Fostering Belonging: Transforming Perspectives through Family Camp

PEAK is committed to providing accessible programs to our young people and their families. Summer camp can be a new and challenging experience for many and we aim to assure our families that this community is for them. One way PEAK tries to alleviate a parent’s hesitancy in sending their kids away at camp is through our Family Camp program, which is specifically designed with the whole family in mind. Last summer, Smailyn Dominguez and her family attended Family Camp and it changed their entire perspective on the PEAK experience.

Smailyn and her younger brother, Jose, joined us for the first time when they enrolled in the Explore MKE program. It was a great first step towards becoming more comfortable with PEAK and it led to both of them enrolling in our Day Camp that summer. Maggie Kellogg, Manager of Youth Programs, remembered their experience vividly. “Honestly, you wouldn’t be able to tell it was either of their first times at PEAK, they just dove right in. Jose kind of became a translator for our only Spanish speaking participant, which was really beautiful to see because Jose had a hard time communicating with only English speaking counselors in the beginning.”

As Smailyn and Jose were embracing their first PEAK summer, their parents were still a bit apprehensive towards sending them off to LVC. Smailyn was in 3rd grade, old enough to attend Lake Valley Camp, but her parents decided she would only attend Day Camp with her brother. PEAK staff understood and respected their decision. PEAK acknowledges how gaining a parent's trust  is essential to sending their child to LVC. Our camp sessions are not only longer than others in the area, but it is also three hours away. This is exactly why PEAK created the Family Camp program. PEAK’s Executive Director, Erin Fischer, explained how Family Camp is, “specifically designed for our parents and guardians to be able to experience what their young people come home talking about.” Smailyn’s family chose to attend Family Camp at LVC, using this opportunity to take a family vacation and be in nature with each other.

“The parents were just really excited to jump in. Just try the things, do the things, have fun with the kids,” said Lucero Serna, Assistant Director of Camp Programs. “They were just able to have conversations with the staff, I feel like I got to know them really well.”

Besides acclimating to PEAK staff and culture, the family stayed in cabins, ate in the lodge, swam at our pool, and went boating on the lake. Lucero warmly recalled how much Jose loved paddling with his dad and sister, and him saying “this is the best thing I’ve ever done in my life! Mom, I’m doing it, I’m doing it!”

Although it was only one weekend, the opportunity to experience Lake Valley Camp as a family was key to gaining the trust of Smailyn’s parents. Through the Family Camp Program, they were able to fully immerse themselves in LVC and got to see firsthand how much camp meant to Smailyn and Jose. With the trust and approval of her parents, Smailyn will be going off to camp solo this summer as a Pioneer with the PEAK staff and community there by her side to ensure her summer is one to remember!