Isabella, 8

ESF Georgetown Prep Day Camp

Whether your camper has discovered a new interest, met a new friend, bonded with a counselor or considered ESF a home away from home, every summer has a story.

  “Isabella loves to try a little bit of everything. She’s really creative and full of energy. She loves science, sports, dancing, arts and crafts, games—anything that keeps her engaged and active. Every summer presents an opportunity to try knew things and explore the new programs. In Super Cool Science, she had the chance to dissect a pig heart and a cow eye, and for a couple weeks afterword she’d walk up to everyone she met and say, ‘Hi, have you ever seen a cow eye?!’

She was at ESF for nine weeks this summer in Day Camp and Major Camp, and I started to notice that not only did she have a great time, but she was growing as a person too. I remember when ESF introduced the 8 Virtues, and I really saw how much those lessons stuck with her. One day I was getting frustrated, and she looked at me and said, “Mommy, you need to think out of the box. That’s how you solve problems. That’s how you become resilient.” I was blown away. ESF was teaching my daughter to think differently about the problems she was facing, and she felt confident enough to pass those lessons to me. It was a moment I’ll never forget.

This was Isabella’s 3rd summer at camp, and ESF has become her second home. I work full time, so at first I sent Isabella and her brother to ESF because the camp hours fit perfectly with my work day. Having the option to send my kids to Club OT gives me a little more flexibility in case I need to go into the office early or stay late. But from the first year, it became clear that this summer camp meant more to our family than just having a place for my kids to be during the summer.

Next year will be the first year she won’t be in Day Camp. She’s sad, but we are teaching her that sometimes you grow up and you have to move on. The good thing is that she still has so much more to experience. She can try Senior Camp, or she’ll explore subjects like Photography and Science in the Specialty Major Camps. ESF has been her home away from home in the summers, and I’m so glad to have my daughter grow up in a place like ESF.”

-Susanne, ESF Georgetown Prep parent

This summer, let us be a part of your story.