Summer Camp Scholarships

We focus on 4^th and 5^th graders because studies agree that the younger the child and the longer the camp session, the more likely it is that children will retain the life skills learned at camp. So 4^th graders, who aren’t ready to spend two weeks away from home, attend camp for one week, and 5^th graders attend for two. We give scholarships two years in a row, the summer after 4^th grade and the summer after 5^th grade.

Low-income families often struggle with details that are routine for most families, so SCS helps with the most common problems. We give every first-time camper a sleeping bag and duffel. All families are offered a gift card from ValueWorld for camp clothes, and SCS makes certain that every child has a ride to and from camp.

We want children who have “aged out” of our program—those entering 6^th grade and above—to continue to be able to attend summer camp affordably. So we send parents and guardians a letter every spring with the names and phone numbers of organizations that offer camp scholarships. Our hope is that our “alumni” will attend camp until they graduate from high school!

 Our goal is to make overnight camp a reality for every eligible 4^th and 5^th grader in the Ypsilanti Community Schools. County-wide, this district has the highest percentage of students who are eligible for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), also known as the free lunch program.

 In addition, SCS will make overnight camp a reality for every 4^th and 5^th grader in the county who is in foster care, is homeless, or is under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court because of neglect or abuse.

Through the NSLP, the federal government has identified these youngsters as disadvantaged and vulnerable, and these are the boys and girls we invite to camp.