The Louis August Jonas Foundation

• TELE applications for 2026 will open later this year.

• Attend an information session (optional). 

• Submit your complete application. 

• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. 

• Applicants who are selected for the interview phase will be invited to an interview.

• Prepare for your interview, relax and be ready to talk about yourself, your passions and why you are interested in attending The Ethical Leadership Experience.  

• LAJF will send admissions decisions on a rolling basis.

TELE has a rolling admissions process with a final deadline to be determined. We will start making admissions decisions in March.

You should be 15 years - 18 years old at the start of the program.

You must be available for the full two-week online session.

You must be able to speak English in order to make the most of the program.

You will have to submit the following materials by the application deadline for your region.

1) A completed 2026 TELE Application.

2026 program dates are to be determined.

Each TELE participant chooses one of two two-week sessions.

You can only attend one of the two sessions, they are largely the same, the only thing that changes are the participants!

The fee for the Ethical Leadership Experience is $350. We offer generous scholarships (partial and full) and no selected candidate will be turned away for financial reasons.

• 2025 applications opened on November 27th, 2024.

• Attend an information session (optional).

• Submit your complete application by the deadline for your region. (See deadline section below.)

• Applicants selected for the interview phase will be invited to an interview by the selection committee of their region. Expect this invitation between January 15th and March 1st.

• Prepare for your interview, relax, and be ready to talk about yourself, your passions, and why you are interested in attending Camp Rising Sun.

• Interviews will take place between January and March. Specific dates will depend on our selection committee.

• LAJF will begin to send out admissions decisions (admitted, waitlisted, rejected) in March. The exact date depends on where you are applying from.

• We will host an admitted students and families information session (date TBD) with recent campers and their families.

• If you are admitted, you must register to confirm your place within a week of being admitted.

• We will accept candidates from the waitlist starting in April.

• Your selection committee will be available to offer you support before and after the program.

Deadlines vary by region. Regional deadlines for 2026 are still to be determined, but will likely fall between December and March. Please check back for more information once applications open.

• You can apply from anywhere in the world.

• You should be at least 15 years old when your camp session starts and you cannot have turned 17 by the end of your camp session. (With a birth date between August 28th, 2009 and June 28th, 2011)

• You must be available for the whole four-week in-person session in upstate New York. 

• You must be able to speak English. English is essential for understanding safety instructions and for maximizing the benefits of the CRS experience.

• Children or grandchildren of any previous Camp Rising Sun alumni interested in participating in CRS must apply as legacy campers. Please follow this link.  

• International campers will require a valid passport and visa (if applicable). Campers living in the United States do not need a passport to apply, register, or attend the program. 

• Accepted applicants must complete a full medical (physical and mental health) evaluation prior to arrival and provide proof of vaccination, including being fully vaccinated for COVID-19.  Exemptions will be granted.

You will have to submit the following materials by the application deadline for your region.

1) A completed 2026 CRS application.

2) One (1) reference. This reference should be an adult who knows you well (teacher, guidance counselor, principal, a coach, club leader, religious adviser, or scoutmaster, etc.) References must be adults who are not members of your family.

The references are due by the application deadline for your region.

Campers of all gender identities are welcome and encouraged to submit an application for whichever session would be most comfortable for them to attend.

Please note campers are expected to stay with an LAJF provided host family one to two days before camp starts and one or two days after camp ends. You can also make your own arrangements to arrive at the meeting point in New York City on the first day of camp.

Girls and Non-Binary Session: June 28th - July 25th, 2026

Boys and Non-Binary Session: July 31st - August 27th, 2026

Camp Rising Sun is a full scholarship program. Admitted campers pay no tuition to attend our program. When families or local alumni associations cannot afford travel costs to and from camp, LAJF has some funds to provide need-based financial assistance to cover travel costs. These funds are limited. 

Camp Rising Sun relies on contributions from alumni, friends, and participants like you to make this possible. If you are accepted to CRS, you will be asked to fill out a donation equity worksheet which will help you to get a sense of what might be a reasonable contribution based on your financial position relative to our global community. We recognize the diverse economic backgrounds of our participants, and completing this survey helps each family to consider the amount they wish to contribute.