This summer, more than 250 Hartford children, ages 6 to 16, attended Trinity College’s Dream Camp, a five-week program in which kids receive academic enrichment and mentoring and participate in traditional recreational activities. The students, all of whom came from families living below the federal poverty level, are encouraged to develop leadership skills, study world cultures, and develop their talents to the fullest extent possible. The campers all receive two nutritious meals and a snack every day.
Students must be nominated for participation by someone other than a relative and once enrolled, can return as a camper for up to 10 years. Further, leadership development programs create a support system for Dream Camp alumni throughout their college years. As a testament to the success of Dream Camp, now in its 11th year of operation, eight Hartford youths who were longtime campers completed their first year of college last spring. This year, for the second consecutive year, 100 percent of Dream Camp’s graduating high school seniors will attend college.
About one-third of camp participants continue to come to Trinity during the school year for tutoring, SAT preparation, help with filling out college applications, and assistance with homework. Dream Camp works closely with the Hartford Public School System to ensure that the program reinforces subject matter covered in school.
Support for the camp is provided by an anonymous Trinity alumnus, the Travelers Foundation; the Bank of America Foundation, Inc.; the Ensworth Charitable Foundation; The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving; The Fox 61 Family Fund, a fund of the McCormick Foundation; and the Charles Nelson Robinson Fund. Also, for the first time, Versa Products Company, whose president and CEO, Jan Larsson ’77 supported the Versa Valves Engineering Internship Program in which two Trinity student mentors worked with about 60 Hartford children implementing a robotics curriculum (pictured above).
