Galileo Learning, an award-winning summer day camp provider, is making its high-caliber programs accessible to all youth, with a focus on ensuring equity in education. Given that students from a racial/ethnic minority group or low-income family are sixteen times less likely to be ready for credit-bearing STEM coursework in college, the availability of creative curricula in science, technology, engineering, the arts and math for all students is increasingly important. With that in mind, Galileo, a leader in the K-8 education space, has announced that it is committed to offering up to 20,000 scholarships through its Innovation for All financial assistance program this year, totaling more than $6 million.
The financial assistance program has been a staple in Galileo’s business model since its founding in 2002, and over the last two decades, the program has represented a company commitment valued at more than $10.25 million. The Oakland-based company is doubling down on this effort in 2020, taking the annual number of specially-priced camp spots from a steady 7-10% to 22%.
Galileo offers financial assistance in the form of full or partial scholarships to qualified families and encourages all with the need to apply. Families are also encouraged to apply and enroll as soon as possible, as camp slots tend to fill quickly.
A new addition to need-based scholarships is a program for military, government, school faculty and staff, and nonprofit employees, who are now eligible for a 25% discount off summer camp rates.
“When we created Galileo, we wanted to design a business model that enabled us to serve thousands of lower-income campers—without depending on foundations or fundraising—and we’re proud to have done just that,” said Glen Tripp, Galileo Founder and CEO. “This year, more than 22 percent of our campers will receive support. We believe all kids should have access to high-quality summer programming, and we’re committed to nurturing this program in the years to come.”
Summer camp offerings include Camp Galileo for children in pre-K to 5th grade and Galileo Summer Quest for teens and tweens between 5th and 8th grade. Galileo also offers a Counselor in Training track which gives teens valuable leadership training and mentorship opportunities for 7th to 10th graders at all locations.