How Camp Marist is Changing the Lives of GRMS Students, And Why Your Child Should Go, Too

Since Guadalupe Regional Middle School's (GRMS) opening 15 years ago, Camp Marist on Lake Ossipee in New Hampshire has been awarding 10 full scholarships to the school for students of low-income families.

"For some students it is a life-changing experience," said Michael Motyl, GRMS President, "At its most profound, it can open a child's eyes to how great and big and accessible the world is. More than a few set a goal of coming back to Boston or the Northeast or somewhere just as different for college. At its most basic, it teaches independence and grit. We know, positively, these are crucial lessons for students to break the cycle of poverty."

"Yes, there is definitely some crying at first," said Jennifer Rose, former teacher and camp chaperone. "It's usually their first time leaving home, then they get separated from each other and assigned to different cabins. After a few days, once they get lost in how fun the activities are and see how easy it is to make new friends, then they don't want to leave."

Under the ownership and leadership of the Marist Brothers of the Schools (a sponsoring religious congregation of GRMS and Saint Joseph Academy in Brownsville), Camp Marist has been in the service of children for over 60 years with a special blend of:

friendship
community
learning
character development
appreciation of the great outdoors

Camp Marist: "We understand that camp builds skills necessary to prepare kids to assume roles as successful adults. We understand, and research has proven, that camps contribute to growth in areas of leadership, self-esteem, independence, making friends, exploring and learning new activities, and growth in one’s spirituality.

Camp Marist is an international co-ed camp with campers and staff coming from different parts of the world. Children of all faiths between the ages of 6 and 15 can choose between a minimum of 2 weeks up to 7 weeks [check rates here >>].

"Honestly, we'd love to see Brownsville children other than GRMS students attend, also," said Motyl. "It's an investment from the family, but one we know pays off."

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