Registration for Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus Pine-Council summer camps has opened for its statewide camp locations.

GSACPC summer camps are held at The Parsons Leadership Center for Girls and Women at Camp South Mountain in Phoenix, Camp Maripai in Prescott, Shadow Rim Ranch in Payson and Willow Springs in Prescott.

Each camp has its own special offerings, along with the traditional camp activities, to accommodate the diverse interests of every girl, according to a press release.

The purpose of Girl Scout camp remains the same in efforts to provide girls a safe and supportive place for fun, friends, and learning new skills while exploring the outdoors.

“We live in a world of screens – smartphones, laptops, TVs and tablets. At Girl Scout summer camp, girls get to get away from it all, experience the outdoors in an all-girl, safe setting while they develop outdoor skills that are hard to gain anywhere else,” said Tamara Woodbury, CEO for GSACPC, in a prepared statement.

“Skills like building a campfire, pitching a tent and canoeing across a lake. Plus, they’ll try new things, discover their passions and challenge themselves in new ways.”

Studies show that girls reportedly discover that they can solve problems and overcome challenges better; develop leadership skills, build social bonds, and are overall happier; plus become team players and care more about protecting the environmen when they attend Girl Scout Camp.

GSACPC’s all-girl environment gives girls the space to continue developing a positive self-image, courage, confidence and character by connecting with others and their natural environment, the release said, adding that girls choose how they want to experience camp.

Choosing between the four camps can be decided based on location, lengths, durations plus which camp program offers the skills they want to learn, noted the release.

The program focus of each of the four camps is:

• The Parsons Leadership Center, Phoenix, an $18 million state-of-the-art urban camp with sessions for day and overnight campers offers programs including STEM-related activities, archery, swimming, arts and crafts and field trips.
• Camp Maripai, Prescott, offers a traditional camp experience like archery and canoeing, along with horsemanship programs for beginners through advanced riders.
• Shadow Rim Ranch, Payson, offers outdoor adventures such as hiking and canoeing trip and travel sessions, plus outdoor cooking, zip-lining and archery.
• Willow Springs, Prescott, emphasizes artistic endeavors like ceramics, fashion and theater, as well as hiking, archery, a ropes challenge course and aviation.

All four camps offer sessions of varying lengths, from weekend family camp and day camp to overnight camps and some even three-weeks, the release said.

Summer camp begins the week of May 31 and runs for nine weeks, with the last camp week at each location starting in late July, noted the release.

Registration offers tiered-pricing and financial assistance, said the release, noting that girls who are not Girl Scouts are also welcome to register at girlscoutsaz.org/camp.

Upcoming Girl Scout Camp open houses will be held at:

• Shadow Rim Ranch: 12-2 p.m., May 24 at 530 N. Shadow Rim Road in Payson;
• The Parsons Leadership Center: 5-7 p.m., May 29 at 1611 E. Dobbins Road, Phoenix;
• Willow Springs: 10 a.m.-1 p.m., May 30 at 775 Camp Willow Springs Road in Prescott; and
• Camp Maripai: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. May 30 at 201 E. Marapai Road in Prescott.

Girl Scouts—Arizona Cactus-Pine Council serves nearly 20,000 girls grades K-12 in more than 90 communities across central and northern Arizona. Since 1936, GSACPC has helped girls develop leadership skills and tools for success in a rapidly- changing environment, according to the release.

For more information, visit girlscoutsaz.org.