WEDNESDAY | 02.03.2016 | EXPRESS | S5
summeradventures Planning now CONTINUED FROM PAGE S3
into making sure the kids know how to swim so they don’t become one of those adults that don’t know how to swim,” he said. Wright said other important factors included whether or not the camp allowed families to drop their children off early and pick them up late. “As working parents, we want to make sure it’s covering the day,” Wright said. “Those that have extended care are really key for this household. If it doesn’t have that, we don’t even look at it, quite honestly.” Then, of course, there’s price. Some programs — notably sleepover camps — can cost thousands of dollars per week. “You don’t want to be leaving an arm and a leg at the door,” Wright said, but he noted that the expense can be worth it, especially if his daughter is introduced to a new
circle of friends. For Shoney Ponda, the experience of summer camp provides his daughters with the opportunity to try new things. Visiting Cabin John Mall, Ponda noticed one program in particular that caught his attention: Steve and Kate’s Camp, a California-based outfit that combines a traditional camp experience with a techsavvy touch (see page 7). “I’m an entrepreneur and very attuned to business and marketing,” Ponda said. “So when I see something cool, I think I can recognize it. … It was unique.” Ponda said that he had chosen to visit the summer camp fair on a whim, hoping to explore the possibilities for his daughters, age 5 and 6. His ultimate decision to send his children to camp came amid the Snowzilla blizzard, when schools closed for several days. “The last four days has solidified that decision,” Ponda said, noting that his daughters have
“[At summer camp,] they get exposed to a lot of things that unfortunately I don’t have time to do with them.” SHONEY PONDA, explaining that the ideal camp for his daughters, ages 5 and 6, is one where they can spend a summer cultivating new experiences and broadening their perspectives.
“constant energy.” Ponda, a first-generation American born to Indian immigrant parents, said he wants his daughters to spend the summer cultivating new experiences. “[They need] that exposure to different activities,” Ponda said. At summer camp, “they get exposed to a lot of things that
unfortunately I don’t have time to do with them.” Ponda said that he spent many of his childhood summers visiting family in the metropolis of Mumbai (then Bombay) and Delhi. Traveling abroad and being immersed in different cultures broadened his perspective at a young age, Ponda said, and
he hopes summer camps in the Washington region can offer similar stimulation for his children. In the meantime, he wants to provide his daughters with a firsthand experience of their heritage, too. He’s already planning a trip to India in December. T. REES SHAPIRO (THE WASHINGTON POST); ILLUSTRATION BY DOLA SUN (FOR EXPRESS)
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