Shannon Heimer of Happy Hollow, Bay Area

Parents should select our camp this summer because...
Happy Hollow’s Camps provide unique experiences that take campers behind the scenes at the zoo and give them an up close look at the lives of animals both at the zoo and in the wild.

Kathy Heraghty of Destination Science, Bay Area

Parents should select our camp this summer because...
Destination Science is committed to building science confidence one camper at a time. Research indicates that science is essential for today’s kids (who need more science education and inspiration than schools currently offer). Studies have shown that future jobs will require more scientific knowledge and the best job opportunities after college will be in fields that deal with computer analysis, medicine and the environment (bit.ly/FutureScienceJobs). At Destination Science each weeklong topic includes 20 FUN hands-on science activities that go home finished, plus FUN games, FUN teachers and a special focus on character development.

Peter Cairns, Mad Science of Mt. Diablo

Parents should select our camp this summer because...
It's simple. At Mad Science, we spark imaginative learning. Our summer camps spark the imagination and curiosity of children by providing them with fun, interactive and educational programs that instill a clear understanding of what science is really about and how it affects their world. We provide both full and half day camps full of exciting experiments that children perform themselves. They'll think they're just having fun, you'll know they're learning. What a great combination; an opportunity for hands on fun all while your child is exposed to science concepts that will prepare them for the future.

Jennifer Gamurot, Youth Educator
Children???s Discovery Museum of San Jose

Parents should select our camp this summer because...
Summer of Service (SOS) participants gain new perspectives on themselves and others by joining our unique summer program at Children???s Discovery Museum. SOS creates community by offering youth the opportunity to make a difference and give back by volunteering at various community based organizations, as well as making lasting friendships. Our camp builds important assets for youth development and many of our participants are engaged with the program for multiple years. Youth feel a sense of empowerment and pride in their community when they join SOS.

Laurie Mathews
of Elan Esprit Pre school, Milpitas

Parents should select our camp this summer because...
Elan Esprit's summer program offers a parent piece of mind that their child is not only being well cared for, but also learning their basics while being introduced to new and different environements with field trips and onsite as well as off site Science activities. All the summer fun, while ensuring your childs newly learned skills are entact for the up and coming new school year.

Peggy Gibbs Cofounder,
Camp BizSmart, Bay Area

Parents should select our camp this summer because...
Camp BizSmart students have a passion for solving problems, designing new products, and changing the world. Successful graduates of this youth entrepreneurship program are ready to brainstorm how to bring the next iPhone to market, how Facebook continues to change social networking, and dream of starting up the next YouTube or Groupon. Your sons and daughters will be personally mentored and coached by successful entrepreneurs and executives from leading companies like Apple, Google, and Cisco. Offering a schedule that sets it apart from other business summer camps, the program is packed with incredible learning and growth opportunities.

Karen Puryear,
Director of Marketing Communications The YMCA

Parents should select our camp this summer because...
In Y camps, kids learn values and positive behaviors, practice healthy habits, and develop leadership skills to strengthen community. They explore unique talents and interests, helping them realize their potential. That makes for confident kids today and contrib uting, engaged adults tomorrow. Our accredited overnight, day, teen leadership and family camps are about discovery. Kids explore nature, gain independence, and form lasting friendships and memories. Families strengthen bonds through outdoor adventures. Of course, it's fun, too. We inspire kids in camps spanning from Morgan Hill to Redwood City. Find the Y nearest you and get your summer camp guide at ymcasv.org/summercamp.

Dina Weir,
Childcare Director at ClubSport Pleasanton

Parents should select our camp this summer because...
ClubSport has redefined child’s play by raising the bar for camps. Our lively and spacious facilities boast a wide range of activities for children from six-weeks to 12 years. Divided into two clubs—Club Kid for children six years and under, Kid Fit for six to twelve year-olds—Kids World ensures kids are safe, happy, and active. Staffed with caring and attentive childcare specialists, our center offers age appropriate activities including story time for younger kids and sports camps for older kids. ClubSport has been offering spring, summer and winter camps for more than 30 years in the Bay Area.

Jennifer Krull,
Co-owner and Director of Mathnasium of Almaden

Parents should select our camp this summer because...
During the summer, many students lose 2 to 2.5 months of math computational skills they learned during the school year.* At Mathnasium, summer programs are all about preventing summer learning loss and helping students prepare for what lies ahead. For some students, that means a solid review of previous material. Others benefit from previewing upcoming concepts. Most students will get some of both. We start with an assessment, which means each student is learning exactly what he or she needs to during the summer, without the added pressures of schoolwork. We believe that kids can not only learn math, but love math.
*Source: Washington Post; June 15, 2009

Sarah Shaffer, Founder and CEO,
Sarah’s Science & This Land is Your
Land Summer Day Camp

Parents should select our camp this summer because...
At Sarah’s Science and This Land is Your Land Summer Day Camp, we make learning science fun. Every day, we inspire kids to explore the exciting world of science and our award winning teachers have been doing just that for the past 25 years. Our summer camps are located in beautiful outdoor settings in San Ramon, Oakland, and Berkeley. In our programs, kids make and take home a fun science project each day (like a motorized helicopter, a remote controlled robot, a catapult, etc.) while exploring topics in fields such as physics, alternative energy, chemistry, and biology. To learn more, visit www.sarahscience.com

John Crump, Director Tech Academy of Silicon Valley

Parents should select our camp this summer because...
The Tech Academy of Silicon Valley was carefully designed to expand a student’s understanding of engineering and technology and support his or her continued participation in math and science. The program offers a unique opportunity to see how knowledge can be molded into real-world solutions.

One parent told us her son actually loved to wake up “early” to come to our course. TECH I and all of the advanced courses feature hands-on projects and collaborative problem solving, so that boys and girls have fun in “learning by doing.”