Summer camp at UTD amplifies homeless kids’ ambitions

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http://www.dallasnews.com/news/local-news/20110608-summer-camp-at-utd-amplifies-homeless-kids-ambitions.ece

After five 6-year-olds entered the classroom, a sixth, left behind, collapsed on the floor in tears.

“You can take algebra tomorrow,” she was promised by Miss Kit Kat.

Miss Kit Kat, also known as Kelly Wierzbinski, is the camp director of Kids’ University (KU), a four-day summer camp at the University of Texas at Dallas for Collin County and Dallas County homeless children ages 4 to 15.

A total of 240 children will attend the camp in two sessions, one this week and the next at the end of June. The camp at the Richardson campus, which is meant to inspire and push homeless students toward higher education and good decisions, has continued to grow at a rate of about 20 children a year for the past few years.

“The first goal is to build confidence, enthusiasm and interest in young children so that they can grow up with the idea that they can come to the university,” said George W. Fair, the dean of interdisciplinary studies at UTD. Fair helped to create the camp 16 years ago.

Another goal of the program is to improve campers’ attitudes about learning.

“These children change schools three to six times per year. School is not a positive experience for them,” said Tiffany Beaudine, director of resource development at Rainbow Days, the nonprofit that organizes KU. “It’s nice to give them a positive school experience where they can accomplish something.”

In 2009, the National Center on Family Homelessness ranked Texas as the worst state for its number of homeless children, 337,000, and 49{+t}{+h} for its percentage of children who are homeless, about 5 percent.