about Us

Each hall has assigned staff who live on the same hall that are always available to our campers, even at night, and who help them with wake up, menucha/rest hour, bed-time prep, shower time, and meals. Campers help keep their space clean and tidy through a period called “nikayon”, with deep cleaning happening almost daily via the Westtown-provided cleaning services.

Privacy is an important part of our camp culture! Campers are not allowed in any bedroom but their own, and all camper hangouts take place in our dorm common rooms, where they have access to comfortable seating, staff support, and ample board games. Due to our dedication to safety and security, campers are never truly "alone". We have an open-door policy in the dorms, meaning campers should keep their doors open unless they are changing or sleeping. Campers cannot be in the dorms alone and cannot return throughout the day on their own.

The dorm bathrooms at camp have multiple individual stalls both for the toilet and for the shower, and shower time is facilitated by counselors who ensure everyone feels safe and has the privacy they need during those vulnerable moments.

Campers are told from the beginning that it is okay to close the door and ask their roommate(s) to step outside while they are changing. Campers who attend camp should be prepared to provide that privacy for others. Though we know that camp can be a place where kids change freely in front of each other and feel free in their bodies, we also understand that this is not comfortable for everyone. We ask that kids be discreet and maintain privacy in the bathrooms, halls, and their rooms.

Roommate assignments are based on camper grades, mutual interests, and mutual roommate requests (if possible). Roommate assignments are made personally by our Camper Care team after thoroughly reviewing all camper documents, not by a machine!

Campers can also request to be with a friend! As long as they are in the same grade and select the same gender preferences, we do our best to accommodate at least one mutual roommate request per camper. A housing info and roommate request form is included in the camper paperwork released in the spring, where you can put this request.

Our goal is to place every camper in housing that affirms their identities and/or allows them to experience a sense of belonging in our camp community. To that end, transgender and non-binary campers and staff members are housed in the space that affirms their gender identity and/or where they feel most comfortable. There is space during the camper application to expand more around your camper’s gender regarding housing. Please reach out to the main office with questions at scitecharts@urj.org!

Campers will have their laundry sent out to a local wash-and-fold service about halfway through each session. Campers staying multiple sessions will also have their laundry done during intersession. Please label each article of clothing to help ensure everything makes it home!

Camp is an opportunity for campers to unplug from their lives back home and explore their interests, passions, and identity in a safe, intentional, and inclusive environment. At Sci-Tech & Arts, we use technology to connect and pursue our passions while also embedding ourselves in the “camp bubble” experience that makes overnight camps so special!  

To help our community better achieve our goal of using technology to connect rather than disconnect, campers may not bring to camp any device capable of web browsing, downloading or playing apps or games, making phone calls, or emailing/messaging.   

Throughout the day, and depending on the electives and majors campers choose, campers will be able to use technology under the supervision of our well-trained counselors and instructors who teach these activities. The equipment and supplies necessary for each activity are supplied by the camp. The technology needed for those activities stays in the activity spaces and is never brought back to the dorm or other community spaces. When not involved in an activity that requires computer/technology usage, we encourage campers to experience the world around them: to connect with their peers, to appreciate our physical surroundings, and to be an active part of the camp community. 

However, we also know that some forms of technology help campers de-stress, decompress, or feel more rested or at home in the dorm environment! Especially right before bedtime. Campers ARE permitted to bring the following: 

• MP3 or other music players that do not have the ability to download a web browser, games, social media apps, messaging/emails, phone calls, etc. 

• Ebook reader (such as Kindle Paperwhite) 

• Digital musical instruments and accessories (though make sure to bring headphones if you bring electronic instruments that make noise that you want to use in the dorms) 
• Laptops or tablets for Creative Writing majors (to be stored in the classroom)

Breakfast 

French toast, Veggie or Turkey sausage, Pancakes, Roasted potatoes, Steamed vegetables 

Available each day: 
Scrambled and hard-boiled eggs, Yogurt and fruit bar, Fresh bagels, Cold cereals and Muffin selection 

Lunch 

Cheese Ravioli, Chicken Fingers, Ginger soy tofu, Falafel, Roasted portobello mushrooms 

Available each day: 
Pasta Bar, Salad Bar, Juice Bar, Fresh Fruit

Dinner 

Beef fajitas, Herb-roasted chicken, Stuffed shells, Baked Pacific cod, Vegetable curry 

Available each day: 

Pasta Bar, Salad Bar, Juice Bar, Fresh Fruit

We strive to accommodate all allergies and special diets so that all campers can participate in our program. The professional dining services team has experience dealing with: 

• vegetarian and vegan diets 

• gluten allergy/wheat intolerance 

• lactose intolerance 

• peanut/tree nut allergies 

• fish allergies 

• ARFID 

As an added layer of safety, we have Epi-pens in the dining hall and health center. Our entire staff is trained in the use of Epi-pens.  

We are able to accommodate most dietary needs – if your camper’s needs are not listed here, please do not hesitate to reach out! 

Sci-Tech & Arts serves food “kosher-style”, meaning we never serve pork or shellfish, or any products containing ingredients derived from them. We never serve dairy and meat together in the same pre-prepared item (e.g., a cheeseburger or chicken parmesan). Campers and staff are able to make their own decisions regarding kashrut, so please be sure to talk with your camper before they arrive at camp!  

We take our campers’ health very seriously and actively work to ensure that they are well fed! Campers are not allowed to bring outside food and beverages with them to camp. In our experience, these items usually result in: 

• Snacks being used as a meal substitute, resulting in a lack of nutrition needed for a busy, active day at camp. 

• Food and crumbs in the dorm and common areas leading to problems with cleanliness, bugs, and insects. 

• Sugary snacks and caffeinated beverages affecting camper sleep schedules. 

In addition to the three daily meals, campers are also given two snacks a day.  

Campers who take medication that suppresses appetite, such as certain ADHD medications, do have the option of sending snacks to camp ahead to be administered by the health care team at specific times of day (with bedtime meds being the most popular time). The snacks must be shelf-stable and come in individual servings that do not contain nuts or require refrigeration. Email jmallindine@urj.org for more info on how to get these supplemental snacks to camp!  

 To ensure the best possible quality of care in our Health Center, we require all campers who take prescriptions, supplements, vitamins, melatonin, and/or over-the-counter medications (OTC’s) to enroll in our pre-packaged pharmacy service. We will not accept any medication, vitamins, supplements, or over-the-counter medications on Opening Day. 

Enrolled families will receive a Camp Pharmacy FAQs document in their CampInTouch accounts in the Spring. 

We strive to accommodate all allergies at camp so that all campers can participate in our program. Our professional dining services team has experience handling many allergies, like gluten/wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, sesame, and fish. We can accommodate most dietary needs – if your camper’s allergies are not on the list, please do not hesitate to inquire. Campers who need medication to manage environmental allergies will receive their medication from our nurses at mealtimes or before bed. We have Epi-Pens in the dining hall and health center. Our entire staff is trained to use Epi-Pens. 

Our counselors are more than supervisors – they are near-peer mentors and role models! We select counselors based on their experience working with children, their dedication to our values, and their passion for inspiring a love of science, technology, and the arts. All staff members complete a rigorous staff orientation before the first day of camp, which features childcare and child development training, best practices for instruction and mentorship, and camper safety. Our staff who run STEM or Arts programming begin prepping months ahead in partnership with our education advisors and consultants! We maintain at least an 8-to-1 camper-to-staff ratio. 

Campers at URJ 6 Points Sci-Tech & Arts Academy will be moving around for much of the day, so we recommend comfortable clothes such as shorts and T-shirts. Closed-toed shoes are required (no sandals, flip-flops, or Crocs) for many of our activities. For Shabbat, many choose to dress a little nicer (such as khakis, polo shirts, and skirts), and we request that all campers wear a white top to bring our community together as one kehilah kedoshah (holy community). A full packing list is provided closer to the beginning of camp. If you’d like to see the packing list from previous years before registering, please contact the camp office. 

If your child is not feeling well at camp, they will be able to visit the health center during our daily post-lunch sick call and be seen by our on-site health center staff. Counselors and camp staff are also trained on what symptoms indicate an emergency/need for an immediate health assessment outside of our daily sick call. Our goal is to manage routine illness this summer with our tried-and-true health management procedures, escalating situations individually as needed.  

When a camper is brought to the health center, the medical professional on duty will assess the symptoms to determine the best treatment or next steps. This assessment may include recommending testing for strep, flu, or any other test the medical staff and advising physician needs to assess your child’s wellbeing. All recommended tests would result in a camper going to the local urgent care or hospital, as we are not able to conduct those tests at camp.  

Anyone who has a fever, strep, flu, other contagious illness, or is otherwise not feeling well enough to participate fully in programming will stay in the health center in one of the air-conditioned rooms available. The amount of time they will stay in the health center will vary based on the diagnoses and resolution of symptoms. All community members must stay in the health center until they are 24 hours fever-free (without fever-reducing medication) and have a reduction in symptoms before returning to their halls. If your child stays overnight in the health center, we will contact you and detail the treatment they are receiving and the symptoms they are experiencing. 

In the event a camper needs extensive medical observation and treatment, including needing to stay at the health center for multiple days at a time, or if a camper needs to be isolated and the health center runs out of capacity and does not have an overnight bed available, families can and should arrange for their camper to be picked up as soon as possible. That way, campers can receive the proper medical care, treatment, emotional support, and observation needed for more elongated recovery and isolation periods! They can always return to camp once they are feeling better!  

It is important to note that the health center at Sci-Tech is set up to handle accurate medication distribution, emergency response, and routine health care and maintenance. Camp cannot support extensive medical interventions or supervision, or extended recovery or isolation periods related to severe injuries or illnesses.   

At the heart of our Reform Movement is our enduring commitment to shaping a more whole, just, and compassionate world. That holy work includes ensuring that each and every member of our camp community – especially our children – are protected and that their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health and safety is our highest priority. You can read more about the URJ’s official Child Protection Policy here. 

The Union for Reform Judaism requires that all camp and travel program participants, staff, and faculty must be immunized and provide proof of that immunity through vaccination records. We provide an updated Vaccine Policy every year. This vaccination information is available on your camper application and will be available as a reference after registration. For reference, please read the URJ Policy Statement on Vaccine Status (updated 2/3/26).