FAQs

About the Program
 

Will male and female campers be separate while at camp?

• For daytime activities and excursions, campers will mixed together. However, we will have separate sleeping quarters and dorms for male and female campers. All male campers will be together regardless of age, and likewise for female campers. Staff rooms are located in between the male and female camper rooms throughout the floor. 

How are the dorm rooms set up?

• Each suite consists of two bedrooms (4 single beds) separated by one shared bathroom. Rooms are furnished with two single beds, desks, desk chair, small chest of drawers, a closet with hangers. Rooms do not have telephones, televisions, radios or clocks. Guests may wish to bring a reading lamp. Each dorm room will be separated between male and female campers. Campers also have access to a recreational room with pool tables, ping pong tables, foosball table, air hockey tables, and television. All floors have elevator access. The dorm has a communal laundry facility in the basement. 

How are meals provided during the camp and during excursions?

• Camp New Heights provides breakfast, lunch and dinner. Each meal is prepared and served by the university's dining staff and reviewed by our nutritionist. Our nutritionist will be able to tailor males and suggestions to each camper and their specific needs. The nutritionist will discuss before each meal how to make healthy choices and the ability to eat what you want in moderation. The nutritionist oversees a grocery store challenge that will set up each weekend's cooking classes about learning how to prepare easy meals once home to keep up with the new lifestyle. On excursions lunch will be provided and breakfast/Dinner will be at the dorm.

What if my child has dietary restrictions?

• Our staff will be working with the UCSB facilities team to make sure any restrictions or food allergies are addressed.

Are snacks allowed?

• Based on potential allergies with other campers we request that food be kept to the cafeterias only. Campers are always encouraged to carry out fruit from each meal. Please do not ship candy, gum, or other snacks to campers while camp is in session.

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What is the nutritional philosophy of Camp New Heights? 

• The goal of Camp New Heights is to provide our campers with the skills and tools to build a sustainable diet upon returning home from camp. We are not in the business of making negative associations with certain foods, we're interested in building the most nutritionally robust plates at every meal. We're focused on building our meals with the appropriate micro and macro-nutrients to fuel our daily activities. We typically build around a protein source and add vegetables to supplement our micro-nutrients for our first plate. After sitting and consuming our first plate, we wait 25 minutes to allow our body's hormonal response to let us know if we're still hungry or not. After the 25 minutes campers are allowed to build a second plate. We allow one dessert per day, which is picked at the camper's discretion. Our goal is not to make things off limits, but to understand moderation and the decision making process for everything we put into our bodies.

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Do campers consume soda or juice at camp?

• Campers and staff members do not consume soda and juices at meals, campers may consume water, tea, and seltzer water. 

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What is the grocery store/cooking challenge?

• Each Sunday campers are split into teams and assigned a piece of that day's lunch (appetizer, main course, dessert). The teams then research healthy recipes and ingredients needed to prepare their portion of that day's lunch. Using the guidance of the nutritionist and the information from the nutrition class that proceeds the challenge, campers will assemble a shopping list. Campers will then be taken to the local grocery store and will pick out their items with their team. While collecting items, campers will learn to read and understand nutrition labels, comparative shop, and look for key ingredients in various goods. Upon returning from the grocery store, campers will now work with their teams to prepare their food items for the entire group. Whether it's baking, grilling, cutting, or carving, the camper's get their hands dirty in the kitchen preparing a delicious lunch for all of the campers. The Sunday cooking challenge is the stuff of legends, campers look forward to the cooking challenge each week. Camper's families will notice that upon a return home, campers have taken an interest in helping with grocery shopping and preparing meals.

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What is your laundry service?

• On Sunday the campers will be able to use the on-site facilities at the dorm. Detergent will be provided unless a special one is needed for the campers. That will need to be provided by the family. The cost of washers and dryers will be subtracted from the dorm/medical fee. 

If my camper signs up for two weeks, can he/she extend the number of weeks?

• Absolutely, we are very flexible and will work with you

How are excursions chaperoned?

• Our Staff will be on each trip with the campers supervising and facilitating all activities 

How will progress be benchmarked?

• We believe that progress is determined by the camper. We do not force our campers to participate in weigh-ins, measurements, or physical tests. We want the campers to reflect on their performance and not only how the tasks have become easier, but also how they feel while completing their daily activities. 

What airport do we fly in and out of?

• Please have campers fly in and out of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) or Santa Barbara Airport (SBA). Please aim to have arrivals between the hours of 9am-1pm and departures between 10:00am-1:00pm. 

What is the transportation to and from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)?

• Camp New Heights will provide shuttle service from LAX to UC Santa Barbara at a cost of $200 per camper per way ($400 roundtrip). Pickups from SBA are free. 

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What is the Counselor in Training (CIT) program?

• The Counselor in Training program is designed to give former campers a chance to attend camp while simultaneously gaining leadership and job skills/training. In order to be eligible for a CIT position, a camper must be 17 years old and have attended Camp New Heights the previous year. CIT's will attend either four or six weeks in 2025. The CIT program is through application only available HERE.

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