Camper Code of Conduct

Camp Beacon Camper Code of Conduct 

This website outlines the rules and regulations for campers attending Camp Beacon in 2026. By signing this document, you agree that you will follow these rules. 

This agreement covers how campers should act while at camp, camp-related events or on the Camp Discord. This agreement does not cover communications between campers outside of official Camp Beacon produced events or communications. In other words, if campers become friends and hang out or message each other outside of official camp events, Camp Beacon can’t moderate those conversations or use what happens outside of camp, camp events, and the Camp Discord to prevent someone from coming to camp unless someone has been charged with a crime. 

Privacy 

Camper identities, medical information, contact information, and personally identifying information are confidential and disclosed only to the people who need to know it. 

• All staff at camp are provided with basic information on a camper, including their name, age, pronouns, photo if provided and general interests. All staff will also be informed of any accessibility needs that campers disclose and any emergency medical information (like an inhaler). 

• There is a Health Services team at camp composed of mental and medical health professionals. Those individuals and camp leadership will be made aware of any medications that a camper needs to take, as well as any allergies that a camper has and any information that an emergency first responder would need in case of a medical emergency. 

Photos of campers will not be shared on social media by Camp Beacon unless the camper’s parent and/or legal guardian affirms that photos can be shared and the camper consents to having their picture taken. Campers can show they don’t want to be photographed by wearing a black wristband (provided). 

Dress Code

Campers must wear a top and bottom and shoes so that the nipples, genitals, and buttocks are covered at all times unless showering or changing. Campers are recommended to wear walking-appropriate shoes, not flip flops unless in the shower or heels unless at the dance. 

Clothing, jewelry, or accessories may not show or promote violence, hate, alcohol, drugs, political content, or sexual content. Necessary religious, cultural, and disability-related attire is permitted consistent with safety. This will be determined by the Camp Director. 

This includes swimsuits. All swimwear should be securely attached to the body and cover the areas listed above. 

If a camper wears an article of clothing that is not in agreement with these rules, as determined by the Camp Director, they may be required to change or to wear clothes provided by Camp Beacon.

Medical

There will be a trained medical team on site at all times. All medications must be checked in with Health Services upon arrival, in their original containers with the appropriate labels and the correct name on them. If a camper has as-needed medication (epi-pen, inhaler, etc), they can carry it themselves with their parent/guardian’s written permission. Medical staff will only be able to administer over-the-counter medication as permitted by parent/guardian. No other staff will be allowed to administer medication. 

All staff members on site will be first-aid and CPR certified. 

Staff

There will be staff on site while campers are on site at all times. Any staff member on site or who has access to camper data will have completed a state and federal background check. 

Staff members can not be alone (i.e. one-on-one) with campers out of sight of others unless there is an emergency. Additionally and in line with our policy, staff to camper ratio is one staff member to seven campers, barring an emergency. Campers are not allowed to be alone or unsupervised unless they are in the bathroom. 

If a camper or their parent/guardian has concerns about the behavior of a member of staff, they should speak with the Camp Director or another member of staff by emailing campbeaconky@gmail.com. 

Phone Policy 

Campers are allowed to use their phones at camp except during activities where it would be dangerous to do so. If they are using the phone in a way that would be distracting or bothering other campers, they may be asked to put it away. Campers are encouraged to wear headphones when listening to music or watching videos except for a group activity.

Campers and staff are not allowed to use their phones to view or participate in any sexual or illegal activity while at camp.

Social Media Policy 

To protect our campers’ safety, we do not share images that would give away the location of camp, and we ask campers, counselors, and staff to do the same. The social media policy that everyone must agree to includes: 

1. No location tagging or sharing photos/information that could reveal where camp is taking place. 

2. No posting pictures on social media while camp is in progress.

3. No tagging or posting a photo of another camper without their explicit permission. This includes campers appearing in the background of a photo or naming fellow campers without permission. 

4. No bullying.

Youth under 18 are not allowed to friend request staff on social media unless they know each other outside of camp. They are allowed to follow staff on public social media but not private social media (YouTube or TikTok would be public, since anyone can follow anyone, versus Facebook or Snapchat would be private, since both people need to approve friend requests). These policies come second to state law, which prohibits educators from having any social media contact with students or parents. 

Accessibility 

Camp Beacon prioritizes accessibility and wants to have a camp environment where everyone is included, regardless of their abilities. Because of this, Camp Beacon will make accommodations as much as possible for campers unless a camper asks for an accommodation that risks the safety of campers or staff or asks for an accommodation that Camp Beacon is not equipped to provide. An example of this is that currently, Camp Beacon is not able to offer facilities that are wheelchair accessible. 

Bathrooms and Showers

Campers will be allowed to shower at least once per day. They will be able to select their preference of morning shower or evening shower, which will be honored if possible. Showers will last from ten to fifteen minutes based on the availability of the shower facilities. 

Campers will be required to shower at least every other day during camp for hygiene purposes unless a camper has a relevant accommodation identified in advance. Counselors will monitor shower attendance. 

Campers should bring a towel and flip flops or sandals as well as other toiletries. 

Shower facilities will be gender neutral, with single-user, single-stall shower facilities. Only one camper is allowed to be in any shower stall at a time. 

For bathrooms, most bathrooms are single-user, but the bathrooms in the cafeteria have stalls. There will be one gender neutral bathroom for staff and one for campers. Camp staff will enter the camper bathroom for safety checks and to replenish period supplies. Camp staff will not be in the camper bathroom alone and will not enter when a camper is in the bathroom unless there is an emergency. All single stall bathrooms are for one camper at a time. If multiple campers are in a bathroom (like doing makeup/hair), the door must be propped open.

 Contraband 

There are items that students will not be allowed to bring to camp. These include:

• Guns, 

• Weapons,

• Fireworks,

• Illegal drugs,

• Medications not checked in with staff

• Alcohol

• Tobacco

• Vaping devices 

• Pornography or other sexually explicit material

• Hate materials

• Food not checked in with camp staff

• Hazardous items

Consequences for bringing these items to camp or any camp-sponsored activity will range from having the item taken to notifying parents to being asked to leave, depending on the item. If a camper brings a firearm or weapon to camp and there is reason to believe they pose a threat to themselves or other campers, law enforcement may need to be involved. 

In order to protect the safety of campers and camp continuing on, if staff members have reason to suspect that a camper has contraband, a team of two staff members will search a camper’s belongings in private and may ask a camper to empty their pockets. Staff will not be able to search a camper’s person or ask the camper to remove their clothes. If a search needs to take place, the camper’s parent/guardian will be notified as soon as possible. 

Campers can bring personal electronic devices to camp like laptops and handheld gaming consoles but Camp Beacon staff doesn't recommend it as there won't be time to use them and camp cannot guarantee the safety of these items. There is no TV to hook up electronic devices to. 

Behavior Mediation 

Camp Beacon wants to include all campers, and wants to work with campers to allow them to participate in camp as much as possible. However, we need to prioritize safety above everything else. 

If a camper violates the rules outlined above or hurts another camper or staff member, then camp leadership will meet with the camper and address the issue, with the primary goal of protecting safety and secondary goal of allowing campers to participate fully in camp. Consequences for violating these rules can include discussions with staff and campers, discussions with parents, signing a behavior contract, and being sent home early. 

Consequences should generally be relevant to the camper’s behavior. For example, if a camper is talking when a staff member is giving instructions and not listening, the camper could be asked to be quiet and possibly to move to another seat where they can focus better. That would be a relevant consequence. An irrelevant consequence would be if a camper is talking when a staff member is giving instructions for a hike so they aren’t allowed to make s’mores that night. 

Incident Reports

All serious incidents are documented on the camp’s incident form; external reporting to authorities will occur as required by law and camp policy. Incidents will only be reported to parents if there is or was a risk of safety or significant mental distress.