Transformative
Pre-Teen Summer Camp at
Mandala Yoga in Amagansett
An intimate, thoughtfully designed summer experience that builds confidence, connection, and leadership — and grows with your child.
Pre-adolescence is a powerful window for growth. Before social dynamics fully solidify and habits take root, young people are especially open to developing communication skills, self-awareness, and a strong sense of belonging.
Quantum Youth Camp is grounded in
cutting-edge research on
how pre-teens and adolescents
learn, grow, and thrive.
Based on research from
the University of Virginia's Youth Nex initiative on student flourishing
Quantum Youth’s programs are informed by decades of research on adolescent development, including work emerging from the University of Virginia’s Youth-Nex research center, a national leader in positive youth development.
Our curriculum draws on evidence-based insights into belonging, identity formation, purpose, and resilience — translated into experiences that feel meaningful, human, and engaging for today’s young people.
"Young people are capable of remarkable levels of discipline, compassion, focus, and responsibility when they are trusted, supported, and given meaningful structure."
-Naomi Worth
Founder of Quantum Youth
The Program
Our days at Quantum Youth Camp are designed to feel spacious, engaging, and fun. In our home base of the beautiful Mandala Yoga Studio in the heart of Amagansett, we will move our bodies, create nature inspired arts and crafts, converse about life, and spend time outdoors exploring the majestic beauty the Hamptons have to offer.
Through guided passion projects, campers develop leadership skills by utilizing their own interests, innate strengths, and personal style. Along the way, they build confidence by learning how they learn best, expressing themselves creatively, and practicing communication skills that strengthen friendships and family connections. Daily yoga, playful movement, and time outside help everyone stay grounded and energized.
Nature is woven into the rhythm of the week. We’ll pick flowers at Amber Waves, walk to the beach together once a week, and play Gaga Ball at the Amagansett School. Once each month, we will attend a special surf clinic—an unforgettable highlight of the summer.
On Saturdays at 10:30 am, campers and families are invited to join us for an Epic Locations of the Hamptons hike. These guided walks explore some of the most beautiful local landscapes, with expert guides sharing insights about the land, sea, and living world that surround us.
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About Camp Founder/Director, Naomi Worth PhD
I’m Naomi Worth, PhD—an educator, researcher, and program designer devoted to helping young people flourish during one of the most formative periods of life.I helped to found the Contemplative Sciences Center at the University of Virginia, where for over a decade I developed and led student programming focused on resilience, attention, ethical development, and well-being. Working closely with university students and faculty gave me a forward-thinking view of what it means for young people to truly flourish—not just academically, but as whole human beings.
My research also took me far beyond the classroom. I spent extended time at a Buddhist monastery and nunnery in South India, an educational institution serving thousands of young people, including pre-teens and teens. There, I witnessed firsthand the remarkable levels of discipline, compassion, focus, and responsibility that young people are capable of when they are trusted, supported, and given meaningful structure.
These two worlds—higher education in the U.S. and monastic education in India—profoundly shaped my work. They taught me that young people are far more capable than we often assume, and that confidence and self-worth are not innate traits, but skills that can be cultivated.
I’m especially inspired by the Dalai Lama, who once expressed genuine puzzlement upon learning about widespread self-esteem issues among American youth—something largely absent in Tibetan culture. That insight stayed with me. It raises a powerful question: What if confidence, belonging, and inner stability were taught early—before self-doubt takes hold? Quantum Youth was created in response to that question.
Pre-adolescence and early adolescence are a critical window. As young people undergo neuronal pruning and habit formation, the patterns they establish—how they relate to themselves, others, challenge, and uncertainty—can last a lifetime. Quantum Youth programs meet young people at this pivotal moment, blending research-informed practice with movement, nature, creativity, reflection, and real connection.
Quantum Youth isn’t about fixing kids. It’s about recognizing their capacity—and helping it take root.
"Young people are far more capable than we often assume, and that confidence and self-worth are not innate traits, but skills that can be cultivated."
—Naomi Worth
Camp Dates
Session 1
July 6-25
3 Weeks in July
Monday through Thursday
1-4:30
Mandala Yoga Amagansett
Saturdays 10:30-12
Epic Nature Walks in the Hamptons
Session 2
July 6-18
2 Weeks in July
Monday through Thursday
1-4:30
Mandala Yoga Amagansett
Saturdays 10:30-12
Epic Nature Walks in the Hamptons
Session 3
July 13-25
2 Weeks in July
Monday through Thursday
1-4:30
Mandala Yoga Amagansett
Saturdays 10:30-12
Epic Nature Walks in the Hamptons
Session 4
August 10-29
3 Weeks in August
Monday through Thursday
1-4:30
Mandala Yoga Amagansett
Saturdays 10:30-12
Epic Nature Walks in the Hamptons
Session 5
August 10-22
2 Weeks in August
Monday through Thursday
1-4:30
Mandala Yoga Amagansett
Saturdays 10:30-12
Epic Nature Walks in the Hamptons
Session 6
August 17-29
2 Weeks in August
Monday through Thursday
1-4:30
Mandala Yoga Amagansett
Saturdays 10:30-12
Epic Nature Walks in the Hamptons
ABOUT QUANTUM YOUTH
Quantum Youth is informed by leading Student Flourishing research initiatives at the University of Virginia, Stanford, Emory University, and the University of Wisconsin. Grounded in the science of neuroplasticity, our programs support young people in developing the following skills and practices:
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Peer-to-peer coaching
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Mentorship literacy: how to find mentors and how to engage with them effectively
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Meaningful communication skills for family life, friendships, and professional settings
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Sustainable self-care routines that create balance
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Executive functioning, awareness and self-regulation
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Resilience in a rapidly changing world
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Wisdom drawn from both contemporary research and ancient knowledge
Quantum Youth is a lively space in which teens aged 13-19 and pre-teens aged 9-12 can connect while they develop wisdom, compassion, and curiosity for all life holds.
Naomi Worth, Ph.D. is the founder and facilitator. Naomi received her Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies at the University of Virginia in 2022, where she was a founding member of the Contemplative Sciences Center, the basis of UVA's Student Flourishing initiative. For ten years, she developed student programs, consulted on contemplative pedagogy in higher education, and taught yoga and meditation to undergraduates.
Naomi's mission is to interpret the latest research on teen flourishing, positive psychology, and methods for developing executive functioning for families with teens who are struggling or just need some support.
Naomi is a native of East Hampton and is currently a high school teacher in East Hampton. You can view her academic work here. In a podcast, Naomi discusses her work with teens and her original research living in a Tibetan Buddhist monastery and nunnery for a year.
Quantum Youth is a platform for teen wellness where teens will also enjoy all the natural beauty the East End has to offer.
Research Foundations
1. University of Virginia, Student Flourishing Initiative and Youth-Nex Research Network
2. Stanford University, Stanford Center on Adolescence and research on purpose, belonging, and adolescent development
3. Emory University, research in contemplative science, social-emotional learning, and adolescent well-being
4. University of Wisconsin–Madison, Center for Healthy Minds research on neuroplasticity, emotional regulation, and resilience