Reflecting on Five Years of the
South Park Summer Camp

Written By: Gena Wynkoop, Editorial Content Manager

In its fifth year, the South Park Summer Camp was a huge success with over 70 student participants and 20 Seattle Academy student volunteers each day! 

It was four weeks of amazing activities, beautiful weather, and most importantly, a lot of fun. The camp provided all students with activities ranging from sports training to an introduction to music production, robotics and arts, and everything in between. In addition to t-shirts and equipment, SAAS also provided snacks, beverages and lunches for students, free of charge, every day. 
“Although still structured, summer camp allows kids to create their own unique memories,” said Craig Tomlinson a SAAS soccer coach and former Sounders soccer player. “It's truly fantastic that we can provide an opportunity for the youth to explore new experiences, where they have the freedom for spontaneous and creative play."

Starting at the beginning of July, the first two weeks of camp were held at the South Park Community Center. The campers engaged in a variety of activities, allowing the young campers to try all sorts of things, whether that was flying a drone in robotics, learning to make beats during their music production activities, catching a lacrosse ball, or passing a soccer ball.  

Every year, we work with the community to expand our camp offerings and with the steady growth in our participation numbers, it’s important to us that we continue to engage in conversations with the South Park community members about the additional activities they would like to see incorporated in the programming.

Based on those discussions, Gerald Elliott, the Seattle Academy Robotics Program Director, was excited to introduce different facets of robotics.

“I was excited to bring robotics to these kids because our program complements the existing programs,” said Gerald. “The camp's core is athletics but there are also arts options. Teaching some technical skills and having fun with robotics seemed like a great addition.”

For the second half of the camp, the focus switched to soccer, where campers had a more intensive athletic experience. Because of the field conditions at South Park Community Center, we transported the campers to and from Highland Park Playground, a neighboring playground where the fields are more ideal for play.

Seattle Academy has developed a public-private partnership with the City of Seattle, Seattle Parks and Recreation, and the South Park Community to support the needs of this community and increase the usability of this space. “South Park Community Center has been an awesome partner and the neighbors from the area are so welcoming. From the local coffee shops to little restaurants –we are here for the better part of a month and you start to see familiar faces. It’s all about community,” said Brad Evans, a SAAS soccer coach and former Seattle Sounders player.

For SAAS student volunteers, the summer camp program is an excellent opportunity to engage with younger students, enhance their leadership skills, and build on their community service hours that SAAS requires for graduation. Many have shared how much they genuinely enjoy their time at the camp, including a few returning alumni who want to continue working with the kids in this community!

“Watching our high school kids interact with the campers and watching our faculty give back in a different way was really meaningful and powerful,” said Zac Townsend, an 11th-grade Grade Coordinator who helps out with the summer camp. 

Yosief Berhane (Grade 9) was looking for some additional summer service hours and decided to volunteer.

“I am enjoying getting to know these kids because they’re very funny and fun to interact with,” said Yosief. “They have creative ideas and different ways of thinking, and it reminds me of how I was when I was younger and how I used to play.”

Other faculty volunteers like Paris Randall, a music productions teacher at SAAS, said he was excited to bring back music production for a second year to the community. Watching the students learn the skills and tools they needed, while also realizing a talent they didn’t know they had was rewarding to watch.

“The kids at the camp are really appreciative of the opportunities,” said Paris. “I think it’s cool to see how much they want to be a part of something new and have that positivity and guidance.”

And it’s not just the kids that love the camp.

A camper parent shared, “Both of my kids, aged 8 and 10, come home daily so happy after camp. This is their second year and they will definitely be back because they have so much fun. It keeps them busy and they are making wonderful memories with the amazing staff and making new friends.”

“The parents are always thankful and appreciative that their kids have a field to play with structured activities, that's our shared priority. Keep them active, keep them engaged, and get them tired. There’s something to be said for feeling tired at the end of the day,” said Brad.

This is the fourth summer camp that Brad has volunteered at so he, along with other returning faculty members, has had the pleasure of watching some of these kids grow up over the years. The kids also benefit significantly from learning soccer skills from professional athletes such as Brad and Craig Tomlinson, former Seattle Sounders player and current SAAS faculty.

“My favorite part of the experience is seeing the kids again and the relationships they’ve developed with counselors and campers over the years. It tells us we’re doing something right that we see so many repeat kids that are coming to these camps consistently,” said Brad Evans.

The goal for next year is to continue to expand those programming options so the campers are getting a holistic educational and active experience tailor to their individual interests.

“Next year, we just want to continue to add programming. We are excited to add some of our pillars whether it be more options for arts, music, or robotics” said Zac.

The summer camp breathes a bit of life into the South Park Community Center, as they continue to see reduced open hours and limited resources for after-school summer programs. For those neighboring families, the no-cost summer camp provides a safe environment for socialization and fun for the kids during the summer months off of school.

Community centers play a vital role in supporting families. They provide educational support, meals, child care, extracurricular activities, and additional services that the community might not otherwise have access to. 

We continue to be thoughtful in breaking down barriers to accessing desired resources for the community. We are committed to hosting these summer camps and our goal is to spark the belief in kids that they can achieve great things by giving them the opportunity to grow and be inspired.

We hope this partnership model will inspire and galvanize others in our region to creatively solve problems and address community needs across the city and beyond.

To learn more about this unique public and private partnership, visit the Seattle Parks & Recreation FAQ. 

If you have questions or would like to learn more about the project, please contact: Nicole Higgins, Development Office.