"This camp annually assembles one of the best groups of people that I have ever been with. I rarely feel the intense sense of belonging that I feel at SUMMA anywhere else" – Elizabeth from Memphis, TN
SUMMA brings together high school students (entering grades 9–12) from across the country to one of the largest and most beautiful college campuses anywhere—the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee.
Each day at SUMMA begins and ends with prayer. In between stimulating lectures and discussions, campers explore the domain, play sports and music, engage in arts and crafts, and forge connections with members of the Sewanee community.
Working in small groups, campers research controversies, develop arguments, question claims, seek evidence, debate positions, and sharpen their skills in public speaking, listening, and critical thinking. At the end-of-camp tournament, each camper debates both the affirmative and negative positions of debate resolutions, which have included:
- Civil disobedience is morally justified.
- Churches should be gun-free zones.
- Christians, Muslims, and Jews all worship the same God.
- Outside the church, there is no salvation.
- Separation between the state and religion is best for the state and best for religion.
Year after year, campers tell us that SUMMA marked a pivotal point in their lives by sparking their intellectual curiosity, preparing them for college, cultivating an appreciation for the art of rhetoric, and strengthening their appreciation for Christian faith traditions.
The 2026 session of SUMMA Camp will be July 14–22. Applications open on September 15, 2025. We hope you will join us on the Mountain!