About Summer Camp 2025
Theme:
Legacies of Arab Invention
Date: June 16 – 27
Location: Germantown Friends Meeting (47 W Coulter St, Philadelphia, PA 19144)
Ages: K – 17 (Kindergarten through 12th grade)
Early Bird: $650 ($325 per week ) ends March 8th, 2025
Standard Price: $750 ($375 per week)
Prices vary for our Teen Program. Keep reading to find out more! Registration opens on January 23rd, 2025.
This year, at our 23rd annual summer camp, campers will enjoy a wide range of activities, including learning the Arabic language, storytelling, Arabic calligraphy, visual arts, music, and drumming.
Through these activities, campers will explore the minds of great Arab thinkers and inventors from previous centuries. They will discover the contributions of famous Arab inventors, pioneers, scientists, and artists, who have helped shape our world through iconic discoveries that laid the foundation of contemporary life. Additionally, campers will learn about the history of different periods when the Arab world flourished, from Andalusian times to the Golden Age of Islam, the Ottoman era, and our modern and contemporary world.
Financial aid and support are available for those who qualify.
Teen Summer Camp Program
This year we are (re)launching our Al-Bustan teen summer camp program for students in grades 9-12. Teen campers will have the opportunity to take a deep dive into Arab language and culture through intensive study of one or two subjects. Additionally, teens are welcome to join our team as junior camp counselors, training with our staff and senior counselors in a leadership role.
There are three options for our Teen Summer Camp Program:
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Full-time camper: Teens will fully engage with both intensive programs (morning and afternoon).
Price: Standard - $750 ($375 per week), Early Bird – $650 ($325 Per week )
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Camper/ Counselor: Teens will choose the morning or afternoon intensive class and spend the other half the day supporting our staff and senior counselors with our K-8 campers. Teens can choose one topic one week and another the second OR choose to do a two-week intensive course.
Limited availability by application (Maximum 10)
Price: $150 a week (No early bird pricing for counselors)
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(for 11 & 12th grade only) – Volunteer Full-time Counselors (Free!)
Older teens can opt to volunteer as full-time counselors at our summer camp. They will work with our staff and senior counselors to gain experience working as teen mentors and developing leadership skills.
Limited availability by application (Maximum 10)
Courses for the Teen Program
Intensive 1 – Arabic Cooking and Recipe Book
Teens will work with a chef in the Germantown Friends Meeting kitchen learning how to prepare Arabic dishes. Cooking will be supplemented by designing a recipe book in English and Arabic.
Intensive 2 – Videography
Teens will learn how to create a short film from start to finish. Working as a team, they will develop a topic, learn to use cameras and camcorders, and use editing software.
Volunteer with us!
Volunteer with us!
We are also looking for summer camp counselors! Are you interested in Arab arts, languages, culture? Do you wish to support Al-Bustan's mission in promoting understanding of Arab cultures and cross-cultural community building? Please fill this application for our summer camp counselor position.