Camp Tekakwitha (Camp Tek for short) is a nearly 100 year old Catholic facility located on Loon Lake in Shawano County, centered around a camper-focused ministry for boys and girls, ages 6 through 18. It is described as an outdoor ministry of the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay, established to help young people encounter Jesus Christ through prayer, community, and self-discovery amidst the beauty of God’s natural creation. It is devoted to fostering households and communities of discipleship through the mission and ministry of the Catholic Church.
The popular Summer Camp season offers both 3-day (Sunday through Tuesday) and 6-day (Sunday through Friday) sessions, beginning in early June and ending mid-August. From 7:45 AM until 10:00 PM, campers are involved in a myriad of activities and offerings. They include: water activities, such as swimming, boating, canoeing, water skiing and sailing; sports, featuring basketball, archery, horseback riding and hiking; and many other programs, like arts and crafts, nature studies, camping and campfire sessions, and religious programs, along with daily mass.
Camp Tekakwitha’s Vision statement says, “We are missionary disciples striving to lead all people to the Kingdom of God. Camp Tekakwitha will:
- Work to deepen the faith lives of all campers, guests and retreatants
- Serve the unique spiritual development needs of each parish and school within the Diocese
- Work with all Catholic schools in the Diocese to support their curricular needs in a Catholic environment
- Have a concentrated focus on helping youth develop leadership and team-building skills
- Be available to any youth or Diocesan ministry, parish or school, regardless of financial circumstances
“Camp Tek” has GRACE-wide participation. Although attendance is not organized by the schools, some families go each summer, signing up for a camp session during the same week. Some students from St. John the Baptist School traditionally attend Camp Tekakwitha each summer.
One parent shares, “We sent [our child] to Camp Tek to have SO MUCH FUN with his best buds at summer camp! I love that it’s a Catholic camp and know a lot of the staff and know how devout they are. It was an easy decision to return this year! I was really glad the buddies’ moms were on board and we were all on the same page about jumping on sign-up for that specific week as soon as it opened. That week booked up immediately in December. I had heard there were other SJB kids signing up as well.”
Founded in 1888, St. John the Baptist School is a Catholic school in Howard where students grow in relationship with Jesus Christ, pursue high levels of academics, and are surrounded by a community rooted in Christian values. Our staff is committed to developing the whole child by nurturing each child’s academic, emotional, spiritual and behavioral development. By partnering with parents, we aim to individualize student learning in a structured environment where students grow and succeed.
St. John the Baptist School is part of the Green Bay Area Catholic Education (GRACE) School System. It is a private Catholic school serving Preschool and Elementary through 8th grade (PK3-8) with open enrollment. St. John the Baptist provides an individualized education in a faith-based environment. Each child is supported not only academically, but spiritually. For more information about St. John the Baptist Catholic School, visit their website at https://sjbhschool.org.
