Taking S.T.E.P.S.
Supporting the Transformation of Equity and Power in outdoor Spaces
Mission
The goal of Taking S.T.E.P.S. initiative is to create opportunities for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ families to experience representation and community in a family camp setting.
Summer 2025
Registration Timeline
- January 2 – 20, 2025 / S.T.E.P.S. Registration for the Lottery is open
- February 4 - 5, 2025 / S.T.E.P.S. Lottery
Registration for S.T.E.P.S. begins with registration for the S.T.E.P.S. lottery. Then, during the lottery, you will register for a cabin and session for the summer. The lottery process gives each family an equal opportunity to register for a designated S.T.E.P.S. cabin. Online registration for the lottery is free of cost. Each family will register as a household. When a household registers for the lottery, they are randomly assigned to a registration wave. Wave assignments will be sent the week prior to the lottery. Participating households will register online using that link. Families interested in being a part of the general Family Camp Lottery can also learn more here.
2025 Session Dates:
Camp Northern Lights Session Dates
6-Night sessions run Sunday to Saturday:
- Session 3: June 22 – 28 S.T.E.P.S. BIPOC Session
- Session 8: July 20 – 26 / S.T.E.P.S. LGBTQ+ Session
- Session 10: Aug 3 – 9 / S.T.E.P.S. BIPOC Session
3-Night sessions:
- Session 6: July 9 – 12 (Sunday - Wednesday) S.T.E.P.S. BIPOC Session
Camp du Nord Session Dates
- Session 4: June 29 - July 5 / S.T.E.P.S. BIPOC Session
Cost of S.T.E.P.S Sessions:
We use a tiered pricing system for S.T.E.P.S. registration. This means you can choose from a range of tiers and opt in to pay the amount for your cabin/site that makes sense for your family, no questions asked.
The tiers range from $100 to full price for each cabin/site. The registration tier you select will directly support another S.T.E.P.S. family.
Payment Schedule:
During the registration process you have will have two options once you select the tier
- You can choose to pay the full amount.
- You can choose to have four equal payment installments that would come out the first of each month starting in March and ending in June.
Camp Northern Lights S.T.E.P.S. Cabin Pricing / 6-Night Sessions
| Tier 1 (full price) |
Tier 2 | Tier 3 | Tier 4 | Tier 5 (deposit) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revontulet | 5,600 | 4,200 | 2,800 | 1,400 | 100 |
| Cassiopeia | 5,000 | 3,750 | 2,500 | 1,250 | 100 |
| Callisto | 4,800 | 3,600 | 2,400 | 1,200 | 100 |
| Cetus | 3,100 | 2,325 | 1,550 | 775 | 100 |
| Cygnus | 3,100 | 2,325 | 1,550 | 775 | 100 |
| Fir | 3,100 | 2,325 | 1,550 | 775 | 100 |
| Aquila | 3,000 | 2,250 | 1,500 | 750 | 100 |
| Birch | 2,800 | 2,100 | 1,400 | 700 | 100 |
| Ash | 2,800 | 2,100 | 1,400 | 700 | 100 |
| Pickerel | 1,550 | 1,162.50 | 775 | 387.50 | 100 |
| Tree Frog | 1,550 | 1,162.50 | 775 | 387.50 | 100 |
Camp Northern Lights S.T.E.P.S. Cabin Pricing / 3-Night Session
edit here
| Tier 1 (full price) |
Tier 2 | Tier 3 | Tier 4 | Tier 5 (deposit) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cassiopeia | 2,500 | 1,875 | 1,250 | 625 | 100 |
| Callisto | 2,400 | 1,800 | 1,200 | 600 | 100 |
| Red Pine | 1,875 | 1,406.25 | 937.50 | 468.75 | 100 |
| Cetus | 1,550 | 1,162.50 | 775 | 387.50 | 100 |
| Cygnus | 1,550 | 1,162.50 | 775 | 387.50 | 100 |
| Fir | 1,550 | 1,162.50 | 775 | 387.50 | 100 |
| Aquila | 1,500 | 1,125 | 750 | 375 | 100 |
| Birch | 1,400 | 1,050 | 700 | 350 | 100 |
| Ash | 1,400 | 1,050 | 700 | 350 | 100 |
| Pickerel | 775 | 581.25 | 387.50 | 193.75 | 100 |
| Tree Frog | 775 | 581.25 | 387.50 | 193.75 | 100 |
| Cricket | 775 | 581.25 | 387.50 | 193.75 | 100 |
Camp du Nord Cabin Pricing
| Rate 1 (Full Rate) | Rate 2 | Rate 3 | Rate 4 | Rate 5 | Rate 6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lynx Lodge | 5,120 | 3,000 | 1,500 | 500 | 250 | 50 |
| Lunta Loft | 4,240 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 500 | 250 | 50 |
| Dane Lodge | 4,050 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 500 | 250 | 50 |
| Greenstone | 4,050 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 500 | 250 | 50 |
| Sunshine | 3,540 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 500 | 250 | 50 |
| North Star | 3,450 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 500 | 250 | 50 |
| Twilight | 3,450 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 500 | 250 | 50 |
| Bald Eagle | 3,310 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 500 | 250 | 50 |
| Jack's II | 3,310 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 500 | 250 | 50 |
| Osprey | 3,310 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 500 | 250 | 50 |
| Timber Wolf | 3,310 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 500 | 250 | 50 |
| North Cove | 3,180 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 500 | 250 | 50 |
| Raven | 3,020 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 500 | 250 | 50 |
| Split Rock | 3,020 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 500 | 250 | 50 |
| Wintergreen | 2,900 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 500 | 250 | 50 |
| Kawnipi | 2,890 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 500 | 250 | 50 |
| Nugget | 2,490 | 1,000 | 500 | 250 | 100 | 50 |
| McKenzie | 1,330 | 700 | 400 | 200 | 100 | 50 |
| Luna | 1,170 | 500 | 300 | 200 | 100 | 50 |
| Bear | 900 | 500 | 300 | 200 | 100 | 50 |
| Buck | 900 | 500 | 300 | 200 | 100 | 50 |
| Deer | 900 | 500 | 300 | 200 | 100 | 50 |
| Goshawk | 900 | 500 | 300 | 200 | 100 | 50 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many sessions of S.T.E.P.S at each camp?
In the summer of 2024, there will be a total of five S.T.E.P.S. sessions at family camps. Four sessions will occur at Camp Northern Lights, and one will run at Camp du Nord.
Who is S.T.E.P.S for?
STEPS is designed as an effort to create a space of authentic representation for historically underrepresented communities at our Family Camps. In aligning with each camp’s mission and values, it is important to make intentional efforts to develop a place of belonging for all. As we strive to build towards multi-cultural representation at camp, the S.T.E.P.S. Initiative will strengthen our entire community.
How do people identify for those spaces?
If you are interested in participating in a S.T.E.P.S. program through either camp, please register for the S.T.E.P.S. lottery. Depending on the session you attend, we ask that at least one person in your household identifies as BIPOC or LGBTQ+. Camp will not ask you for proof of identification.
My family is white, but really interested in being a part of a S.T.E.P.S session- what are my options?
We would love for you to be a part of a S.T.E.P.S session. S.T.E.P.S is all about community building as a whole, and that includes our white community members as well. If you are registered for the general lottery, we encourage you to register for a STEPS week during that time, for the other 50% of the spaces that week. If you are not registered for the general lottery, open registration begins on Monday, December 18th. We also encourage families to join the waitlist.
What does S.T.E.P.S registration look like?
Registration for S.T.E.P.S. begins with registration for the S.T.E.P.S. lottery. Then, during the lottery, you will register for a cabin and session for the summer. The lottery process gives each family an equal opportunity to register for a designated S.T.E.P.S. cabin. Online registration for the lottery is free of cost. Each family will register as a household. When a household registers for the lottery, they are randomly assigned to a registration wave. Wave assignments will be sent the week prior to the lottery. Participating households will register online using that link.
How will this impact the 'regular' lottery in December?
If you are a participant in the general lottery, you will notice that a number of cabins/sites will be unavailable. Both du Nord and Northern Lights set aside space for the S.T.E.P.S. lottery, which will occur in February.
The cabins that are removed from the general lottery for the S.T.E.P.S. initiative at Camp du Nord total about 4% of the total cabins available over the course of the summer. At Camp Northern Lights, the sites that are removed total about 11% of the total cabins available.
What should the Northern Lights and du Nord communities expect growth-wise for the S.T.E.P.S program?
Camp du Nord and Camp Northern Lights are committed to growing S.T.E.P.S beyond our five sessions in the summer. Connecting families to Fall, Winter, and Spring opportunities and providing support for registration in the general lottery will maintain our continued efforts to grow representation outside of S.T.E.P.S weeks.
Leadership Development Program (LDP) Partnership
We believe that it is important for our community of staff and Leadership Development Program participants to represent the community of families that we serve. Our LDP Program seeks to help young people develop leadership skills and prepare them to apply for a summer staff position if interested.
If your teenager (youth who have completed 9th grade up to youth who have completed 12th grade) is interested in the Leadership Development Program, a 2-week program of leadership training and “counselor in training” work, please find the application below.
Applications for 2024 are now closed.
Partnerships & Opportunities
North Hennepin Community College Partnership
Camp Northern Lights hosted students and educators from a North Hennepin Community College course – ‘Nature Immersion & Environmental Justice’ – through though a partnership with a S.T.E.P.S. family. See the video documentary below for more information about the class.
If you know of or are a part of a school or organization that would be interested in partnering with Camp Northern Lights in the Fall/Winter/Spring months, please fill out the “Support Us” form below under “Ways to Help Us Grow”. We look forward to hearing from you!
- GCST 1970 Immersion Program Film Harmonies Between the Trees
- Clip 1, GCST 1970 at Camp Northern Lights
- Clip 2, GCST 1970 wolf tracking at Camp Northern Lights
- Clip 3, GCST 1970 breakout creativity sessions at Camp Northern Lights
- GCST 1970 Course Flyer
Further information
For ALL S.T.E.P.S. sessions, we hope to create opportunities for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ families to experience representation and community in a family camp setting. Our first summer of S.T.E.P.S., the sessions were created specifically with BIPOC-identifying families in mind. Beginning in 2020, during every session of summer family camp, we host a conversation around equity as an adult activity. Through feedback collected during these conversations, written surveys, and other discussions, in 2022, we added a S.T.E.P.S. session to celebrate families who identify as LGBTQ+.
We at Camp Northern Lights work hard to help every family feel a sense of belonging and community during each session of family camp, and we also realize that S.T.E.P.S. sessions can strengthen the sense of community for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ families that may want to see support in numbers at camp Lights (at least 50% of camp). We want you and your family to come to camp in whichever way makes most sense for your family, and if you have any questions about what that might look like, please reach out to Dan O’Brien, Executive Director, at daniel.obrien@ymcamn.org.
PRIDE/LGBTQ+ - In this S.T.E.P.S. LGBTQ+ session, our goal is to have half of camp be LGBTQ+ identifying families. If you are a family who identifies as LGBTQ+ or any member of your family is a part of the LGBTQ+ community, please consider applying.
S.T.E.P.S. BIPOC Sessions - In these sessions (3 of the 4 sessions), our goal is to have at least half of the families at camp identify as BIPOC. If you are a family who identifies as BIPOC and are interested in being a part of these sessions, please consider applying.
If you do not identify as a BIPOC or LGBTQ+ family and are interested in attending a S.T.E.P.S. session, please apply through the general Family Camp Lottery, or register through open enrollment. While we are grateful and excited for your interest in these sessions, our designated S.T.E.P.S. program spaces and tiered pricing payment process are intentionally set aside for families who historically have been under-represented in the Family Camp setting.
Our Story
Equity has been a core value of Camp Northern Lights since the very beginning. The summer 2020 staff team believed in equity put to action. They believed that racial, cultural, gender and LGBTQ+ inclusivity should be integrated into the daily life and spirit of the Northern Lights community.
With the help of many community members and outside resources, the idea of Supporting the Transformation of Equity and Power in outdoor Spaces (S.T.E.P.S.) was born. This bold initiative was created with both a deep-seated love of Family Camp and the desire to make our community a more equitable and accessible space where all families can feel a sense of belonging.
Fall 2023
Taking S.T.E.P.S. Newsletter: Fall 2023 Edition
Updates for 2024
We are excited to announce that our sister camp, Camp du Nord, is adding taking S.T.E.P.S. for the first time this coming summer! June 30 - July 6 will be the session dates in which 50% or more of their cabins/sites will be reserved for BIPOC identifying families.
Ways to Help Us Grow
As a community, we recognize that we have a lot of work to do. We understand that as much as we want to create change, we also need to continue our education on these important issues. We would love your guidance in helping us grow. See below for ways to support us in this work:
1. In Partnership - Are you connected with a school, organization, or people you think may be interested in attending camp? Do you have trainings, education, or resources surrounding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Work? What else do you think we could do to enhance and improve this work? Let us know in the link below! All forms of giving and support are greatly appreciated.
2. In contribution - To make this a continued and growing reality, we rely on the support of donations. If giving financially in any capacity is possible for you, it is another important way of making this initiative come to life. See the link below to donate.
3. Stay Connected – If you would like to be added to our S.T.E.P.S. mailing list and receive S.T.E.P.S. related communications, you can enter your information in the below form. Feel free to leave the “Description of intended support” section blank.