ESF Becomes Friends Select’s New Summer Camp Partner

Friends Select School is embarking on a new partnership with ESF Camps & Experiences this summer.

ESF will bring to Friends Select a premier collection of camps featuring over 60 fun-filled enrichment and character-building activities for students of all ages. This venture promises a summer of diverse and cutting-edge programming open to students across the Philadelphia area. 

Founded in 1982 at the Haverford School, ESF is renowned for providing award-winning summer experiences. With safety, quality, and character development as their top priorities, the organization prides itself on maintaining the lowest staff-to-camper ratio in the region, led by rigorously trained teachers and experienced graduate and undergraduate students who are passionate about working with children. “We’re very fortunate to have full-time staff meticulously planning for our nine weeks of summer programming,” said ESF Executive Director and co-founder Michael Rouse at an information session for Friends Select families. “For us, it is truly a year-round mission to provide children with an experience they’ll remember for a lifetime.”​

ESF programs are tailored to meet the well-rounded interests of Friends Select students ranging in age from 3 to 15. Options include Day Camp, hands-on technology experiences, a multi-sport camp for novice-to-experienced athletes, specialty camps (Major Camp) that explore a variety of subjects (including technology, science, visual and performing arts, and more), and the prestigious Penn Medicine Pre-College Summer Program for upper school students. Friends Select will also continue to offer the academically-driven City Lab and City Academy extensions of its Summer Enrichment program.

As the new summer camp partner, ESF shares access to their existing collaboration with Philadelphia’s top sports teams including the Phillies and 76ers. These partnerships offer campers unique experiences, introducing them to various fields and interests, and providing an opportunity for hands-on exploration beyond traditional summer camp offerings.

A standout ESF program is their Dream Camp, an initiative designed to offer students from underserved communities innovative programming with a holistic approach, regardless of financial circumstances. “ESF’s Dream Camp is what initially caught my heart and attention,” said Friends Select’s head of school Michael Gary. “It was a similar program in New Haven, Connecticut, that gave me an opportunity. If I were a student living in Philadelphia, I would want to be part of this.” 
The vision of Dream Camp is to break the cycle of generational poverty by supporting students in creating their own successful pathways and empowering them to become future leaders and contributors to their communities. Since the organization’s founding, Dream Camp has provided over 9,000 scholarships to students in need for their summer camp, as well as their after-school academy offered at other ESF sites.

With their commitment to quality and a mission aligned with that of Friends Select, ESF Camps & Experiences will provide innovative programming for students to grow their talents and explore their interests. “We work at top independent private schools, and I have been extremely impressed 
with the Friends Select mission, and the faculty and administration,” said Michael Rouse. “We are very grateful for this opportunity and looking forward to providing award-winning programs to Friends Select school in the summer of 2024 and beyond.” 

Learn more about ESF at Friends Select here.