| United Way of Northern Arizona’s signature program, KinderCamp™, is turning 20 this year and undergoing one of its biggest expansions yet.
This summer, our free camps are launching in Holbrook and Joseph City, joining existing sites in Flagstaff, Williams, and Pinetop-Lakeside.
Held in June, KinderCamp advances kindergarten readiness by preparing students with limited preschool experience transition successfully into kindergarten. |
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From the desk of:
Liz Archuleta
President & CEO
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| This vital foundational experience includes the instruction of early literacy skills such as: letters and sounds, numbers, classroom routines, cafeteria behavior, and how to work with others.
Students are still being accepted for KinderCamp programs. Click on the community below to fill out an interest form for your area:
We’re excited to welcome Holbrook and Joseph City to the KinderCamp family. |
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KinderCamp™ 2025: Offering Big Benefits to Little Learners in Holbrook and Joe City
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| For the first time, KinderCamp™ is coming to Holbrook and Joseph City this summer, offering a unique academic experience to young learners just weeks away from starting kindergarten.
In Holbrook, KinderCamp Coordinator Meagan Newton-Pender said the program will launch with one class.
“Holbrook is a rural town and many of our students are transported in from the surrounding areas,” she explained. “We’re still getting the word out, but we’re excited to get started.”
She said around half of Holbrook’s incoming kindergarteners have little to no school experience, which makes the first few weeks challenging. |
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| Holbrook teacher Peggy Reid, who will lead the KinderCamp class in Holbrook, will be assisted by coordinator Meagan Newton-Pender and paraeducator Pat Freeland. |
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| “In rural areas, some kids do not have access to preschool or structured early learning,” she explained. “KinderCamp helps bridge that gap, giving them a chance to get used to routines, classrooms, and learning expectations before kindergarten officially starts.”
It will also allow students to interact with peers before school starts, building those first school friendships, learning to share, and improving communication skills in a group setting. All of that will boost their confidence when they transition into kindergarten later this year.
In addition to classes, which will be held Monday-Thursday from 8 am to 1 pm, students will also have a few field trips, such as an excursion to the Petrified Forest for a dinosaur dig and planting flowers in a garden with the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension team. |
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| Kindergarten teacher Diedre Smith will lead the Joseph City KinderCamp assisted by coordinator Darolyn DeWitt. Fun fact: Darolyn, who has a 30+ year career as an educator in Joseph City, was Diedre’s teacher in junior high. |
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| In Joseph City, excitement is just as high. Preschool teacher Darolyn DeWitt is helping facilitate KinderCamp after learning about it through a visit from Kristen Strauss the Manager of Youth Programs and Education Initiatives at United Way of Northern Arizona.
“Even a few weeks of preschool experience makes a huge difference,” DeWitt said. “KinderCamp is critical for kids who haven’t had that, especially those with developmental delays or who struggle with transitions.”
The Joseph City program will run from May 27 through June 18 and will include a kindergarten teacher, Deidre Smith, supported by an assistant and DeWitt herself, who will help with assessments and provide one-on-one support. |
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| With a circus theme to keep things fun and engaging, the class will focus on early language and pre-literacy skills – like vertical lines and shapes – while also helping students develop school routines and confidence.
The Joseph City KinderCamp is also planning some field trips – including a visit to the Holbrook Library – plus fun in-school events like obstacle courses and dance parties.
“I’m just really excited for the boost it will give our kindergarteners,” said DeWitt. “It’s also great for the teacher-building relationships with some of the kids ahead of time that will make a big difference come fall.” |
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| Surveys of parents indicate that children’s KinderCamp experience improved their knowledge of letters and sounds of the alphabet, made them better able to socialize with other children, and increased their ability to communicate with adults.
KinderCamp is open to four- and five-year olds who have had a year or less of preschool and meet family income eligibility requirements. Additional factors can also be considered for eligibility in the program, including whether the child has special needs. |
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Although the program is provided free to families, the estimated cost per student is about $1500, which includes transportation, teacher and staff salaries, facility costs, teaching supplies, meals, and literacy kits given to every participating family so they can help their children continue to learn throughout the summer. We would greatly appreciate donations to support KinderCamp at this time, and it is as simple as 1-2-3, just click here!
KinderCamp would not be possible without YOUR support and the many partnerships that make this program possible, including the school districts in Flagstaff, Williams, Pinetop-Lakeside, Holbrook, and Joseph City.
In addition to individual donations, KinderCamp also benefits from the sponsorship of several organizations and businesses, including the NARBHA Institute; the City of Flagstaff; the Coconino County Board of Supervisors: the Purina Trust Fund; Arizona Public Service (APS); the Salt River Project (SRP); the PNC Foundation; Coconino Community College; BMO Bank; and Northern Arizona University. |
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UNITED WAY OF NORTHERN ARIZONA
1515 E. Cedar Ave. Suite D-1 Flagstaff, AZ 86004
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