Woodland children entering kindergarten this fall who have not attended preschool are invited to apply for United Way California Capital Region’s KinderCamp school-readiness program this summer.

The four-week Woodland program will take place at Tafoya Elementary School from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from June 12 to July 11. For more information and to apply, visit https://www.yourlocalunitedway.org/our-work/youth-opportunity/kindercamp/.

“We know that kids who are prepared for kindergarten are more likely to succeed in school, yet the U.S. Department of Education says six out of 10 children across the country are not prepared for kindergarten,” stated Edward King, chief of programs, United Way California Capital Region. “Our KinderCamp program helps set children up for success in kindergarten, both academically and socially, and we are proud to have made a meaningful impact for our children in Woodland through this initiative.”

Last year, United Way held the program’s graduation ceremony, celebrating more than 25 incoming kindergarteners at Prairie Elementary School.

Aurelyn Garcia, a mother of one of the KinderCamp graduates in 2024, explained that she and her husband work a lot, and this program has been critical for them.

“This helps by providing childcare and a place to learn so we don’t have to take them to someone else to take care of him,” Garcia said in Spanish. “Instead, he comes here and he gets to learn a lot.”

Run in classrooms at elementary school sites in Woodland and West Sacramento each summer, KinderCamp gives students the chance to participate in a variety of learning opportunities focused on increasing skills in math, literacy, social interactions, problem-solving, and cause and effect.

Every day a child attends, the child returns home with a new book. Children also receive a healthy lunch, participate in a weekly Kids Farmer’s Market, and receive hygiene education. Each child then participates in a graduation ceremony. The program is a partnership between United Way, Washington Unified School District, Woodland Joint Unified School District and YMCA of Superior California, and has served nearly 1,000 children.

United Way California Capital Region has been a driving force across the region for more than 100 years, listening, responding and taking comprehensive action to meet local needs. From advancing youth opportunities and helping kids excel in school, to strengthening local communities and investing in families’ financial security and health, United Way mobilizes communities to build a future where everyone can reach their full potential and thrive.

Working across Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties, the local United Way also provides books and literacy tutoring, addresses housing and food security, leads the region’s largest tax preparation initiative, works with foster youth across school districts and leads the Community Schools initiative in West Sacramento. To make a donation: www.YourLocalUnitedWay.org.