//PICTURED ABOVE: Campers who attended last year’s Summer at Hockaday Programs enjoy snow cones on Graduation Terrace. This year, parents will have to find other activities for their kids.

The Summer at Hockaday Programs from June 1 to July 3 have been canceled. On Monday, May 11, Summer at Hockaday began canceling registrations within their system and issuing refunds due to COVID-19. 

For the classes scheduled from July 5 to July 24, Melissa Curtis, Director of Auxiliary Programs, said the staff is monitoring the effects of COVID-19 and will act according to the guidelines set forth by officials. 

“My top priority is providing our families with timely and clear communications, continued contact throughout the coming months and meeting the needs of the families we serve,” Curtis said. 

Curtis said a survey of the families currently enrolled in Summer at Hockaday 2020 returned an overwhelming response that parents are not interested in virtual camps this summer. However, Curtis said the staff will consider virtual classes as additional camp options for future summers.

“We are saddened we will not see our campers and students for five weeks of our program this summer as it is truly the highlight of our summer each year,” Curtis said.

The cancellation of Summer at Hockaday also affected Upper School students who were planning on working as camp counselors. Last summer, junior Claire Tate worked as a bike camp counselor and helped out with the cooking camps and aftercare, where she took care of the children until their parents could pick them up. 

“I was planning on working there this summer and was super excited about getting back to work,” Tate said. “I was excited to not only spend time with all my co-workers again, but also to see all the awesome kids that I work with every week in such a fun environment.”

Junior Caitlin Katz also worked at Summer at Hockaday as a counselor for Creative Arts and Sciences Camp. 

“I’ve become really close with other counselors from different schools, and I was looking forward to being with them again,” Katz said. “We are just waiting to hear if we will have camp at all in July, and if not, I’m not quite sure what I will do.” 

Having just found out about the news, Tate has been looking into different job opportunities that could occupy her summer. 

“This includes things like babysitting or restaurant work but it really depends on what’s to come with the current situation,” Tate said.

Story by Kelsey Chen, Jade Editor

Photos provided by Melissa Curtis