What if he got a summer job? Would getting himself to and from work and earning his own money make him feel more grown up?
Camps and summer programs for high schoolers can be fun, but they are supervised. And depending on the type of camp, for instance my daughter’s best friend went to a ballet camp one summer in Taos, New Mexico, you can be very busy. She spent most of her time in ballet classes. They did do some sightseeing and activities such as hiking, whitewater rafting, and riding up the ski lift and exploring the town of Taos, but this is all supervised. Both my kids went to summer camp and it was supervised. They weren’t breathing down the kid’s necks, but they are supervised, it’s not a free for all. And if you attend a camp at a college campus, the schedule is filled with activities, so it’s not like there is a lot of free time…
I’d say a kid could probably have less supervision and more independence if they stayed at home….