as an old Camp Agudah counselor I have to laugh at those who knock the importance of having top notch bochurim as your sons counselors. Look around at many of the leading Rabbonim and askonim in America today and many have in common that they were counselors in camp. There they learned how to be mashpia on children, how to be able to talk to a parent about their children,how to speak or actin front of a large audience, how to become a responsible adult who were given the resposibilty of caring for someone elses treasure and most importantly they learned leadership skills.
Those bochurim who don’t leave the daled amos of the bais medrash are not camp material
they are more suited to become the next generation of rosh yeshivas. However , most boys don’t fall into that category and go to the country club settings of yeshiva campswith no responsibilities or achrayos and are losing the opportunity of a lifetime to learn these skills and learn how to become vital pieces of the next generation of klal yisroel.
For many SEED has become a good way to see the country and get out of NY or Lakewood. I am not saying that SEED is a total waste of time but is it more important than providing our own kids the opportunity to have the best bochurim be mashpia on them or some kids in kalamazoo