North Star Camp for Boys

What North Star Camp for Boys does

North Star Camp for Boys is a privately held residential summer camp founded in 1945 and located on 120 acres with 2.5 miles of Northwoods shoreline on Spider Lake (Brewer's Bay) in Hayward, Wisconsin. The camp serves approximately 215 boys aged 8-15 per session through a fully elective-based activity program spanning four core categories — Adventure (archery, climbing, mountain biking, horseback riding, ecology, camping skills, riflery), Athletics (15+ sports), Creative Arts (arts & crafts, chess, guitar, photography, rocketry, theater), and Waterfront (sailing, waterskiing, canoeing, fishing, wakeboarding, paddleboarding), supplemented by multi-day wilderness tripping and special events. The operating model is explicitly tech-free: internet-connected devices are prohibited in order to encourage present engagement.

The business is family-owned, having passed through three ownership generations since 1945. Andy Shlensky — a former camper who joined as a Counselor-In-Training at age 15 — returned as Director in 2009 and was named Co-Director and third owner in 2011, succeeding founders Lou and Renee Rosenblum and subsequent owners Robert and Sue Lebby. The leadership team of four directors (Owner/Director Shlensky; Dan Lichtenstein, Director of Safety & Operations; Robyn Boehm, Director of Health & Well-being; Brian Glickman, Director of Fun & Belonging) carries deep tenure, with Lichtenstein serving as President of the Midwest Association of Independent Camps and Shlensky holding an Executive Committee seat on the American Camp Association's Board of Directors.

The company operates a direct-to-consumer go-to-market with enrollment handled through the CampInTouch platform. Revenue is generated primarily through seasonal summer camp tuition (4-week or 8-week sessions, with nearly half of campers staying the full 8 weeks), with ancillary streams from Family Camp programming, off-season Facility Rentals, and a branded canteen store. Marketing leverages the company website, social media (Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube), referral programs, prospective-family Zoom calls with directors, and visiting weekends. The camp holds American Camp Association accreditation and is an official partner of the Camp for All Kids Foundation for scholarship distribution. No pricing is publicly disclosed; no funding rounds or institutional investment have been identified.

Name

North Star Camp for Boys

Legal name

North Star Boys Camp

Website

https://northstarcamp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Short description

North Star Camp for Boys is a privately held residential summer camp founded in 1945 in Hayward, Wisconsin, serving approximately 215 boys ages 8-15 per session through a tech-free, elective-based activity program on 120 acres of Northwoods shoreline.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Summer Camp

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports) (EDAMALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO)

Keywords

• Residential summer camp
• Youth camp programs
• Summer camp tuition
• Boys camp services
• Wilderness trip programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Hayward

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Summer Camp Tuition: Seasonal residential summer camp program for boys ages 8-15. Campers pay tuition for 4-week or 8-week sessions. Most campers attend 4-week sessions, with nearly half staying for the full 8-week summer.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

North Star Camp for Boys operates a premier traditional residential summer camp for boys ages 8-15, located on 120 acres with 2.5 miles of Northwoods shoreline on Spider Lake (Brewer's Bay) in Hayward, Wisconsin. Campers enroll for 4-week or 8-week sessions and participate in a fully elective-based activity program spanning Adventure, Athletics, Creative Arts, and Waterfront categories, plus multi-day wilderness trips and special events.

Product overview

North Star Camp for Boys is a premier traditional residential summer camp established in 1945, offering a comprehensive program for boys ages 8-15 on 120 acres along 2.5 miles of Northwoods shoreline in Hayward, Wisconsin. The camp operates a fully elective-based activity system where campers choose from four main categories: Adventure (archery, mountain biking, climbing, ecology, horseback riding, camping skills, riflery), Athletics (15 sports including basketball, soccer, tennis, and more), Creative Arts (arts & crafts, chess, guitar, photography, rocketry, theater), and Waterfront (canoeing, sailing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, fishing, and more). Additional programs include Wilderness Trips, Special Events (United Nations Day, North Star Games, Espionage), Family Camp, and Facility Rentals. The camp serves approximately 215 campers per session with a staff-to-camper ratio of over 120 staff members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Summer Camp Program Premier residential summer camp for boys ages 8-15 on 120 acres of Northwoods lake country in Hayward, Wisconsin, offering 4-week and 8-week sessions with a fully elective-based activity program across Adventure, Athletics, Creative Arts, and Waterfront categories.
• Adventure Activities Program Camp activity program offering Archery, Mountain Biking, Climbing on a 60-foot tower with zip line, Ecology, Horseback Riding, Camping Skills (Pathfinders), and Riflery for enrolled campers.
• Athletics Program Camp activity program offering 15 sports including Basketball, Cross Country, Disc Golf, Dodgeball, Fitness Training, Floor Hockey, Football, Golf, Pickleball, Soccer, Softball, Speedball, Tennis, Ultimate Frisbee, and Volleyball for enrolled campers.
• Creative Arts Program Camp activity program offering Arts & Crafts (candle making, ceramics, leatherwork, woodworking), Chess, Guitar, Photography, Rocketry, and Theater for enrolled campers.
• Waterfront Program Camp activity program on Spider Lake including Canoeing, Fishing, Log Rolling, Sailing, Stand-Up Paddleboarding, Swimming, Wakeboarding, Watercrafts, Waterskiing, The Blob (water trampoline), and Windsurfing for enrolled campers.
• Wilderness Trips Program Multi-day wilderness expeditions including Namekagon River, Namekagon–St. Croix Rivers, Upper Namekagon, Flambeau River, Bois Brule River, Superior Hiking Trail, Porcupine Mountains, and Canadian trips for enrolled campers.
• Special Events Camp special events including United Nations Day, North Star Games, Espionage, Green-White Competition, Friday Night Services, Camp Musical, Campfires, Bi-Camp Competition, and College Days for enrolled campers.
• Family Camp Summer program allowing families to experience the North Star Camp environment together during the season.
• Facility Rentals Camp facilities available for rental when the camp is not in summer session.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 300 kids spent 7 weeks at North Star Camp without a single case of COVID during the pandemic, demonstrating successful safety protocols.

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• The Road Less TraveledminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-owned by Andy Shlensky (Owner & Director of North Star Camp). The Road Less Traveled is a teen service and adventure travel company, representing a related business venture for the camp director.
• Bubbles AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-owned by Andy Shlensky. Bubbles Academy is an early childhood arts integrated education center and preschool in Chicago, representing a related education venture for the camp director.
• Camp for All Kids FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNon-profit foundation that helps camps provide scholarship opportunities to make camping accessible to more children. North Star Camp is an official partner offering financial assistance programs.
• Four Star FellowshipminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNon-profit organization that provides fellowship opportunities. Andy Shlensky works closely with this organization as part of his community involvement.
• Whole Child ArtsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNon-profit organization focused on holistic child development. Andy Shlensky serves on the board, supporting arts-integrated youth development.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Camp Winnebago: Traditional boys' residential summer camp in Maine operating for over 100 years. Comparable in single-gender positioning, multi-activity curriculum, and premium pricing tier for the summer camp industry.
• Camp Manito-wish YMCA: Wilderness-focused co-ed residential summer camp in Boulder Junction, Wisconsin, with a strong tripping program comparable to North Star's Wilderness Trips offering. Same Northwoods region and similar family demographic.
• Camp Walden: Traditional girls' residential summer camp in Cheboygan, Michigan, mirroring North Star's distinctive single-gender positioning. Operates in the same broad Great Lakes region with similar activity portfolio.
• Camp Champions: Premier co-ed residential summer camp in Marble Falls, Texas, with multi-activity programming and a comparable capacity scale. Comparable in elective-based curriculum and premium family market.
• Camp Kawaga: Premier boys' residential summer camp in Minocqua, Wisconsin, with a long operating history. Directly comparable in single-gender, multi-activity, lakeside residential positioning and similar tuition tier.
• Camp Forest Springs: Co-ed residential summer camp in Westboro, Wisconsin, very close to North Star's northern Wisconsin footprint. Comparable scale, multi-activity programming, and target market of midwestern families.
• Camp Wekeela: Co-ed residential summer camp in Harrison, Maine, focused on multi-activity programming, water sports, and tripping. Comparable in scale, program structure, and target demographic of East Coast and Midwestern families.
• Camp Chippewa: Boys' residential summer camp in Hayward, Wisconsin operating on the same lakes and serving the same target demographic. Same local market, same operating model, and same program philosophy (elective-based, multi-activity).
• Camp Timberlane for Boys: Traditional residential summer camp for boys located in Boulder Junction, Wisconsin, also on a Northwoods lake. Directly comparable in mission, single-gender focus, age range, and Wisconsin summer camp market.

Others

• American Camp Association: National trade and accreditation body for the summer camp industry. North Star is accredited by ACA and its owner sits on the ACA Board, making the association a key ecosystem participant that signals industry standards and credibility.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/northstarcamp?lang=en
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@northstarcamp
• Facebookfacebook.com/northstarcampforboys
• Instagraminstagram.com/northstarcamp/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/north-star-camp-for-boys

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about North Star Camp for Boys