For many students, summer means a break from the classroom. But at Quest Kids Academy (QKA), learning continues long after the final bell rings. Throughout the summer, students spent their days exploring career paths, building friendships, developing life skills and tackling new experiences at Quest’s Career Camp and QKA’s Summer Camp.
Learning the Business
For students enrolled in Career Camp, summer offered an opportunity to explore career paths while building workplace readiness skills through role-playing activities and immersive workplace experiences. Many participants arrived with big dreams about their futures but little understanding of how to achieve their goals.
“After our learners see a potential worksite and job opportunities, they come back to the classroom armed with this knowledge,” says Frances Torres, Quest’s director of curriculum. “They not only enjoy the lessons more, but they also participate and acquire new material at a faster pace because they can make lesson-to-life connections.”
As part of the program, students visited workplaces such as Orlando International Airport, The Sharing Center and AKT Enterprises. For Sebastian, a longtime QKA student, the experience at AKT was particularly meaningful. During the tour, he learned about careers in sales, graphic design and screen printing. He also jumped at the opportunity to help pack customer orders.
As AKT employees explained the importance of quality control, Sebastian carefully inspected each item before packaging it for shipment. Afterward, Employment Specialist Erin Hennessy noticed a difference.
“Sebastian was excited and really lighting up about it,” Hennessy says. “I think he could really see himself doing that job in a way that he couldn’t see himself doing some of the other jobs he’d explored.”
New Friends, New Adventures
QKA’s Summer Camp took a different approach, focusing on social-emotional learning. Neighborhood walks, group activities, community outings and field trips provided students with opportunities to practice the social, communication and community-awareness skills needed to better understand themselves and navigate the world around them.
Daily visits to Quest’s Camp Thunderbird challenged campers to step outside their comfort zones. For some, it was their first time exploring a campground. For others, it was trying new activities or connecting with fellow individuals with developmental disabilities outside of their regular school environment.
“We really tried to build confidence in the kids by instilling a ‘you can do it’ spirit,” says Joshua Cross, QKA enrichment coordinator . “A lot of kids opened up and tried things they’ve never tried before.”
One standout example was a camper who joined their peers in enjoying a popsicle after years of consuming only liquids. This short burst of courage reflected the confidence many students gained throughout the summer as they embraced new experiences.
At Quest Kids Academy, summer isn’t just a break — it’s a chance to build on everything students learn throughout the year. As they prepare for the new school year, staff are confident that the skills, connections and real-world experiences gained throughout the summer will help students continue growing both inside and outside the classroom.
Applications for Quest Kids Academy are now open.
