world, the impact of this is real. Without the constant pull of phones and social media, campers are free to be fully present with each other, to lead authentically, and to invest in the kind of deep friendships and conversations that are harder to find once the school year starts again.
Each year, Camp Lakota plans an off-campus trip specifically for our Chiefs, which is an enriching adventure that takes them somewhere new on the East Coast. Past trips have included a visit to Boston, D.C. Ohio, and Maryland, and we continue to plan experiences that are exciting, memorable, and worthy of this milestone year. Contact us if you’d like to know more about what we have planned this season.
We can’t wait to welcome your teenager to the Camp Lakota family. Contact us to get all your questions answered, or start the enrollment process today!
Yes, the Chiefs program is specifically designed for them and is one of the most distinctive parts of the Lakota experience. Older campers aren’t just tolerated at camp, they’re essential to it. Chiefs take on real leadership responsibilities, mentoring younger campers and serving as the role models that the Braves, Hawks, and Scouts look up to. That sense of purpose is what keeps teens genuinely engaged and what makes the Chiefs years some of the most meaningful summers Lakota campers have.
Particularly at 14–15, yes! This is an age when social pressure, screen time, and performance anxiety are at a peak. Camp offers a break from all of it through a screen-free, structured community where teens are valued for who they are, not how they perform online. Many Chiefs campers describe these summers as the ones that shaped how they think about leadership and friendship.
Chiefs actively mentor younger campers, take responsibility for their own schedules, and prepare for the CIT program, the next step toward becoming a full counselor. Leadership at this stage isn’t theoretical; it’s built through daily practice in a real community that depends on them.
The best teen programs go beyond “keeping kids busy”, they give older campers real stakes and real roles. At Camp Lakota, teens participate in the full activity program including waterskiing, horseback riding, golf, and outdoor adventure, while also stepping into meaningful leadership responsibilities. That combination of activities plus purpose is what makes the experience genuinely rewarding for teenagers. See all activities.