Kindergarten registration has begun throughout northern Arizona school districts for 2025 and for many four- and five-year olds, that means it’s time to get ready for KinderCamp!
The targeted intervention program, provided free to families, is a signature early education initiative coordinated by United Way of Northern Arizona with school districts in Flagstaff, Williams, and Pinetop-Lakeside, with classes debuting this year in Holbrook and Joseph City.
It is held during the month of June and facilitates successful transition for students going into kindergarten who have minimal preschool experience.
In KinderCamp, students learn much more than their letters and numbers. They also get familiar with being in a classroom setting, eating in a cafeteria, and working cooperatively with other students. The biggest transformation for these students, according to their parents and school administrators, is their increased self-assurance and excitement about starting school.
“The KinderCamp program has made a significant difference in preparing our incoming kindergarteners for the academic and social challenges ahead,” said Williams Elementary-Middle School Principal Jannette Bressler. “Thanks to your generosity, our students have had the opportunity to engage in enriching activities, build foundational skills, and gain confidence as they step into a new phase of their education.”
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 are eligible for free or reduced-priced meal programs at their school. Additional factors can also be considered for eligibility in the program, including whether the child has special needs.
UWNA and its partners are working to ensure that support for KinderCamp students doesn’t end when they walk into their kindergarten class later this year. A new program, KinderCamp & Beyond, will keep in touch with students throughout their academic careers and refer them to resources and other programs that can bolster their success in school.
Meanwhile, KinderCamp participants in Coconino County will be receive a “Teal Ticket” from Coconino Community College, allowing them to attend CCC for free upon graduating from high school, and a “Golden Ticket” from Northern Arizona University, which will allow KinderCamp participants who graduate from CCC to transfer and complete their bachelor’s degree at NAU with tuition fully covered.
