ACADEMICS & ATTACHMENTS-- Thursday July 29th

Included among all of the aforementioned unique and fun activities is an emphasis on academic

preparation for the transition from kindergarten to first grade. Led by generous Kindergarten Center teacher Ms. Katie McGowan, this facet of the camp is chiefly comprised of a review of the fundamental skills the children had learned during the kindergarten school year. Highlighted aspects include basic addition and subtraction, counting, reading comprehension, rhyming and word recognition. The campers work both one on one with their teen buddies and in groups with their peers to strengthen their skills and abilities. The close attention paid to specific needs and questions is highly beneficial and can be seen in the tremendous strides made in various academic subject areas throughout the two week duration of camp.

By the end of the first week, the bonds building between campers and mentors are evident. Many of the mentors are accustomed to the speed in which they become attached to their littler buddies as almost all of this year’s teens have participated in Camp Jump Start in previous years. Included among the mentors are recent high school graduates and college students who have such entrenched connections to the program that they elected to return even after high school. Despite the crucial service and summer fun the camp provides the children, astonishingly, it often makes the deepest impression on the teen mentors.