Transcript of our interview with Kiley, JOA Camps: Parent Interview with Kiley Hamilton

What’s unique about JOA Camps?

Kiley

The main thing that we loved about JOA Camps was that it was bilingual. She was coming from a very English educational experience and going to a French one in the fall, so it was a good transition point so that she was exposed to more French in a very informal setting.

The other thing that she loved about JOA was the field trips. There were multiple field trips every week, which you don't usually get. She absolutely loved the variety of places that she went and how they matched up with the different theme weeks. Overall, it was a very well-run camp with lots of activities for them to do. She can't stop talking about the number of places she went over the course of just a few weeks being there in the summer.

How did you know that JOA Camps was the right fit?

Kiley

Even on the first day, she came home and told us all the things she had done and all the things that were planned for the rest of the week. She's gone to so many different camps over the past few years.

The other thing that we actually really enjoyed is that we got kind of a preview of the camp before she went. They would send us the schedule, let us know what the plan was for the week well in advance. I feel like that's something that we didn't get, kind of that level of detail in previous camps. So we knew what to expect, she knew what to expect, and they were very accessible and open about what the plans were and what the kids would be doing, which we really appreciated.

Was there any noticeable personal growth in your child after time at JOA Camps?

Kiley

She went into JOA Camps not knowing anybody, and even after a few days, she was like, "So-and-so is my new best friend. I hung out with this person. I was with this person." I think it was just such a friendly, inclusive atmosphere that she was able to make a lot of friends very quickly.

She felt comfortable. She felt included. And it was a really positive place for her, and you could see it on her face. She was just so happy to be there.

How can a parent support their child to get the most out of this camp?

Kiley

I think all you have to do is send them. On our end, we didn't really have to do anything. JOA Camps made it really easy.

They let you know what day they would have to wear a costume, what day would be water day, so they should bring a bathing suit. And so they made it incredibly easy to send our child there with what she needed in order to get the most out of the day.

What does your child say about JOA Camps?

Child

I made lots of new friends and I tried new things. I went on lots of field trips. I really liked when we did our crafts. My counselors were really fun. They always were nice.

Any final thoughts on JOA Camps?

Kiley

I think our biggest regret is that we didn't send her sooner. I think we've done a lot of things over the past few summers and truly regret not knowing about JOA Camps before last summer, because we certainly would have sent her.