Retreats, Global Village, & Summer Camp
SHEPHERD'S
Spring
Cultural Education
A unique program of experiential learning
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, thatched roofs, rain barrels, animal pens, prayer flags, water jugs, hand-painted Mayan tiles, and so much more.
As a Green Business Benchmark Platinum Badge holder, we strive to incorporate lesson elements about sustainability and environmental stewardship anywhere we can in our programming.
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Extra days can be added onto the front end or back end of any overnight program we offer! Skim our program summaries below, or click on each to learn specific details.
Click the icons to check out our Village Social Media!
Day Program (full summer camp available!)
Global Citizen
This 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 feed all.
$100 per person
3-Day, 2-Night Program
Global Explorer
6th grade - adult.
The most extensive and versatile of our overnight programs at the Global Village takes the Global Gateway role-playing simulation and adds a day of additional activities. Pick activities based on staff recommendations or based on the learning goals you have for your group.
$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 Paused for 2025! Come back in 2026!
Experience a week of camp with an educational twist this coming soon!
Adventure, exploring, and learning about other cultures through our global village programs.
Campers will get a glimpse of what it's like to live in another country and learn what it means to be a
Global Citizen in today's culture.
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
Shepherd's Spring Global Village was started through partnership with Heifer International, 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, our educational programs are not faith-based. Our participant groups are very diverse, from public schools to church groups to scout troops - 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. You can also book ecology- and conservation-based lesson elements in any of our programs. The 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 activities that you didn’t do in your program, such as a fire-building workshop or a canoeing excursion
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Hike to Dam #4 on the C&O Canal towpath (about 4 miles round-trip)
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Team building & 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.