Camp Up with People

A Global Experience for Creative Teens

Imagine a place where young people from around the world come together to create music, build friendships, explore nature, and grow into leaders who make a difference in their communities.

That’s what Camp Up with People is all about.

For years, Camp Up with People gave teens a life-changing experience rooted in music, cultural exchange, leadership, and service. It was a place where creativity met purpose—and where young people discovered their voice, their confidence, and their role in the world.

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A New Chapter Begins

We’re excited to announce that Camp Up with People will return in a new format in the summer of 2027!

This next generation of Camp UWP is being reimagined to reflect the world teens live in today—while still focusing on what has always mattered most: creativity, connection, and impact.

What Will the Experience Include?

Over the course of two immersive weeks, teens ages 13–17 will:

  • Create and perform through music, dance, and art
  • Explore nature and grow through outdoor challenges like ziplining and ropes courses
  • Build global friendships and engage in cross-cultural conversations
  • Develop leadership skills through hands-on projects and public speaking
  • Make an impact with ethical, service-based learning
  • Connect and reflect through campfires, team-building, and collaborative workshops

It all leads up to a final showcase—an artistic celebration of each participant’s voice and the community they’ve built together.

Launching July 2027 near Washington, D.C.

International locations coming soon!

This program is operated by the Horizons Learning Foundation, in partnership with the Up with People Foundation, organizations committed to youth empowerment, cultural understanding, and global leadership.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ask us anything! As alumni ourselves, we’re thrilled to carry forward the heart of Up with People and Camp UWP in a way that meets the needs and passions of today’s youth. This new experience will feel familiar in spirit but fresh in design—created for a new generation, with their voices at the center.

The Legacy Xperience was created in partnership with the UWPIAA to give youth attending UWP Alumni Week a high-energy, immersive taste of the Up with People spirit—alongside their alumni family members. With daily programming for ages 7–21, it blends music, leadership, service, and self-expression into a powerful weeklong journey, ending in a dynamic four-song performance as part of the alumni era show.

The new youth program launching in 2027 is a standalone, two-week experience open to teens ages 13–17—regardless of any past UWP connection. While it holds the same heart—creative expression, global friendships, and values-driven leadership—it goes further. This new program is built for today’s world and today’s youth, with expanded focus on cross-cultural dialogue, outdoor adventure, service learning, and real-world impact projects.

We’re working closely with UWPIAA to make sure both programs support and strengthen each other. A teen who experiences both will find unique value in each—one rooted in tradition and UWP reunion energy, and the other in global readiness, self-discovery, and lasting transformation.

We chose Washington, D.C. for two key reasons. First, we’re launching the program in partnership with Camp Horizons, an alumni-owned camp with over 40 years of history and the infrastructure needed to bring this idea to life—from facilities and staff to program support. Camp Horizons is located southwest of the DC area with a satellite location in Northern Virginia.

Second, D.C. is an international hub that will provide opportunities for us to explore. With its embassies, museums, cultural diversity, and outdoor opportunities, it offers a unique blend of local and global experiences—perfect for our participants and their journey.

We completely understand this concern. Today’s global and political landscape can feel uncertain— especially in the US and Washington DC — and the hesitation to send a child there is valid.

But we also believe this is exactly the kind of moment when programs like this matter most.

Up with People was founded during a time of deep division in the U.S.—and it became a powerful force for unity, empathy, and understanding through music, connection, and service. This program is being built with that same spirit.

While these teens won’t travel city to city like UWP casts once did, they will learn from each other, have honest conversations, and discover the power of creative expression and cross-cultural friendship. And just like generations of alumni before them, they’ll return home more prepared to make positive change in their own communities.

There may never be a “perfect time,” but we know this is a meaningful one. And we believe the messages these young people will carry forward—about courage, compassion, and collaboration—are needed now more than ever.

We’re taking the next year to do this right. We’ll be co-creating the curriculum with educators, youth advisors, and artists to make sure it’s forward-thinking, culturally relevant, and impactful for today’s teens. This timeline also allows us to build meaningful connections in the D.C. area and design a strong global outreach plan to welcome participants from around the world.

We’re so glad you asked! Alumni support is essential—whether that means sharing the program with families in your network, helping us spread the word online, or offering your time or skills as we build. If you’re interested in being more involved, we’d love to connect!

We’re exploring possibilities! If you have a connection to a university, boarding school, or facility abroad that offers affordable access or NGO pricing, we’d love to hear from you. Our long-term vision includes offering this program in regions around the world.

Seed funding is currently being provided by the Up with People Foundation. At this stage, the best way to support the program is by giving to the foundation directly. We also plan to build a scholarship fund to increase accessibility in the near future—stay tuned for ways to contribute!

Camp UWP was a beautiful experience that offered a taste of the Up with People touring program—but the world, and UWP itself, has changed. With UWP no longer touring, this is our opportunity to build something new: a program that stands on its own while honoring the heart and values we all remember. This new version is designed to reflect the issues, interests, and energy of today’s youth.

Do you have another question you’d like us to answer? Ask it below!

We’d love to send you a message with an answer to your question! Please let us know how to reach you.

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