About Camp

Immersion Island was modeled after Concordia Language Villages in Minnesota. The idea is to offer “all the fun of a summer camp while totally immersed in a foreign language.”

Campers often speak to each other in English, however, our counselors and CITs use positive motivators to encourage them to use the Spanish they know or repeat what a they say if they do not have a grasp of the language yet.  Positive motivation includes, among other things, a system of earning island “pesos” that can be spent at the camp store. The store is stocked with edible treats and with attractive souvenirs from all around the Spanish-speaking world. Students must buy, negotiate, and speak with other students and staff at the camp store.

  • field games

  • swim time

  • song

  • dance

  • role play

Activities at camp include:

  • conversation groups

  • daily cultural presentations

  • crafts

  • typical snacks and meals

  • brain break games

Themed evenings include:

  • Movie Night;

  • Table Game Night;

  • Campfire Night;

  • Dance Party Night;

  • Family Night; and

  • much more!  

To ensure a full-immersion camp experience, our staff stays in the target language 95% of the time using different techniques to help campers with comprehension while staying in the target language. There is a “15 minutes of English” break after lunch during which counselors can bond with campers.

Fun on Immersion Island

Camp Site

Immersion Island is located on the grounds of New Hope Camp & Conference Center and includes a lodge where campers can relax on sofas and chairs, play games tables and craft and share meals.

We cook our own authentic food and our kitchen facilities provide enough room to prepare food for up about 30 people.

The 60-acre campgrounds include:

  • hiking trails

  • sports fields

  • pool with changing areas and restrooms

  • Covered terraces

  • Lake and dock

  • and much more  

For overnight camps we keep boys and girls dorms separate from one another. This encourages more friendships and the family atmosphere we like to promote. Each dorm has showers and toilets.

 
Campers DIY games.

Campers DIY games.

Typical Camp Week

Each week of camp is staffed with 3-6 paid staff ranging from teachers to animated college students with native and near-native Spanish ability and a cook.  The camps have between 13-25 campers at the most. We employ Counselors-In-Training (CITs) who have completed at least level three of high school level Spanish, or are native or heritage language speakers. CITs are at least 15 years old and help staff by supervising and assisting younger campers and serving as inside motivators while improving their Spanish and leadership skills. ALL CIT’s receive a camp discount.

  • Camps run Monday-Friday and include day camps, overnight camps and “hybrid” camps.

  • The day camps run 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. with the option of early drop-off and late pick up.  (8 a.m. and 5 p.m. )

  • The overnight camps begin at 9 a.m. on Monday and end at 5 p.m. on Fridays.

  • There are also day-camp options during overnight weeks which run 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.  

  • The “hybrid” camp is a day camp Monday-Wednesday and all campers stay overnight Thursday night.

  • All camps have a parent presentation on Fridays at 4 p.m.

  • Camp prices range from $395 - $795.

  • Most camps are for kids ages 7-18

  • We offer some preschool camps in conjunction with others