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  • 1 4-H Camp
    Enjoy swimming, fishing, nature trails, a climbing wall, arts and crafts, a talent show, dances and nights around the campfire. A Southern tradition since 1934!
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  • 1 Do you want to learn more effective ways of working with girls? Hear from exciting national and local speakers about best-practices for girls? And hear from girls themselves about what they need? Then come and get “GirlSmart™” at the 2009 Empowering Girls Symposium
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  • 1 Camp Sewee
    Discover the wonders of marine life and the South Carolina coast by visiting salt marsh areas, freshwater ponds, a wildlife refuge and the SC Aquarium. Tubing, swimming, kayaking and a water park trip round out this wet and wonderful week!
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  • 1 Camp Voyager
    Test your technological skills with GPS devices, PDAs, digital cameras, computers, Lego Mindstorms NXT® robots, radio-controlled cars and video game design—plus exciting adventures like paintball, go-carts and more!
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  • 1 Camp Wildlife
    Learn outdoor survival skills, hunting skills, shooting sports and wildlife ecology. Enjoy ATVs, paintball, archery, fishing and a variety of hands-on educational curricula.
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  • 1 Adventure Summer Camp
    Challenge yourself to 10 days of Adventure Expeditions or 6 days of Adventure Mini-Trips in the Blue Ridge Mountains of S.C. and N.C. Backpacking, mountain biking, camping, canoeing, rock climbing and more!
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New Horizons Family Center

Teenage girls facing pregnancy—often without supportive partners or positive family role models—need love, instruction, and support to rebuild their lives and assure the well-being of their children. YLI offers New Horizons, a residential program that serves young women and their children who are currently in the custody of the Department of Social Services.

To participate, the mother must demonstrate a genuine desire to parent her child and be willing to continue her education, participate in activities designed to increase parenting skills and create a positive environment for her child. New Horizons is held at R.M. Cooper Leadership Center near Summerton, S.C. It’s on the shores of beautiful Lake Marion in a setting that brings together school, home and community to provide an environment that supports both mother and child.

With a supportive staff, the girls become self-confident and learn to be effective mothers through hands-on educational experiences, such as meeting their daily needs and the needs of their children, completing weekly goal plans and community service projects. Also, informal counseling is provided as needed. Other program components of New Horizons include:

  • Developing a positive self-image.
  • Offering life skills training, including independent living, employment and parenting.
  • Furthering the academic education of the participants.
  • Offering a positive growing environment for each family member.
  • Preparing each family with the attributes needed for a positive transition into the community.

New Horizons works to break unhealthy cycles - poverty, multiple pregnancies, unsustainable jobs, abuse - often seen in teenage mothers. In providing teens with resources, education and support, New Horizons works against these at-risk cycles and instead strives to build self-sustaining young families.