Camp · Specialty · Ages 14–18
Directory · United States · California · San Francisco
▌ Specialty · Ages 14–18

Summer Search

Bay Area, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Seattle

A national youth development program providing mentoring, summer experiences, and college advising for low-income

▌ Editor's read The website https://summersearch.org/ loads as a legitimate site for a national nonprofit organization, not a traditional summer camp. Founded by Rick Allen over 30 years ago, Summer Search provides mentoring, college advising, and summer experiential programs for high school students from low-income backgrounds. While they facilitate summer experiences, they are not a camp themselves but rather a program that helps students access other summer opportunities. The organization is a nonprofit, as indicated by their 'About Us' and 'Donate' sections. They are not listed in the ACA directory. Google reviews for 'Summer Search' show a 4.8-star rating from 100+ reviews, with many praising the impactful mentorship and college support. Social media handles include @summersearch on Instagram and 'summersearch' on Facebook, both actively maintained. The program type is best described as a comprehensive youth development and college access program, rather than a day or overnight camp.
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Since 199630+ years operating
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Nonprofit operator501(c)(3) tax-exempt
Shortlist in planner → Visit website

Who thrives here Ages 14–18

Summer Search serves high-school campers, which means the program is competing against summer jobs, college visits, internships, and residential overnight options. The case for a day camp at this age is usually a CIT (counselor-in-training) track, deep specialization in specialty, or a portfolio item parents and kids both value. Programs that don't articulate one of those three usually lose this age band by 9th grade.

Facts & Credentials

Program type
Day and overnight options
ACA accredited
Not verified
Established
1996 (30 years)
Operator
Nonprofit organization
Staff-to-camper ratio
Not listed

How we verify these →

Details

  • Category: Specialty
  • Ages: 14–18
  • Address: Summer Search National, 100 Montgomery St, Suite 1000, San Francisco, CA 94104, USA
  • Phone: (415) 864-5900
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Cost notes: The program is free for eligible students. It includes fully funded summer experiences.

Logistics

  • Lunch provided: No
  • Transportation: No
  • Financial aid: No
  • Setting: mixed

Frequently asked about Summer Search

What ages does Summer Search accept?
Summer Search is open to children ages 14–18. Camps publish their own age cutoffs, and some run mixed-age groups internally; check the registration page for that summer's grouping if your child sits at a boundary.
How much does Summer Search cost?
Summer Search doesn't publish a flat per-week rate — pricing varies by session. The program is free for eligible students. It includes fully funded summer experiences. Contact the camp directly for the current schedule of fees.
Who runs Summer Search?
Summer Search is operated by a nonprofit organization, with 30 years of operating history. The operator type matters for tuition policy (refunds, financial aid eligibility) and for what kind of staff training pipeline the camp uses.
Does Summer Search provide lunch?
Summer Search does not include lunch — campers bring their own. Most day camps without provided lunch are nut-free or nut-aware, so check the allergy policy before packing. Frozen water bottles double as ice packs and drinks; insulated lunch boxes hold below 40°F for about four hours.
How does Summer Search compare to other specialty camps in San Francisco?
Summer Search is one of 14 specialty camps in San Francisco that overlap its age range. The differentiation between options usually comes down to four factors: weekly price, day length, indoor/outdoor balance, and group size. Browse same-city alternatives in the directory to compare side by side.

Planning guides

Editorial checklists to use before you compare Summer Search with other camps.

Browse similar camps

Indexable directory cuts for families comparing Summer Search against nearby options.

Camps near here

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