Beyond the Scholarship: How Arete RISE Gave 50 Scholars a Summer to Remember

This summer, 50 Arete Scholars had the experience of a lifetime at summer camp.

They jumped off bridges into lakes, learned to ride horses for the first time, competed in Color Wars, practiced archery, zip-lined through treetops, and stood on the Saints' practice field at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center. They came home with sunburns, new friends, and something harder to measure - a little more confidence in who they are and who they can become.

For many of these families, it was the first time they had ever been able to say yes to summer camp.

"We have 8 kids and summer camp simply isn't in our budget," wrote Jason Sampler, whose three children attended Camp Kaleo in Warner Robins, Ga., this summer. "It's hard to say no when kids want to do things, and we often have to say no because of finances. So it is such a joy when we can say yes."

For Leo, a fifth grader and one of eight siblings, the week was a milestone he had never reached before. "My parents couldn't afford for me to go to Camp Kaleo," he wrote. "But because of your support, I was able to attend and I had a wonderful experience. It's the first time I've ever been able to go to camp."

These experiences are made possible through Arete RISE, the Arete's charitable giving initiative that extends the impact of the scholarship program beyond tuition and into the broader development of the whole child.

At Camp Westminster in Conyers, Ga., Abigail Agard canoed, kayaked, fished, zip-lined, and tried riflery for the first time. Her mother, Lafane Agard, was navigating one of the hardest summers of her life - her own mother's cancer diagnosis had replaced what should have been an active summer with long days spent coordinating treatment schedules. "Without this scholarship," she wrote, "my daughter would not have had the opportunity to enjoy such a meaningful, enriching, and memorable summer experience."

For Ella Coats and her grandmother Bonnie Spears, the journey to Camp Kateri in Iowa, La., was a six-hour round trip. When Ella came home, she brought back more than stories about horseback riding and campfire nights. "Your kindness and generosity truly changed her summer," Bonnie wrote to Arete's donors. Ella wrote her own letter. "Thank you for believing in kids like me. Your kindness gave me an opportunity that has made a real difference in my life, and I will always be thankful for it."

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The Gleason Life Skills Football Clinic, hosted at the Saints' Ochsner Sports Performance Center, brought Arete Scholars from across Louisiana together for an experience that went well beyond the game. Students worked one-on-one with coaches, learned new positions, and heard life lessons from Steve Gleason himself. For Seth Miller, a student at Holy Cross High School, the clinic led to something unexpected - an invitation to return as a junior coach. "Because of your generosity I was able to have a great weekend making friends and helping others," he wrote, "as well as receiving an invitation to return as a junior coach, which would not have been possible had I not been able to attend." His mother, Robin Albers, said hearing that her son represented what the clinic teaches made her heart swell.

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Arete RISE exists because donors and partners believe that a scholarship to a quality school is only the beginning. This summer's impact offers the clearest possible picture of what that investment looks like in practice. It looks like a grandmother driving six hours so her granddaughter can spend a week growing in her faith. It looks like a 10th grader leaving a football clinic with an invitation to come back as a coach. It looks like a family of 10 finally getting to say yes.

"Thank you for helping kids like me who work hard but can't afford extras like this," Seth wrote.

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That is what Arete RISE is for.

To support Arete Scholars and help make experiences like these possible for more families, visit aretescholars.org/donate.

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