History

Remembering where we have been is important of understanding who we are and where we are going. 

2012 will mark our 20th anniversary, and we can honestly say that this journey has been full of surprises and adventures!!  Nick, Alex & Matt Markoff founded Calleva in 1992 as a small summer camp.  Today, Calleva is known as an innovator in outdoor education, with 100+ school and community partners in the DC metropolitan area. Our success is built upon the passion of our founders, who love introducing kids to the outdoors and teaching them to achieve their very best in every activity.

Calleva was initially modeled after Valley Mill Camp, where the Markoff brothers grew up working with their family.  However, over the years Calleva has developed its own unique brand of outdoor adventure that encompasses summer camp, wilderness educational experiences, environmental education and small-scale sustainable farming.  Rather than headquarter all of our activities in a single location, Calleva has created an innovative variety of MOBILE programming, taking participants to the best parks, trails, rivers and rocks in our region while operating an educational farm in Montgomery County's Agricultural Reserve.

As a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit, Calleva gets city kids (of all ages!!) out into DC’s backyard for homegrown fun and adventure.  We are a mission-oriented organization and we work every day to help . . .

• Youth – through summer camp, Calleva Leadership School & other teen programs, collaboration with local schools & other community partners;
• Adults – through corporate teambuilding, leadership training, instructional programs and other customized events;
• Families – through adventures that strengthen the ties between parents, kids and extended family groups; and
• Our Community – through practical efforts that help raise awareness about the traditions, local resources and common values that knit us together.

In short, we love what we do because we think it's valuable to our community as well as to every person who participates in our programs.