This summer marks Bright Lights’ (BrightLights.org) 40th summer of providing energized, engaging and fun summer learning camps for K-8th grade students. Over the years, the program has grown into providing five weeks of summer programing, all of which include half-day and full-day camp options on a variety of topics. These week-long camps allow students to learn and create, master new skills and build new relationships.
Bright Lights was started by two local mothers, Barb Hoppe and Jan Dutton, who wanted to create a “Mental Olympics” for their young children as they noticed budget cuts in public school summer programs. What started as a graduate school project for Barb quickly developed into a full-fledged initiative just three months later. And since then, Bright Lights has become a thriving nonprofit who has served generations of students—many now the parents of current campers! — thanks to the support of local families and donors.
To help them celebrate this milestone, Bright Lights is asking supporters for online donations of $40—one for each summer of camps—at BrightLights.org. This amount is not only symbolic but also helps provide teachers, supplies and scholarships for their camps.
Registrations for their camps as well as applications for their Camp Assistant program are also currently open. More information on both can be found at BrightLights.org.