Jackson-Reed is far from empty during the summer. In fact, there is a summer camp that has grown to serve 1,000 families every year. and is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
Kids Elite is a summer program at Jackson-Reed that also runs at St. Johns and Murch that originally served less than ten campers in 2013, but has grown considerably since. PE teacher Desmond Dunham is the CEO and founder of the camp, and Kids Elite that primarily focuses on sports for kids but also includes things like a 30-minute reading period every day. Additionally, it includes some more unorthodox sports and activities such as Interactive Football, a game that is similar to tag football that puts sensors on kids playing to prevent cheating. Along with the typical day camp, there are more focused Kids Elite programs that allow kids to develop more sport-specific skills in primarily track and field.
Although it may seem that Kids Elite is just built for sport progression, Dunham believes it has a bigger purpose. “Sports is the vehicle that captures a lot of people’s attention, and we feel like we do a great job of capturing our young folks’ attention, and we can use it to add value to their education.” Using sports as a way to keep kids engaged both on and off the field not only helps them further their mental and physical strength, but also gives them a positive attitude. The reading period every day also helps kids with their summer reading.
Kids Elite not only has day to day fun activities, but also has special events. Counselor Hadley Carr is a longtime member of Kids Elite, and she loves the “Olympic Week” competitions. Olympic week is sort of like…. a week of Olympics. Kids get to compete for medals in all of their favorite sports and have a good time while doing it. Some sports include soccer, basketball, kickball, and swimming.
Kids Elite is an amazing summer camp at Jackson-Reed and it includes all the fun activities that good camps have. If you are interested in working there next year, you can talk to Coach Dunham or join through the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). It’s an amazing way to spend a summer, as you get to have fun at the school you love.
