The American Youth Foundation centennial celebrations continued this month as more than 150 people made the trip up the winding mountain roads to Merrowvista for Homecoming. For three days, these...

Trevor Uhl and his siblings, Keegan, Katrina, and Lindsey, spent their summers roaming the mountains and valleys of Merrowvista in the late ’80s and ’90s. That time had such a...

Older Merrowvista campers have exciting new choices for summer camp 2026. In addition to the Four Trails adventure programs, Merrowvista will offer new in-camp options for middle- and high school-aged...

For decades, the Four Trails biking program was a defining part of the American Youth Foundation experience. Generations of campers discovered resilience, teamwork, and a deeper sense of self while...

The Odyssey program at Miniwanca is a capstone adventure that takes campers on a journey of self-discovery and growth as they backpack the 100 Mile Wilderness of the Appalachian Trail....

Annabelle Tucker proves it’s never too early to start giving back to the American Youth Foundation programs that gave so much to her. At 16, she’s currently a Wayfinder at...

You can feel it in the air at Miniwanca and Merrowvista: summer 2025 is just around the corner, and staff are eagerly awaiting the campers’ arrival. The summer season kicks...

The American Youth Foundation is thrilled to introduce four inspiring leaders who have joined the Merrowvista team this spring, along with new Camp Director Madelyn Cook. Jason Knowles – Executive...

The American Youth Foundation is thrilled to announce Madelyn Cook as the new Merrowvista Camp Director. “A lifelong member of the AYF community, Madelyn brings an incredible depth of experience,...

Save the date: The American Youth Foundation is kicking off its centennial festivities with a virtual gathering Wednesday, April 16! Join President and CEO Liz Marshall and other AYF leadership...

Summer camp often calls to mind visions of youth adventuring daringly as they hike through rugged terrain or aspiring nobly as they master sailing or kayaking in open water. However,...

Learn more about working at Miniwanca! Learn more about working at Merrowvista! At first glance, it may not be obvious how coordinating a high-energy skit or Night’s Doings correlates to...

The songs, stories, and lessons learned through American Youth Foundation programs are the throughline that connects generations of the Gehres family. Tony Gehres first experienced them as a Merrowvista camper...

The American Youth Foundation strives to create vibrant, expressive spaces for its camp communities, and this year, it bolstered those efforts through new artist-in-residence programs at Miniwanca and Merrowvista. Vice...

The American Youth Foundation kicked off its centennial year Tuesday, Jan. 28, when it opened registration for four celebratory events taking place at Miniwanca, Merrowvista, and in St. Louis. The...

Merrowvista Community and School Programs provide growth opportunities to thousands of kids and teens, but there’s another key group that benefits, too. The dedicated internship cohorts who develop and run...

Merrowvista welcomed 20 eager participants to its first Spark, a three-day retreat for adults, Aug. 23 to 25. AYF Director of Adult Programs Holley Young said it was a joy...

As we wrapped up Session A last week, we reflected on all our Trailblazers and Pioneers have accomplished. I loved seeing all these wild and fun campers have achieved. They...