Camp YATC has truly blown us away! Of course, I was not in attendance as the Mom. That being…read moresaid, I can begin by saying that the very FIRST thing my 13 year old son said to me today (after giving me a giant, obligatory hug ;) was: "Mom, I'll do anything if you say I can come back here next summer. I had the BEST TIME EVER!!" We live about 2.5 hours away from the beautiful Mt. Cross campsite in the Santa Cruz mountains and had heard about Camp YATC through a local, dear friend of ours. It had been over a year that my son had been begging me to go I had been in contact with Shawn and Valerie beginning last March with tons of questions. My son has a physical special need and all staff were supportive & compassionate. Shawn and Val both listened graciously to concerns I had regarding this prior, & reassured me during the week by response to a text message I sent; that he was safe, smiling, & thriving. It was at this point, that I felt like their promise to treat all campers as kids of their own -- was genuine & sincere. Sometimes the little things for one person are big things to someone else. My son had nothing but positive feedback to share about his cabin counselor, Ian... that he was attentive, patient, & helpful. Themed dinner evenings seemed to have been all the rage; and surprise on and off Broadway actors participated in mentoring with productive & validating feedback. What a remarkable bonus that was to hear about! The team at YATC has magically blended a smooth structure with room for each individual to be themselves -- simultaneously making it appear easy & joyful. He shared that his most significant takeaway from his time away from home st YATC was a tie. Learning and growing as a performer (in the Musical Theatre track) was at the top - and in large part due to the many experienced, talented, & insightful folks who taught. Right up there were the many new friendships made with campers from all over the world, literally. Upon our return home, I found my son in his room organizing each paper that he had torn off writing contact information for various new buddies -- and also reviewing a notebook chalk full of notes he'd taken during instructional classes. It sounds to me as though they have nailed it at being sure there was equal part "fun" to in "class" - and it stood out to me when I was told that he's never experienced how learning can be FUN in and of itself. Togetherness with other campers whose interests often paralleled his own, he mentioned how fantastic it was to learn from peers simply by getting to know these truly special people. "Mom, I don't know if there were bullet points in the adult paperwork about your child needing to be a kind human being, but I never met anyone who wasn't!" This made my Mom heart especially happy. The showcase held at pick up time was incredible! Each camper has been encouraged (but not forced or required) to stand up in front of the crowd & share their talent. Performers were excited and as an audience member, easy to see how hard they had worked! Something else that stood out was the way campers cheered on one another offering high fives or hugs. If you hadn't known that these kids only met 9 days prior, you sure wouldn't have been able to tell! So sweet to witness this! In my opinion, the sheer number of returning campers year after year says a whole lot about the phenomenal team behind the scenes executing this well oiled operation. It was abundantly evident that the people I came into contact with not only wanted to promote & encourage these kids' passion for the arts // but also, help strengthen self confidence, responsibility, and adventure. I promised my son that I'll do everything possible under the sun to make sure he can return to (what he called his new) "happy place and home away from home." This crew has absolutely nailed it!! BRAVO CAMP YATC! His countdown has begun! My gratitude and appreciation are endless for all they've done in playing an integral role in my son's happiness.

Where do I start!? Well, I was nervous-trepidatious-just not sure if we were doing the right thing…read moreby sending our son to Camp YATC. I must say, we were blown away- and so was our son! He's already a working actor, so sometimes it's tough to find a space that caters to someone like him- he has some experience-but of course-he's a kid! And has SO much to learn and so much growing to do. When they say that you'll feel at home- they are absolutely correct! Our son was nervous and within 5 minutes of arriving, he was waving us off~ from tears of anxiety to smiles and an eagerness to join and play and learn and experience all that camp YATC has to offer! From top notch coaches, teachers, performers, counselors, and the sweetest-most accepting & creative kids! All set in the breathtaking Santa Cruz mountains. It's a dreamy place where dreams grow and kids can be themselves, accepted, encouraged, and nurtured. Thank you Shawn & Valerie & everyone at Campy YATC for creating a welcoming space for these sweet performers to hone their craft, while making new friends in a gorgeous setting. PS-our kid is a mega boy-like plays football & has has a ton of bros- but-he's an artist and loves to meet fellow artists from all walks of life - this place delivered! Oh- yeah- the cabins- well- they're cabins... it's not the Ritz-but-it's safe-comfortable- well ventilated!! And really-so fun-our son tells it like it is and is super picky- he loved his time and can't wait to return. As a mom, I am grateful. Highly recommend for your young performer-actor, singer, dancer, writer, dreamer. Ps... the pool is clean and perfect- the cabins are older, but not moldy- I'm not sure where the bad reviewer below stayed, but it does not sound like this camp. The cost is not "cheap" but I feel that the value is there- the kids are learning & are safe-engaged-encouraged-and really well taken care of.