PASSPORTkids Group Leader Information 

DAILY SCHEDULE

CAMP THEME: Come to the Water

THEME VERSE:

All of you who are thirsty, come to the water! Isaiah 55:1a (CEB)

DAILY THEMES:
Day 1—Come to the Water
Day 2—Float
Day 3—Drink
Day 4—Dive

Kids Camp Parties

Night 1 – Mario Party
Have you ever wanted your Mario Kart or Mario Party games to come to life? Well, this summer, it has! Say hello to Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and more for PASSPORT’s 2024 Mario Party Rec Party. It’s such a party, we had to say it twice! Grab your closed-toe shoes and join your Bible Study group for Mario Kart and Mario Party-inspired games.

Night 2 – Night Market
Come take in the incredible sights and sounds of Night Market. We will journey together around the lakes of Togo, a country in West Africa. There will be food, crafts, dancing, and a fun and exciting scavenger hunt for campers. Campers will roam freely through the Night Market with their church group.

Night 3 – PASSPORTkids Disney Cruise Variety Show
All your favorite Disney {water} characters are excited to see your talents this year at the PASSPORTkids Disney Cruise Variety Show. Come ready to be amazed at all the magical talent. This year, we invite campers to dress as their favorite Disney character. Campers who wish to participate must perform their act in costume at the Variety Show Screenings on Day Two during Free Time. Group acts will be given top priority.

PROGRAM DETAILS

Kids Bible Study

At PASSPORTkids, your campers will be in Bible Study Groups together with students from other churches to dig deeper into the daily themes. This allows for fresh ideas and perspectives to flourish, as well as for campers to see the larger family of God. When you arrive, you will be given instructions at Check-In on how to distribute your campers among the spaces in Bible Study that your group has been assigned.

• Please be sure EVERY camper comes to Bible Study with their own Bible, passport, and a writing utensil.
• We welcome an adult from your group to shadow a student who may require extra support or attention.
• Assign an adult chaperone (not the Group Leader) to serve as a Bible Study Assistant.

Mission Offering

Students will learn about global migration by exploring the work of three different ministries in distinct areas of the world. This mission offering is collected on the final night of Worship. Please help your students plan ahead for this as you prepare to come to camp. We will collect the Mission Offering by church groups so that no student will be singled out.

Camper Rotations at Kids Camp

Campers will choose between a selection of activities led by Passport Staff on Days 2 and 3 of Kids camp. Activities include soccer, crafts, indoor games, and worship arts. Additionally, every camper will participate in a mission education activity during one of their 4 Rotations.

Free Time at Kids Camp

Campers will have scheduled Free Time on Days 2 and 3 of camp to go to the Camp Store, swim, play games, and rest. Our staff will lead various activities during free time, but Group Leaders and Chaperones are responsible for your campers during this time.

GETTING TO CAMP

Two weeks before camp
Two weeks before camp check-in, each church’s Group Leader will receive an email reminder submit their Rooming & T-Shirt Form.

• Review our Safe Harbor Policy (in the Adults at Camp tab) and plan your rooming prior to arrival.
• Requests for private rooms may incur an additional room fee and can only be fulfilled if space is available.
• Once the Passport National Office receives your group’s form, we will begin making room assignments and further preparations to welcome your group at camp.

Group Leaders can also prepare in other ways:

• Confirm Medical Release forms have been completed for all group members (you will receive an email with a PDF version of each form as it is submitted).
• Ensure you have completed background checks on each adult in the past 3 years (1 year for Texas) and prepare the Chaperone Screening Certificate to submit at check-in (paper form; signatures required)
• Prepare other site-specific paper forms (per location; as needed)
  – Note: Berea College and Heart of Texas require additional forms.

Check-In is from 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm

As you pull out of the church parking lot, please have an adult call or text (205) 588-6937 to let the camp staff know of any changes to your group’s counts, rooming lists, or shirt sizes.

The Check-In location is indicated on the campus map. Look for Passport flags on campus and staff to welcome you. Make sure you have your check-in forms ready when you arrive.

If you are running late: please call the camp office at (205) 588-6937 during check-in hours and let them know when to expect you. We will be ready for you when you arrive if we have all your final numbers. Late groups may be asked to wait until the end of the Opening Celebration to complete the Check-In process and move in.

At Check-In you will receive:
• Room keys (lost key fees may apply)
• Passports (serves as camp guidebook, meal ticket, & campus ID)
• Printed instructions & resources to get you through the first day (for you and your chaperones)
• Theme t-shirts (based on the sizes you request in the Rooming & T-Shirt Form – wear these to Opening Celebration)

WHO IS THE GROUP LEADER?
The Group Leader is the lead chaperone, responsible for the camp registration and participants. 

GROUP LEADER PACKING LIST – In addition to the camp packing list items (in Resources Section Below), Group Leaders should bring:

DO NOT BRING: Firecrackers; extra shaving cream; water balloons; tobacco products/vapes; illegal drugs; alcohol; weapons, etc.

Please note: Churches will be held responsible for property damage and/or cleanup costs incurred.

Students may not bring clothing, hats, flags, posters, or other room decorations that could be seen as divisive, inflammatory, or offensive by others.

WHO IS A CHAPERONE?
Chaperones must be at least 20 years old at camp and be one year past their high school graduation. All chaperones driving vehicles at camp must be at least 21 years old. The chaperone-to-camper ratio in each group must be at least one chaperone per five campers of the same gender. Please share the chaperone handout (in resources section below) with them prior to coming to camp.

WHAT ALL ADULTS NEED TO KNOW

CHAPERONES SHOULD BE READY TO HELP WITH CAMPER BIBLE STUDY
Each church should assign one adult to serve as the Bible Study Assistant alongside PASSPORT’s Bible study leader. No preparation is needed, but they will assist the Bible Study Leader and offer help during several moments of Bible Study each day. Assistants may also be called on to help with any campers who might need additional attention while in Bible Study. Chaperones may volunteer to be a Bible Study Assistant. Group Leaders may not, as they will need to attend Adult Meeting daily.

UNDERSTAND PASSPORT’S SAFE HARBOR POLICY
Passport requires a background check to be completed for every adult attending camp. Any official statewide background check that you have conducted within the past three years is acceptable (a yearly check is required for Texas). A ministerial staff member of your church must sign the certificate to be presented when your group arrives at camp for Check-In.

Passport Inc.’s Rooming Policy regarding Adult/Minor Rooming requires that an adult cannot sleep in the same room alone with a minor unless that adult is the parent or legal guardian of the minor. In lodging where there are multiple beds, we will arrange for at least two adults who are not married or related to stay with multiple minors as space allows. This may occasionally necessitate placing more than one group in an apartment or dorm suite. If there are separate bedrooms, an adult will be given their own room or may share with another adult.

In the event that your group’s policy is stricter than this, Passport, Inc. will follow your policy to the best of our ability. Special rooming requests may require additional payment based on single room costs from our host facilities. Please email your request to us at reg@passportcamps.org.

UNDERSTAND PASSPORT’S DIGITAL SABBATH
FOR CAMPERS
We ask your campers to turn their cell phones and other digital devices over to the Group Leader before the Opening Night of camp. Devices may be returned on the final morning of camp. We believe that your campers will be surprised at how much they benefit from being disconnected. Some Group Leaders choose to allow limited windows of time every few days to “call home.” This is up to you. Though we do not recommend this, we will allow it at long as campers do not have devices at any other time and their phones are only used in their dorm.

FOR CHAPERONES
The Digital Sabbath will be easier on your students if they see all Group Leaders and chaperones restraining their use of devices as well. We understand that there will be moments adults may need to use their phones for purposes other than taking photos. We ask that adults use their phones out of the sight of campers whenever feasible. Adults are permitted to have cell phones and other electronic devices, though wireless availability varies by campus, and we ask that you use them with discretion. Camp events may not be streamed live.

FOR PARENTS
To help us enforce this rule: talk openly about this Digital Sabbath with your parents, as sometimes the parents want that daily connectedness to their students. Assure parents that they will be quickly notified and be able to speak to their students if there is an emergency.

CAMP RULES AND GUIDELINES

Campers and adults should dress appropriately—as defined by the camper’s parent/guardian and church Group Leader—the entire week of camp. Please consider these guidelines, as the Group Leaders are responsible to monitor their own group’s clothing:

• No clothing with inappropriate language or advertising is allowed.
• Clothing should not make fun of, belittle, or demean another person or culture.
• Closed-toe shoes and clothes that can get dirty at Rec Party and for games or activities.
• Both one-piece and two-piece bathing suits are allowed at camp.

CAMP RULES

• Participate fully in all PASSPORTkids activities.
• Only go into my own room.
• Turn off all electronic devices like cell phones, computer games, and music players while at camp.
• Have fun!

CAMP COVENANT
This week at PASSPORTkids, we will be a community that cares for everyone. We will speak and act with kindness and respect to each person we meet.