Samantha Avalos’ story is one of many we are delighted to share over the coming weeks. At the end of this story, you can learn how YOU can make summer 2018 shine bright for students at KidWorks including Samantha!
I’m in high school now, but I’ll never forget the time I went on my first camping trip as a 10-year-old. It was all thanks to KidWorks’ summer camp. Dozens of kids like me went to Yosemite, where I got to sleep outside, hike, climb a big rock and swim in a lake (it was so cold!).
My family doesn’t have a lot of money, so going camping was an “extra” my parents couldn’t even begin to think about.
Summer at KidWorks has changed my life. If it weren't for KidWorks I wouldn't have anything to do all summer.
All of the KidWorks summer programs have meant so much to me over the years. I’ve visited museums, harvested vegetables for a food bank, cleaned litter from the beach, gone sailing and even met college students who are interning at companies I might one day work for.
The fun stuff that happens during the summer at KidWorks helped me to come out of my shell and make new friends, and I’m still in touch with a lot of them years later. I can definitely say that by opening up more to others I’ve learned that many of us have had the same experiences and challenges.
I also love the summer Bible studies that have helped me grow closer to God. That’s been such a huge blessing.
My dream is to be part of KidWorks summer programs again in 2018—and yes, go camping! When KidWorks asked me to ask supporters to help fund summer programs, at first I said, “I’ve never done that before.” But then, I realized there were a lot of things I’d never done before until KidWorks gave me the opportunity.
Summer at KidWorks is vital for so many reasons. Our students benefit from a fresh perspective on life as they meet new friends, engage in new activities, travel to new places, all while having fun! You can help wonderful students like Samantha enjoy a summer of a lifetime!
