'Love' Sustains Summer Scholarship Program

To the editor:

“It’s the best camp ever!” said a bubbly, pint-sized 7-year-old girl attending the Moorestown Parks and Recreation Department’s five-week, half-day Summer Parks Program.

The girl, a camper at George C. Baker Elementary School, has been in camp from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every weekday since the program opened June 24. Raised by her grandmother, she is one of 18 children from low-income families whose participation is paid for by the Friends Enrichment Program (FEP) of Moorestown Friends Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. Her daily lunch is prepared and paid for by Live Civilly volunteers.

Created in 1997, FEP provides full scholarships for financially disadvantaged, underserved school-age Moorestown children to attend day or residential summer camps, enroll in art classes or sports clinics, take private music lessons, or participate in other life-enhancing programs. FEP also maintains a Sunday afternoon school-year program of activities run by volunteers.

Since its creation, FEP has awarded scholarships to more than 300 children and spent more than $178,000 in scholarships, with many children awarded scholarships year after year.

FEP operates on a shoestring and has no overhead. Its sources of income are contributions from Quaker Meetings and other organizations, members of the Religious Society of Friends and the community at large, as well as proceeds from fundraisers. In any given year, FEP spends the bulk of the money it receives on summer camperships, setting aside money it needs to enroll children in school-year programs.

In 2012, 27 scholarship recipients attended summer camp for a total of 85 camp weeks. This summer, the numbers are up: 33 are enrolled in summer camps for a total of 123 camp weeks, with some children enrolled in more than one camp.

Moreover, five FEP children are enrolled in a Learn to Swim clinic offered by the Parks and Rec Department; one child is enrolled in a three-week robotics enrichment summer class at Moorestown Friends School; and one musically inclined 17-year-old is continuing her private voice lessons at Perkins Conservatory of Music.

Enrolment in an enrichment summer class is not every child’s choice. But for the 12-year-old who attends the robotics class, it’s an excellent choice.

“I enjoy it a lot,” she said. “It’s fun to build a robot and control it, so it does what you want it to do. If you don’t want it to crash, you program it so it won’t.”  

Her enrollment in the class is a gift from Moorestown Friends School.

Mindful that there is no camp or program that fits all, FEP strives to match each child with the best possible affordable option. The age and the maturity of the children, their interests, and their family circumstances are all factored in. The half-day Summer Parks Program is a good match for many children whose mothers are underemployed or unemployed. Conversely, the day camps at the YMCA, which offer extended care at no extra cost, are usually a much better choice for children whose mothers work long hours.