Mariah Carey graces campers with her presence at Camp Mariah.
Credit: Getty Images
Give your child the star treatment this summer with a celebrity-endorsed camp. Whether your son or daughter wants to sing like Mariah Carey, dunk like Michael Jordan or jam out like The Jonas Brothers, there’s a place he or she can not only shine, but meet kids from around the country who share his or her interests. Check out our list of celebrity-based camps.
Camp Mariah
Fishkill, NY
www.freshair.org/career-awareness-program
This camp is named after superstar (and super diva) Mariah Carey because of her generous support for the program. But it doesn’t focus on belting your lungs out like the songstress. Also known as Career Awareness Camp, it focuses on adolescent’s motivation to excel in their professional lives to come. No word on if Ms. Carey will visit the camp this year, but we guess just the possibility of it happening will help the kids to excel, right?
The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp
Ashford, CT
www.holeinthewallgang.org
Late actor and do-gooder Paul Newman opened this camp back in 1988 for seriously ill children – and it’s completely free of charge. Twenty-six years later, around 120 children are still welcomed at the camp every year to enjoy themselves as fishermen, athletes, poets, photographers, singers or maybe even a Paul Newman impersonator. His legacy lives on.
Michael Jordan’s Flight School
Santa Barbara, CA
michaeljordanbasketballcamp.com
The name says it all. This is basketball player Michael Jordan’s camp for the dunking youth, for boys and girls ages 7-18. Michael Jordan will be in attendance four out of five camp days. And yes, there will be time for autographs (but only for the kids, not you dads).
Camp Felix Summer Camp
Putnam Valley, NY
thefelixorganization.org
Rapper Darryl ‘DMC’ McDaniels from Run-D.M.C. helped start this camp for children in the welfare system. The camp focuses on giving the children a carefree experience where they don’t have to think about the struggles of everyday life. As a former foster kid himself, DMC wanted to help kids in the foster care system who weren’t adopted into a loving family like he was. Our hearts are melting!
Summer Stars Camp
Northfield, MA
summerstars.org
Megastars like Britney Spears, 50 Cent and The Jonas Brothers have supported this camp for the performing arts. The camp is devoted to sending children from financially disadvantaged families to a fun summer camp where they can find their inner rock star (or maybe pop star or rapper) – all free of charge for the participating child and their family.
