New camp leader and outdoor educator sign on at Deer Valley YMCA

FORT HILL ― Deer Valley YMCA Family Camp kicked off the 2024 season with a new camp executive and outdoor educator and camp administrator.

Anthony (Tony) Lea began his new position as director in May. A lifelong leader in camping, Lea is the 11th director of the popular year-round family camp that serves families, organizations, schools and individuals. Lea brings nearly three decades of experience leading and supporting traditional camp and outdoor education programs for children, teens and adults, according to a press release.

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“We are thrilled to welcome Tony to Deer Valley,” said Tom Griesbaum, chairman of Deer Valley’s Board of Management, in the press release. “He not only brings valuable leadership experience to the camp, but he also has a passion for transforming the lives of the campers, staff, and communities he serves. We are so fortunate to welcome Tony and his family to the camp.”

Family camp experience

Deer Valley YMCA Family Camp is operated by the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh. It is recognized as one of the top family camps in the nation. In addition to offering a summer camp for families, Deer Valley hosts groups and events year-round, including an environmental education program attended by school students from a four-state region. The camp is situated on 724 acres at the base of Mount Davis, the highest mountain in the state. Situated around a 125-acre lake, the camp offers woodlands, fields, ponds, streams, rock formations, hiking trails, a wide variety of trees and plants, and abundant animal life.

Dedication to families, communities

A native of Australia, Lea earned his bachelor of science degree in sports science from the University of Ballarat in Victoria, Australia. He began working at camps during college and quickly realized he wanted to build a career working in the field.

Lea relocated to the United States and has worked at YMCA camps in Arizona, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as other camps in Virginia and Tennessee. He met his wife, Patrice, when both worked at a YMCA camp in New Jersey.

Recently, Lea served as director of Camp Wesley Woods, a 700-acre camp in the foothills of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Townsend, Tennessee. In his nine years there, he helped to grow the camp programs, strengthened its culture, and oversaw facility improvements, according to the press release.

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“I’m so excited to step into this role at Deer Valley,” Lea said in the press release. “I’ve dedicated my career to helping families, campers, staff and communities become their best versions of themselves. I look forward to building on the camp’s wonderful legacy and offering quality programs, facilities and experiences to all who visit.”

Lea holds or has held certifications from the Red Cross in First Aid / CPR, Lifeguarding and Wilderness First Aid, among numerous others. He and his wife are the parents of four children.

New outdoor educator at Deer Valley

Jennifer W. Hargrave started her experience as an experienced outdoor educator and camp administrator at Deer Valley in February. In this role, she will lead transformative outdoor experiences and curriculum for students from Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia, as the director of the camp’s popular environmental education program.

“We are extraordinarily fortunate to welcome Jen to Deer Valley,” said Griesbaum, in a press release. “She brings more than a lifetime of outdoor education experience to camp. She also has a passion for sharing the joy of nature with children.”

Hargrave brings more than three decades of experience leading and supporting outdoor and traditional camp programs for children and adults. She previously served as interim manager of Camp Quest Inc., a nationwide network of camps.

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From 2013-2020, Hargrave worked for The Fresh Air Fund’s Sharpe Reservation in Fishkill, New York. She was a program coordinator with oversight of health and safety, staff scheduling, and the six waterfronts for the 2,000-acre reservation that served school groups from the tri-state area and underserved children of New York City. From 2008-2013, she served as the school program assistant director and school program director for the Hulbert Outdoor Center in Vermont.

In addition to her outdoor education experience, Hargrave holds certifications in first aid, CPR PRO, lifeguard and lifeguard instruction, is a USA Archery Level 2 coach and instructor trainer and is experienced in high and low ropes.She earned a bachelor of science degree in outdoor education from Northland College, where she graduated cum laude.

“I am so happy to be at Deer Valley,” she said in a press release. “I know firsthand how transformative outdoor education can be. I look forward to sharing this living classroom with students and educators.”

What is environmental education?

Deer Valley’s Environmental Education program is designed to meet state academic standards and National Next Generation Science Standards. Its core curriculum is designed for middle school students but can be adapted for any age group, and customized to meet different schools’ needs. The environmental education activities and programs include:

• Environmental lessons in aquatic, forest and wildlife ecology
• Outdoor skills including: Outdoor living skills and orienteering
• Seasonal activities including: Canoeing and snow tubing
• Adventure Lessons including: Archery, team-building, hikes and high ropes course
• Evening activities for overnight trips including: astronomy and campfire

Schools interested in learning more about Deer Valley’s program can visit the website, email Jen at jhargrave@ymcapgh.org, or call 1-800-YMCA-FUN.

Madolin Edwards has been a journalist at the Daily American for 37 years, covering school boards and borough councils. She was the Home and Family editor for 20 years, and was the primary editor and reporter for a variety of special projects, features and tabs.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: New camp leader and outdoor educator sign on at Deer Valley YMCA