United Way of Northern Arizona — Wells Fargo Makes Major Contribution to KinderCamp

This year’s KinderCamp™ classes have just wrapped up, and the program got a terrific graduation present – a $20,000 donation from Wells Fargo.

“We understand the importance of investing in early childhood education for our local youth,” said Wells Fargo District Manager Misty Shepherd. “KinderCamp provides a bridge between each child’s individual early learning experience and the formal kindergarten program. Wells Fargo is proud to support the United Way and its partners in this summer ‘boot camp’ that ensures all students are ready on the first day of kindergarten.”

The month-long program, available at no cost to families, focuses on preparing children academically, socially and emotionally for school, said UWNA Board Chair Sylvia Johnson. While much of the day is spent on math and pre-reading skills, such as letter identification and phonics, emotional and social education also play a large part.

“KinderCamp is where kids get to deal with separation anxiety, get comfortable with taking a school bus, and learn how to make new friends,” she said.

The initiative is now in its 15th year and serves students in Flagstaff, Williams, Page, Lakeside and Winslow.

In addition to teaching in the classroom, each KinderCamp instructor visits the child’s parents or caretakers in the home and brings a bag of school supplies, including a literacy kit containing children’s books and learning activities for students to do at home with their family.

The cost to run the KinderCamp program is about $600 per child, with more than 250 children participating each summer.