Why the Gulf Coast?

A centerpiece of Kaleo is ensuring that each student works a full-time job. This is so each student can make money, but also so that each student can grow in his/her leadership development and apply what they are learning in a real life environment. There are only a few places in the United States where we can be guaranteed that ~150 people per Kaleo project will be employed just for the summer. The Gulf Coast meets that criteria.

Why live on a resort during the Florida projects?
Because one of the centerpieces of Kaleo is for each student to have a summer job, we are limited to where we can hold our project - to summer tourist cities like Orlando, Destin, PCB, Gulf Shores. Unfortunately, there are limited housing options in these cities, especially during the summer season, their busiest. A resort is one of the only places that has the space to handle such a large group as ours. We work hard each year to negotiate the best possible prices for our students while also staying in a place that we feel is safe for Kaleo attendees.

Why nine weeks?
We feel nine weeks is the perfect length of time for a summer project. It gives the student around 4+ weeks at home while also giving him/her ample time to develop in his leadership, and to grow spiritually. Often times at a week-long church camp, a person may return home on an emotional high. We do not seek for students to make emotionally driven decisions, nor to come back home merely riding an emotional high. Rather, we want to see students make gains in character growth, initiative-taking, leadership skills, social aptitude, and in owning responsibilities. We believe that nine weeks is enough time for a student to truly take substantial steps in these areas.

Why does my son/daughter have to go to Kaleo to grow spiritually and develop in leadership?
In our experience, a student can grow outside of a summer project like Kaleo, but it can be difficult. Kaleo allows a student to get away for nine weeks to a place where he/she is in an environment that is a greenhouse for growth. Each student will have accountability through a small group and their small group leader. Each student will be hearing challenging messages each week from StuMo staff and other leaders. He will learn practical skills such as how to study the Bible, developing work ethic, how to treat a woman (for the guys),what qualities to look for in a spouse, how to help others find a relationship with God, how to handle money, and making wise decisions.

Is Kaleo a way for my son/daughter to just relax on the beach all summer?
No way. Kaleo is not designed for the student who wants to take it easy. There will be plenty of opportunities for the student to have fun, go to social events like dances, take a road trip, go on group dates, make memories, etc... But Kaleo is so much more than this. At Kaleo, our goal is to develop young leaders. The schedule is designed to ensure the students develop in the areas mentioned above. Thus, the schedule is very full with work, small group interaction, listening to speakers, giving presentations, etc...

I really want my son/daughter to get an internship while in college.
In many ways, we believe Kaleo has as much value as an internship. At many internships, students are at the bottom of the totem pole and are not learning any significant leadership or people skills, which are absolutely essential in any career field. While internships may look good on a resume, many internships do not necessarily translate into true life skills development, leadership awareness, or spiritual growth. We wholeheartedly believe Kaleo is valuable for building these areas into young leaders.

Also, many students in the past have been able to combine an internship with a summer at Kaleo. As long as the internship hours fit into the Kaleo schedule, students are free to work at an internship related to their major while at Kaleo. In the past, Kaleo students have worked at internships in the engineering, medical, education, and business fields.

I am not comfortable with my son/daughter raising support. Why do they have to do that?
We understand your concerns. Students are not required to raise support. Each student is free to pay for Kaleo however he/she wishes. We simply allow (versus require) students to raise support. This is our strategy for several reasons:

1. Many students would not be able to attend Kaleo if they could not raise support.

2. Many people have a heart for college students but obviously cannot personally be there to impact students' lives. When someone gives support, it allows her to invest in what God is doing on the college campus. Hundreds of investors (donors who give to the Kaleo attendee) have commented on how much growth they observed in the attendee when they got back from Kaleo, and what a joy it was to play a vital role in the process.

3. It is Biblical for a person to receive support from others while doing God's work (The Jews gave to the Levites- Numbers 18:24; Jesus received support so he could devote himself full time to his ministry - Luke 8:2,3; Paul stopped tent-making to preach full time while covering costs via the generosity of others - Acts 18:4,5).

During the spring, we train each Kaleo participant in the skill of raising support. We do not want potential investors to feel guilted into giving to a student going to Kaleo. Our experience is that if a student communicates the purpose and content of the Kaleo summer experience in a clear manner, the investor will often jump at the chance to give. Since 1983, tens of thousands of investors have given to the spiritual and leadership growth of Kaleo attendees.

Can I visit my child while they are at Kaleo?
Yes! We would love for you to visit the Kaleo project that your son/daughter is attending.

​