Project LEAD (Leadership, Education, and Development) hosts two camps annually, one aimed at high school students and another for college students. We provide our campers the knowledge and tools to become effective leaders in their schools and communities.

Our camps continue to impact hundreds of high school and college students every year by focusing on the importance of community, cohesion, and unity. The camps also provide an opportunity for students to network with each other and establish skills that reinforce mutual collaboration and instills an appreciation for the Vietnamese American identity, cultural heritage and a sense of belonging.

High School Camp (formerly known as VAHSA Camp)

Friday, July 28 – Sunday, July 30, 2023

Camper Call Time: 8:30 AM PT

Campers will return to the UVSA Office between 1 PM – 3 PM PT on Sunday.

UVSA Camp

Friday, September 8 – Sunday, September 10, 2023

Camper Call Time: TBD

Campers will return to the UVSA Office between 1 PM – 3 PM PT on Sunday.

UVSA Camp

Friday, September 8 – Sunday, September 10, 2023

Camper Call Time: TBD

Campers will return to the UVSA Office between 1 PM – 3 PM PT on Sunday.

This year marks the 20th annual UVSA Camp and 17th annual High School Camp (formerly VAHSA Camp) and we are proud to continue bringing together students from throughout Southern California to build an alliance of young leaders with a common vision of strengthening the Vietnamese community.

Yes! While Project LEAD Camps are curated to recognize and amplify knowledge and cultural practices surrounding the Vietnamese identity, our camps are open to all individuals interested in learning more about this community. In the past, we have had many campers and staffers from different nationalities, backgrounds, and communities, and we look forward to offering this same inclusive, enriching experience for a new generation of students.

Many of our camp staffers were/are students from the affiliated Vietnamese Student Associations within Southern California. Their experiences range from staffing 4+ camps to first-time camp staffers. Some of our staffers were even once campers themselves! 

While our team is made up of volunteers, they go through a detailed application and selection process, overlooked by the Executive Board of UVSA. Once accepted as a staff member, they are trained over the course of several months to meet the high standards we have for Camp Staff. In addition to onsite health & safety personnel, staff members are trained to work with minors and certified to handle food safely. 

Our team’s goal is to create and foster a safe and comfortable environment for your student to learn, grow, and connect with their community. If you have more questions about how we prepare our staff to care for our campers, please contact us at [email protected].

Camp Nawakwa is in Angelus Oaks, in the San Bernardino National Forest. Between spotty cellular service and campers being asked to keep their electronic devices in their cabins during activities, your camper will have limited contact with you.

Should a situation arise in which you need to contact your camper and they are not answering their personal devices, you may contact our staff by sending an email to [email protected], which will be checked periodically throughout the weekend. If you need to contact your camper urgently, a contact number for our camp staff will be provided after the registration process. 

In the event of an emergency at camp involving your camper, we will contact you as soon as possible. During the registration process, you will be asked to fill out a waiver that includes your contact information. We will use this information as needed to keep you informed about necessary developments with your camper. 

Camp Nawakwa amenities includes several cabins in which our campers and staffers will be staying. They will be provided with beds, but will be asked to bring a pillow. There are various restrooms located throughout the campsite that are gender-specific. Pictures of the amenities are available at Camp Nawakwa’s website here. 

Sleeping arrangements will be designated families. Each cabin will have 2 staff members, with  at least one being one of their Family Heads. For the comfort & safety of our campers, we will be separating families by gender. Gender neutral and/or mixed gender housing available upon request. These will be determined after registration closes. For a detailed overview of the arrangements, please contact us then.

A detailed packing list will be shared with registered participants in the weeks leading up to Camp! To stay up to date on information regarding Project LEAD Camps, please follow our Facebook and Instagram pages. 

Project LEAD Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UVSAProjectLEAD

Project LEAD Instagram: @uvsaprojectlead

The cost for the high school camp is $100 for early bird registration and $120 for regular registration. Early bird registration is from June 11 to June 30 and regular registration is from June 30 until July 16. At this time, the cost for UVSA camp has not yet been announced. To keep up to date with this information, we encourage you to follow our Facebook and Instagram pages. 

The cost of registration covers:

• Transportation from the UVSA Office to the campsite on Friday morning*
• Transportation from the campsite to the UVSA Office on Sunday afternoon*
• Housing (3 days, 2 nights)
• Meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
• Activities (games, workshops, speakers, etc.)
• Camp Gear (t-shirt, name badge, program booklet, etc.)
• And SO MUCH MORE!

Unfortunately, no. We are a nonprofit organization made up of student volunteers and cannot afford to provide discounts at this time. However, we do offer early bird registration, and we encourage you to take advantage of that pre-sale opportunity as prices for High School Camp will go up after June 30th. Additionally, there will be scholarship opportunities available for students to apply for. To keep up to date with this information, we encourage you to follow our Facebook and Instagram pages. 

Project LEAD Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UVSAProjectLEAD

Project LEAD Instagram: @uvsaprojectlead

In order to ensure your transaction is safe and secure, we use a third party platform to handle these transactions. The fees are associated with this platform. We thank you for your understanding.

Yes! We will be accepting cash payments on a case-by-case basis. Although we prefer card payments, we understand that this option is not readily available for everyone. 

If you would like to pay by cash or check, please reach out to us at [email protected] ASAP.

Is there anything I or my camper need to do between enrolling and showing up for the first day of Camp?

We’ll be sending out emails regarding important information to know before arriving for the first day of Camp. We also highly recommend following our social media to stay informed of any important updates! 

Project LEAD Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UVSAProjectLEAD

Project LEAD Instagram: @uvsaprojectlead

We’ll be accepting refunds and cancellations throughout the open registration period, which ends July 16th at 11:59 PM PT. To move forward with that, please send an email to [email protected]. 

Should you or your camper need to cancel their registration at any time after that window, unfortunately we are unable to give refunds for cancellations after the registration window closes. If there are extenuating circumstances to your cancellation, we can work with you to determine the best course of action on a case-by-case basis. Please email [email protected] as soon as possible in order to start that conversation. 

We value the health and safety of our campers and staffers. You’ll be asked to sign a waiver regarding our COVID policy. This can be viewed here. 

We understand that different campers have unique dietary needs, and we strive to accommodate these at our camp. All meals at camp are prepared by our dedicated Hospitality committee, who have extensive experience in creating nutritious, enjoyable, and allergy-friendly meals.

Whether your camper has allergies or certain dietary restrictions, our team is committed to providing safe and delicious meals for everyone. We request that you provide us with detailed information about your camper’s dietary needs during the registration process. This will allow our team to plan appropriately and ensure that we have alternatives available.

In the past, we’ve catered for a range of dietary requirements including gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, vegetarian, and vegan meals. Additionally, our kitchen staff are trained in safe food handling procedures to prevent cross-contamination and have their Food Handler’s License. Please rest assured that we take all dietary requirements very seriously and do our best to ensure each camper can enjoy the meals at camp while staying safe and healthy. If you have any additional questions, comments, or concerns regarding the meals at Project Lead Camps, please contact [email protected] for more information.

While we do our best to be accommodating to the various needs of our campers, we may not have the staff capacity available to support your camper. Details regarding campers who may need additional support and attention will be determined on a case-by-case basis and we ask that you contact us at [email protected] at the earliest opportunity so we can work together to see if Project LEAD Camps is a good fit for you and your camper!

Do you have protocols in place for an emergency situation, such as a fire? 

Yes! Our staff as well as Camp Nawakwa staff have protocols in place for situations such as a fire. You may contact us for the detailed procedures regarding possible emergencies at [email protected].

Yes! We currently have scholarships available for HS Camp, submission form accessible here (https://bit.ly/HSCampScholarship23). For each camp, there are a total of one (1) full and two (2) half scholarships offered! We’ll be adding scholarships along the way, so please keep checking out social media to be up to date on all camp-related information!

Project LEAD Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UVSAProjectLEAD

Project LEAD Instagram: @uvsaprojectlead

The Project LEAD Camp Scholarships will be disbursed to recipients as a check on the last day of Camp (July 30th)! You MUST be present at Camp to receive the scholarship.

We’d love to pass along such an opportunity to our community. Please contact us at [email protected] to start this process!

For High School Camp, we expect between 30-60 campers and 60+ staff members. For UVSA Camp, we expect between 60-100 campers and 60+ staff members.

For High School Camp, campers will range from incoming 9th graders to incoming college first-years. For UVSA Camp, campers must be 18+ years old and affiliated (or interested in being affiliated with) UVSA and the Vietnamese Student Associations of its member schools. A list of the member schools can be found here. Please direct any questions about attendance to [email protected] and/or [email protected].

For High School Camp, at minimum, there will always be at least one staff member to each camper. For UVSA Camp, at minimum, there will always be at least 3 staff members to every 5 campers.

Because campers will be arriving and departing Camp Nawakwa by bus, we unfortunately cannot accommodate for transportation for any campers arriving late or leaving early. Please arrive at the UVSA Office by the designated Call Time on Friday morning. 

However, should campers be able to arrange their own transportation to Camp Nawakwa, we can make arrangements in order to allow them to participate in activities. If this is the case, please contact [email protected] and/or [email protected] as soon as possible as there are many moving parts that need to be assessed before confirming whether or not it is possible to arrive late and/or leave early. 

Transportation is provided in the form of buses departing from and returning to the UVSA Office. For transportation questions, please contact us at [email protected]. 

Where is the UVSA Office? 

The UVSA Office is located at the following address:

12831 Western Ave, Ste B,

Garden Grove, CA 92841

Where is Camp Nawakwa?

Camp Nawakwa is located at the following address:

4650 Jenks Lake Rd E, 

Angelus Oaks, CA 92305