CertifiKID Founder & CEO Announces New Camp Scholarship Program

Posted Mar 01, 2018 News Summer Camp DC/MD/VA

I'm excited to announce CertifiKID's new Camp Scholarship Program that will allow kids in need in the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore metro areas to attend summer camp tuition-free. Providing affordable camp options for families has always been a major focus of CertifiKID's business. This program takes our commitment one step further, reflecting my strong belief in the value of summer camp for kids.

I truly believe I wouldn’t be where I am today without summer camp. My childhood camp experiences helped me develop the confidence, determination and resilience crucial to my success as a woman entrepreneur. Now, as a parent, I get to watch my own kids grow, mature and become so much more independent and confident through their camp experiences each summer. I want every parent to be able to provide their kids with the same opportunities.

There are so many things about camp that are great for kids - the opportunity to be more independent and explore new interests and friendships away from the pressures of school, family life, and social media is so important. In this day and age where kids are constantly in front of screens and childhood obesity rates are on the rise, the forced time outside being physically active is also a huge benefit.

Access to high-quality summer programs is particularly important for children from low-income or financially vulnerable families who lack the resources to provide them enriching summer experiences. Summer camp, particularly academically-focused camps, helps bridge the summer learning gap, decrease learning loss, and increase confidence going into the next school year. Unfortunately, the cost of summer programs, especially specialty camps like STEM, robotics and creative arts, often put them financially out of reach for families whose children would benefit from them most.

CertifiKID's Camp Scholarship Program will provide a minimum of 20, $250 camp scholarships in summer 2018. Additional scholarships may be funded through community contributions. Scholarship recipients can use the $250 toward any camp purchase on the CertifiKID website, where camps are already discounted up to 50% off. Though the scholarship application asks for gross household income, that won’t be a determining factor. We are sensitive to the fact that many middle income families, especially those with multiple children or financial hardships like medical expenses or debt, have trouble affording camp, yet don’t qualify for other scholarship programs because their income is too high. Our message is, if you are having trouble affording camp, we want to help.

To learn more about the CertifiKID Camp Scholarship Program, including the selection criteria and process, and to apply or contribute, please visit our Camp Scholarship Program page.

~ Jamie Ratner, CertifiKID Founder & CEO

Tags: summer camp scholarship free kids Washington, DC Maryland Virginia Baltimore

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CertifiKID was founded by a mom with a passion for helping parents provide the best experiences for their children on a budget. From outings to adventures, classes to camps, theater to sporting events, amusement parks to getaways, CertifiKID provides the best family-friendly experiences at unbeatable prices. Sign up for family-friendly deals in your area and start saving!