LAKE WYLIE, S.C. -- A community partnership is allowing some Charlotte students to go to a week-long camp.

What You Need To Know

  • Some Charlotte students are doing remote learning at an overnight camp in South Carolina for a week.

  • The camp is free for attendees thanks to a community partnership. 

  • Students participate in camp activities once they finish their school day. 

Some Myers Park High School students are attending YMCA Camp Thunderbird in South Carolina for a week to do remote learning and other fun activities. Neville Williams, a junior at Myers Park, said before coming to the camp he didn’t have Wifi at home. He said remote learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging.

“I have been to Julia’s Cafe in Charlotte. I went to KFC, McDonalds. I’ve been to Wendy’s to do my homework,” Williams said. “It’s really hard to get the resources that we need and to get the help that we need to really be successful,” Williams said.

Williams, and other students, are going to Camp Thunderbird at no cost thanks to the YMCA Camp Thunderbird, Myers Park High School Foundation, Bragg Financial, and Duke Energy

“I feel like this was a blessing for me. I felt like this was an opening for me to do great,” Williams said.

Myers Park High School Foundation President George Climer said teachers recommended students who could benefit from attending camp.

“The goal of the camp is to assist this children with their remote learning is number one so teachers from Myers Park and volunteer parents like myself have come out here to make sure that they are staying on track and if they need assistance that we can offer it,” Climer said.

After students are done with remote learning, they participate in fun activities, including doing wall climbing, zip lining, and archery.

Myers Park Sophomore Gailyn Burnell said it has been fun.

“It has been a really good opportunity to get out of the house, spend some time with people you may or may not know and make friends if you don’t know them,” Burnell said.

Williams is grateful to have the chance to attend and meet friends. When he returns home, he is expecting to have Wifi.

“We’ve had so much fun. I’m just overwhelmed at how much people really care about our wellbeing,” Williams said.

The goal is to have 20 children attend the overnight camp each week. It runs for three more weeks.