Summer Camp, Retreat Center & Global Village
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Cultural Education
One of two in the United States!
We offer programs ranging from one-hour guided tours, to half-day cooking programs, to intensive overnight role-playing experiences. Here you will find African mud huts, a bamboo stilt house, thatch roofs, rain barrels, animal pens, prayer flags, water jugs, hand-painted Mayan tiles, and so much more. It is one of two such villages in the country!
Note: Prices have increased for all current and future bookings in reflection of shipping costs.
Day Program (full summer camp coming soon!)
Global Citizen
This NEW program challenges students to develop their full potential and thrive in a diverse society. At Shepherd’s Spring we are committed to teaching youth to think critically - to develop sophisticated thinkers who master content while evidencing a growing, courageous, and compassionate sense of responsibility for themselves and all people.
Seven learning modules to choose from, examples include cultural awareness, sustainability, reconciliation, climate change, and more!
Traveling Program temporarily unavailable.
Prices vary
2 day, 1 night program
Global Gateway
6th grade - adult.
Participants delve deeper into the causes and effects of hunger and poverty, focusing on issues such as health, clean water, nutrition, economic disparity, and lack of education. In this role-playing simulation, participants become “citizens” of a particular house for the evening and must work together to trade for food with the other houses, build a fire and cook their meal, and spend the night in the global village.
*Extra days can be added onto the front end or back end of any overnight program we offer!
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$100 per person
3 day, 2 night program
Global Explorer
6th grade - adult.
The most extensive and intensive of our overnight programs at the Heifer Global Village, takes the Global Gateway role-playing simulation and adds a day of additional activities such as teambuilding, the Water Hike, and a fire-building workshop. The Global Explorers program also includes one night in our chalet-style cabins and three meals in our full-service dining room.
*Extra days can be added onto the front end or back end of any overnight program we offer!
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$200 per person
Day Program (5 hours)
Seeds
5th grade - adults.
A half-day version of the popular Global Gateway, this program is a quick glimpse into what life can be like for impoverished people around the world. Seeds challenges participants to work together to obtain supplies for and cook their lunch over a fire.
$45 per person
Day Program (4 hours)
Cultural Connections
4th grade - adults.
Get a unique taste of another culture! Explore our authentic household items, clothing, and other artifacts before heading out on a tour of the global village. Then cook a delicious meal from that country in the global village.
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$45 per person
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1 hour to 1.5 hours
Global Tour
A walking tour around our global village.We offer a 60 minute guided tour, a 90 minute guided tour with an additional activity (planned with a staff member specifically for your group; options by request!), and the option of a self guided tour.
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$8 - $12 per person
Global Citizen Camp 2023
We are currently planning one week and two week long Global Citizen Camps for this upcoming summer!
Adventure, exploring, and learning bout other cultures through our global village programs.
Campers will get a glimpse of what its like to live in another country and learn what it means to be a
Global Citizen in today's culture. Open registration January 2023.
This was such a powerful program. The kids still talk about it now, months later. I loved the way that it forced them to think outside themselves.
— Nadine,Girl Scout Leader
Thank you for such a rich and meaningful experience for our students. We’ve continued to draw upon the experience in our sustainability class and have been having great conversations.
— Laura, Teacher
Our Global Village & Heifer International
In partnership with Heifer International, Shepherd's Spring operates the Global Village, one of two educational training centers in the United States. Through immersive, hands-on programming, the Global Village aims to educate participants of the causes and effects of hunger and poverty, and to enable them to make a difference in the lives of those in their own communities and around the world.
Heifer International is a global nonprofit working to eradicate poverty and hunger through sustainable, values-based holistic community development.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When can we do programs?
Anytime! If the space is available, programs can be booked weekdays, weekends, and in any season. Programs may need to be adjusted for seasonal, weather, or other factors.
Are Global Village program religious?
No, they are not. Even though we operate within Shepherd’s Spring, which is a Christian retreat center affiliated with the Church of the Brethren, neither Heifer International nor our educational programs connected with it are religious. Our participant groups are very diverse, from public schools to religious groups to scout troops, and everyone comes to the global village for their own reasons. However, any group is welcome to incorporate aspects of their faith before, during, or after the program. Simply let us know if you wish to do that.
Can we focus on STEM while in the Global Village?
Certainly! Heifer International provides what they call “appropriate technology” to their project partners (farmers) whenever possible. This can include sustainable farming practices, machines or tools which solve a specific problem, and education and training. In our Heifer Global Village you can observe different building materials used in different climates, a zero-grazing goat pen, several different styles of stove, and effective water-catchment systems. The Heifer Global Village offers students a thorough introduction to what STEM can look like in developing regions of the world, which can be a springboard for further STEM lessons specific to the needs and educational goals of your curriculum.
What else can we do onsite?
Shepherd’s Spring is full of wonderful things to do! If you find yourself with a few extra hours or days to fill and don’t feel like traveling off-site, we have some suggestions (which may carry an extra cost). Additional programs must be booked in advance of your trip.
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Add-on Heifer activities that you didn’t do in your program, such as a fire-building workshop or the exciting Spring Market
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Hike to Dam #4 on the C&O Canal towpath (about 4 miles round-trip)
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Teambuilding & low ropes
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Swimming pool (seasonal)
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Service projects & volunteering
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And more!
What else can we do in the region?
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C&O Canal National Historic Park – Running for 184.5 miles along the Potomac River, the C&O Canal is adjacent to our property. Scenic points along the way include Dam #4, which is about 2 miles down to the towpath from our property.
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Washington County Agriculture Center and Rural Heritage Museum (10 mins)
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Antietam National Battlefield (15 mins)
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Historic Sharpsburg, MD and Nutter's Ice Cream (15 minutes)
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Shepherdstown, WV – a fun artsy college town with wonderful restaurants, shopping and history (20 mins)
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City of Hagerstown, MD (25 mins)
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Washington County Museum of Fine Arts (free admission)
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Restaurants & outlet stores
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Historic Williamsport, MD, and the only working aqueduct in the country
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Harpers Ferry National Historic Park (40 minutes)
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Appalachian Trail – various trail access points, monuments & scenic overlooks
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City of Frederick, MD (45 mins)
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Historical & trendy downtown
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Many museums & historical points of interest
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Gettysburg National Battlefield (1 hour)
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Washington, DC & Baltimore (2 hours), including such destinations as Fort McHenry, the National Zoo, and volunteer opportunities at DC Central Kitchen.