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Summer Camps

We started our first summer camp in 2003 at our Varina day school campus in eastern Henrico. Every summer since then and up until 2010, we served an average of 20 inner-city children. The Micah Initiative referred children from Woodville Elementary School in Richmond’s East End to our camp. They sent us the most at-risk and in-need children they could find. And we gave those children a wonderful summer.

In recent years, we doubled the number of campers in Varina. We opened our doors to children from the surrounding underserved communities. We also added a second camp in Goochland where we serve at-risk children from the surrounding rural communities and housing projects in Charlottesville. Between the two camps we reach an average of 72 campers each summer.

We ensure that progress made during the school year is not lost during summer recess. Our reading specialist helps struggling readers.  Our young writer’s workshop helps all campers improve writing and reading skills and gain greater self-awareness. But ask our campers what they enjoy most and many will tell you the field trips! Canoeing the James River, visiting farms, riding horses, and getting messy with clay at Richmond’s Visual Arts Center are all Elk Hill summer camp activities. Returning from his final field trip of the summer, one camper told us what he had learned at camp, “To not be afraid!” which is a testament to the courage and self-awareness gained by a summer at Elk Hill’s camp.