The Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department has announced a limited amount of free scholarships for summer camp. Registration for elementary and middle school summer camps will open on Monday, April 22nd but there is a deadline to enter the scholarship lottery. Applications for the free tuition to summer camp will be accepted until 5:00 pm on Thursday, April 18th. Winners will be announced and results will be posted on Friday, April 19th after 1:00 pm.
Gainesville offers summer camp for children entering 1st through 5th grade at four locations, Albert Ray Massey, Clarence R Kelly, Porters and Eastside Recreation Centers. For young adults entering 6th through 8th grade, Teen Life Camp will be held at TB McPherson Recreation Center. The cost of camp is $52.20 per week for city residents and $78.50 per week for non-city residents. The cost of camp includes meals, snacks, swimming lessons and all field trips. Scholarships for a 50% reduction are available any time for those who qualify based on the requirements of the City Scholarship Application. The Gainesville Arts and Parks Foundation will provide funding for free summer camp tuition at each site for those who qualify. Due to high demand and donation limits, there are a limited amount of spaces available for free tuition and in order to ensure equal distribution and fairness, those applications will be chosen by lottery. The non-resident fee is not subject to scholarship and certain guidelines apply.