About
Camp Compass Academy introduces students to outdoor youth activities such as hunting, fishing, and archery. Volunteer mentors also provide tutoring and social guidance along with these and other outdoor youth activities.
• Ages: 11–18 years old
John Annoni founded Camp Compass in 1994, and the program later developed from an after-school conservation curriculum into a federally recognized 501c3 organization. Camp Compass Academy uses a patented 5 level system called Exposure, Exploration, Extension, Effective Application, and Example Mentoring. The program’s system was developed for all types of youth and their families and operates year round.
The mission of Camp Compass is a unified effort to introduce urban middle and high school students to various outdoor activities, while also introducing and networking students to community businesses and working role models. The program includes academic support that integrates adaptive Science, Math, Social Studies, and English curriculum and allows interaction between students and teachers beyond the classroom. It also includes social growth through student-centered learning and building bridges between cultures, ages, and socioeconomic status. Outdoor youth activities in the program provide hunting, fishing, archery, and other outdoor activity experience while demonstrating conservation practices and teaching environmental respect, including how to properly treat the environment indoors and outdoors. The program has a stated focus on diversity and inclusion, noting that differences fade away in the woods or on the water, and it promotes self-esteem by giving kids the opportunity to learn new skills. During program sessions, students are introduced and networked to community businesses and working role models, with the stated consequence of an educated and influenced population understanding conservation, sportsmen’s philosophies, and their activities.
Testimonials about Camp Compass include comments from community members and parents. Mike Simmons, Contributing Writer for Sportsweek, stated, “Camp Compass just may be offering one positive solution worth consideration in every community.” Roy C. Afflerbach, Mayor of Allentown, described it as “This outdoor organization, serving the neighborhoods of the city, joins cultures, ages and various socioeconomic groups to ensure that the outdoor heritage of our country is available to all of our children.” Tom Fegley, Outdoors Editor (retired) of The Morning Call, wrote, “This is a worthwhile program which, I sincerely believe, deserves financial support. Camp Compass has been and continues to be a one-of-a-kind opportunity for youngsters whose lives are being pointed in the right direction.” Parent testimonials include, “Camp Compass is a program that every parent should know about…. This camp is the best thing that ever happened to my child,” from Mrs. H. Santiago, and “I personally came home from this experience one of the wealthiest men on the face of the earth, because of the joy and happiness of watching my daughter this weekend, which was a result of the past three years with John and Camp Compass,” from Mr. J. Marano.
Last updated July 11, 2026.
• Ages: 11–18 years old
John Annoni founded Camp Compass in 1994, and the program later developed from an after-school conservation curriculum into a federally recognized 501c3 organization. Camp Compass Academy uses a patented 5 level system called Exposure, Exploration, Extension, Effective Application, and Example Mentoring. The program’s system was developed for all types of youth and their families and operates year round.
The mission of Camp Compass is a unified effort to introduce urban middle and high school students to various outdoor activities, while also introducing and networking students to community businesses and working role models. The program includes academic support that integrates adaptive Science, Math, Social Studies, and English curriculum and allows interaction between students and teachers beyond the classroom. It also includes social growth through student-centered learning and building bridges between cultures, ages, and socioeconomic status. Outdoor youth activities in the program provide hunting, fishing, archery, and other outdoor activity experience while demonstrating conservation practices and teaching environmental respect, including how to properly treat the environment indoors and outdoors. The program has a stated focus on diversity and inclusion, noting that differences fade away in the woods or on the water, and it promotes self-esteem by giving kids the opportunity to learn new skills. During program sessions, students are introduced and networked to community businesses and working role models, with the stated consequence of an educated and influenced population understanding conservation, sportsmen’s philosophies, and their activities.
Testimonials about Camp Compass include comments from community members and parents. Mike Simmons, Contributing Writer for Sportsweek, stated, “Camp Compass just may be offering one positive solution worth consideration in every community.” Roy C. Afflerbach, Mayor of Allentown, described it as “This outdoor organization, serving the neighborhoods of the city, joins cultures, ages and various socioeconomic groups to ensure that the outdoor heritage of our country is available to all of our children.” Tom Fegley, Outdoors Editor (retired) of The Morning Call, wrote, “This is a worthwhile program which, I sincerely believe, deserves financial support. Camp Compass has been and continues to be a one-of-a-kind opportunity for youngsters whose lives are being pointed in the right direction.” Parent testimonials include, “Camp Compass is a program that every parent should know about…. This camp is the best thing that ever happened to my child,” from Mrs. H. Santiago, and “I personally came home from this experience one of the wealthiest men on the face of the earth, because of the joy and happiness of watching my daughter this weekend, which was a result of the past three years with John and Camp Compass,” from Mr. J. Marano.
Last updated July 11, 2026.
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