About Us
What it means for young people to truly flourish
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.
Explore Camp Activities
Maybe replace quote with a sentance or two about these activities and how they relate back to UVA's youth nex research......"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
Jewelry Design:
Beading, Wirework & Natural Materials
Design and create necklaces, bracelets, and more using glass beads, gemstones, wire wrapping, and found natural elements.
Advanced Tie-Dye & Textiles
Explore folding, binding, and color theory to create wearable, high-impact designs.
Botanical Arts:
Flower Pressing & Plants
Collect, identify, press, and preserve plants while learning the basics of botany.
Floral Design & Arrangement
Learn composition, balance, and color while creating arrangements inspired by the natural landscape.
Personal Style &
Fashion Design
Explore color, texture, shape, and self-expression through clothing, accessories, and personal style projects. Local fashion designers will give mini-lessons.
Interior Design &
Space Styling
Learn how color, layout, and objects shape a space-- designing their own rooms.
Passion Project Lab
Turn interests into real projects through planning and leadership.
Peer Coaching
Build communication and confidence by supporting one another.
Yoga & Fitness
Move daily to feel strong, calm, and focused.
Our
Program
"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, Founder
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.
About Camp Founder and Director, Naomi Worth PhD
I’m Naomi Worth, PhD—a native of East Hampton, and also 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.
Outside of my camp, I'm currently a high school teacher in East Hampton. If you're interested in learning more, you can view my academic work here. In a podcast, I discussed my work with teens and my original research living in a Tibetan Buddhist monastery and nunnery for a year.
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