When The Next Paige founder Elaina Paige was a little girl, she dreamt about becoming a professional dancer, dancing for Debbie Allen and opening her own studio.
All three of those dreams she accomplished through hard work and belief. Now as a business owner, nonprofit founder and mother, Paige’s driving passion as an adult is instilling hard work and belief into the children who come through The Next Paige Foundation creative camps.
“We practice dreaming big here at camp. We write down goals and affirmations: ’I am smart, confident, and brave. I am true to myself. I am important and unique. I will not dim my light.’ Those affirmations will take you far and help you believe in yourself because you are worthy,” Paige said.
In its fourth year, the Next Paige Foundation Creative Camps served 75 kids between the ages of kindergarten and sixth grade. It has doubled in size every year, growing from 10 kids in 2022. The camp teaches everything from life skills and confidence building to creative arts and professionalism.
“Our retention is 99%. Not only is it fun, but kids want to stay,” Paige said. “I am so excited to announce that this year we were fully funded with our operating budget for camp. A donor in The Baum Family Foundation saw the work that we were doing and got behind it. They gave us a $25,000 grant, the largest we have received for this program.”
At the end of camp, each child participates in a final performance, putting to practice the skills and mindsets they have developed over seven weeks. They work together to create a script, the music, their wardrobe and set that matches the theme. This year’s theme was “The Hero Within.”
“A lot of these kids start one way, and they blossom into the child that was deep within,” Paige said. “I believe this age group is the most vulnerable. They soak it up like sponges. We really are developing them for what’s next in their careers.”
Although not every camper wants to enter the talent industry, the ones who do have seen overwhelming success after. Paige recently celebrated that 11 campers were just booked for an international film with Lifetime.
“Not only are we building life skills, but we're teaching them techniques beyond the classroom. They can go to auditions and actually make a living doing what they love to do,” she said. “We want them to know that the possibilities are endless and you can be whatever you desire to be if you put in the hard work.”
Currently, 75 percent of campers receive a scholarship. Paige would love to see that number reach 100 percent next year. The total cost per camper for seven weeks is $1,050.
To learn more about the Next Paige Foundation and how you can get involved, visit nextpaigefoundation.org/creative-camp
We really are developing them for what’s next in their careers.