A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove.  But the world may be different, because I was important in the life of a child. ^Note1

What is the Y-Princess Program?

• The Y-Princess Program was formerly known as the "Indian Princess" program and is part of the National YMCA Adventure Guides Program. The YMCA Adventure Guides Program provides many opportunities and many unique settings that you are unlikely to find otherwise.  It is designed to help a parent (or Guardian) and a child build a strong, long lasting relationship by spending quality time together doing enjoyable activities that help promote communication.  In the Y-Princess program, a father and a daughter go on a fantastic journey of learning and growing together in a program that encourages fun, understanding, and companionship with each other as well as with other fathers and daughters in the program.  Together they build memories, self-esteem, and develop the foundation for a lifelong healthy relationship.
  
  For fathers, this program offers the chance to bond with your daughter on many levels and build a loving and trusting relationship that will last a lifetime.  This special relationship will help both of you during the often troublesome middle and high school years and may even influence important decisions later in life.  The program also offers you the opportunity to meet and interact with other fathers and their daughters for a truly unique learning experience.
  
  For daughters, the program offers an opportunity for a wide and diverse circle of friends that often become more like a large family.  The older girls usually take on the leadership roles, helping and teaching the younger girls while the younger girls look up to the older girls for guidance like they would a big sister.  The program helps the girls build self-esteem, develop a strong sense of identity, of belonging, and of personal accomplishment.  The girls also get to witness first hand how other fathers and daughters interact with each other.
  
  Together, you'll see and do things that you otherwise might not have the opportunity to do such as; camping all over the beautiful State of Arizona, canoeing, horseback riding, rock climbing, building and racing a pinewood derby car, going to a formal father/daughter dance, playing games, singing songs, telling stories, and many, many, more fun activities.
  
  Together, you'll also learn many things about Arizona, about nature, about history, about yourselves, but most importantly, about each other as you grow and learn TOGETHER!  Don't miss out on this amazing once in a lifetime opportunity.  Start your father/daughter adventure today!

Who are the Y-Princesses?

• The Chandler/Gilbert Y-Princess Program is made up of fathers and daughters (ages 5-12) from the Chandler/Gilbert area as well as other areas in the South East Valley such as Ahwatukee, Tempe, Mesa, and Apache Junction.  The father/daughter pairs are divided into "Circles" of generally 4-12 pairs per Circle.  The Circles can be created according to such things as geographic location, age groups, or current friendships.  The "Circles" then combine to create the "San Tan Expedition" for the larger events.  Also see the Trail Mates program for girls ages 10-14.

What do the Y-Princesses do?

• The Y-Princess Program is designed to keep the girls (and the dads) interested and having fun.  The father and daughter can attend monthly Circle meetings which are held at one of the Circle member's homes.  These meetings can include such things as games, songs, stories, crafts, community service, or small outings such as skating, bowling, or even laser tag.  Each month also features an "Expedition" event in which all of the Circles in the San Tan Expedition participate together in one large group.  These larger events can include such things as weekend camping in designated group campgrounds (typically at State Parks or in National Forests), Winter cabin camping in January, a Pinewood Derby race in December, family fun at Amazing Jake's, a father/daughter "Sweetheart dance" in February, participation in the Chandler Ostrich Festival parade, "family camping" at Old Tucson Studios, plus hiking, exploring, songs, stories, games, crafts, and more camping.

How do I join?

• The program generally runs with a typical school year (September-June) with the majority of registration happening in August but you can always join in the fun and adventure anytime.  Just download and fill out the Registration Form then mail, fax, or bring it to the Chandler/Gilbert YMCA with your registration payment to start your father/daughter adventure today!  If you prefer, you can Register Online instead. If you have a friend in the program, be sure to include the name of their Circle under "Circle Preference."
  

 

• For more information on the Chandler/Gilbert Y-Princesses you can contact the San Tan Expedition Navigator  or the Chandler/Gilbert YMCA.  You can also view/download a PDF version of the entire 2006/2007 New Members Packet which is chock full of detailed information about the program or you can go to the National YMCA Adventure Guides website for more general information.  If you have a son, don't forget to check out the Y-Guides website for the father/son program.  If your daughter is older (ages 10-14) make sure you check out the Trail Mates information page for activities planned specifically for the older girls and their dad's.

Read Testimonials from past and current members of the Y-Princess program

The Historical Origins of the Program

The program has its roots dating back to the 1920s when Harold Keltner, a YMCA executive in St. Louis, Missouri, and Joe Friday, an Ojibway Indian hunting guide, founded a program called the Indian Guides.

As Joe Friday commented to his friend:   

"The Indian father raises his son. He teaches his son to hunt, to track, to fish, to walk softly and silently in the forest, to know the meaning and purpose of life and all that he must know, while the white man allows the mother to raise his son."

The idea arose to provide a program where the father (or guardian) would have the opportunity to “guide” their son in exploring the outdoors and teaching them the ways of the land. This program was based on dignity, patience, endurance, spirituality, feeling for the earth, and concern for the family.

In the 1950's the program was expanded to include fathers and daughters (Y-Indian Princesses) as well as mothers/sons and mothers/daughters.  At the beginning of this Century, the program underwent some changes and has now become The YMCA Adventure Guides Program.  The Y-Indian Princess part of the original program became what is now known as the YMCA Adventure Princess Program or simply the Y-Princess program.

Motto
"Friends Forever"

Pledge
"We, father and daughter, through friendly service to each other, to our family, to this circle, and to our community, seek a world pleasing to the eye of the Creator."

7 Aims

1. To be clean in body and pure in heart.
2. To be Friends Forever with my father/daughter.
3. To love the sacred circle of my family.
4. To listen while others speak.
5. To love my neighbor as myself.
6. To respect the traditions and beliefs of all people.
7. To seek and preserve the beauty of the Creator's work in forest, field and stream.

 

April 21, 2008

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Points of the Compass

The four main direction points on the compass are the essential components of the program.
 

• The Family is True North—the focal point of the program.
• Nature and the camping experience are integral parts of the program.
• The spirit of the program is experienced through belonging to a small Community, called a Circle.
• Fun is the magic of the program.

The YMCA Core Values of Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility make up the other directional points. Initially, these values provide guidance in helping children select activities, make decisions, and choose appropriate courses of action—both in the program and in their lives. As children grow, these values become their own internal compass.

Note 1: Excerpt from a now famous essay, Within My Power, first published in the October 1950 issue of Scouting magazine written by
Dr. Forest E. Witcraft (1894-1967) who was a scholar, a teacher, and a Boy Scout administrator.  The word "child" was used on this page rather than the original word "boy" at the end of the excerpt.

 

Caring:

To love others, to be sensitive to the well being of others, to help others.

 

Honesty:

To tell the truth, to act in such a way that you are worthy of trust, to have integrity, making sure your choices match your values.

 

Respect:

To treat others as you would have them treat you, to value the worth of every person, including yourself.

 

Responsibility:

To do what is right, what you ought to do, to be accountable for your behavior and obligations