Change Summer

Change Summer offers a two-week overnight camp experience that follows a traditional summer camp program. Campers take part in intentional daily programming that includes a variety of engaging activities, challenges, adventures, and teamwork.

• Ages: 9–15 years old
• Schedule: Two-week overnight camp sessions

Change Summer partners with leading school organizations and school networks to provide this two-week overnight camp experience for students from under-resourced communities, including elementary and middle school students. The program offers an overnight camp experience for students entering grades 4 through 9. Its mission states that it aims to increase campers’ confidence, curiosity, independence, and responsibility, and that its ultimate goal is to support social and emotional skills to better prepare campers for high school, college, and beyond.

Change Summer was founded with the intention of providing the summer camp experience to children in the community who may otherwise not have the opportunity to attend. Its history includes the launch of Camp Uncommon in 2016, the creation of Change Summer in 2018, and an inaugural year in 2019 when Camp Uncommon served 1,000 campers. In 2021, Change Summer launched its second camp, AF Camp. In 2022, it launched its third camp, Camp KIPP DC, and its fourth camp, Camp Beyond, serving approximately 2,500 campers. In 2023, it launched its fifth camp, Camp Canopy, and served over 2,500 campers across all camps, and it also launched S’more Summer, a consulting initiative. In 2023, three of the eligible camps achieved American Camp Association (ACA) Accreditation.

Change Summer reports that campers build a tight-knit community in a safe, inclusive setting and live on a college campus through the use of university partner facilities. The organization states that campers demonstrate improvements in confidence, curiosity, independence, and responsibility, and that campers have better academic averages and annual attendance rates than non-campers, as compared to a control group of non-campers. It also reports that campers have higher SAT scores and better college matriculation averages than non-campers, as compared to a control group of non-campers.

Change Summer camps are led by diverse, competent, and conscious teams that promote inclusivity and create a safe, fun environment for campers. The leadership team includes Josh Phillips (Founder and CEO), Briana Michele Mitchell (Chief Advancement Officer, President of S’More Summer), Sunita Vazifdar (Managing Director), Destany Arnold (Head of Advancement and Director of Program Design), Mike Callahan (Director of Camp Uncommon and Director of Impact & Innovation), Ijeoma Duru (Director of Camp Canopy), TeErra Johnson (Head of Marketing & Communications), Ebony Joseph (Camp Director), Paige Moffett (Director of Operations), Lauren Pitcairn (Director of AF Camp), and Tony Wong (Director of Camp Ironwood). Through its S’more Summer consulting initiative, Change Summer works with leaders and teams to bring more equity, belonging, and the joy of summer to youth experiences.

Last updated July 28, 2026.