Camp iRock Summer Reading

When Nicholas found out Camp iRock was ending, he cried.

Not because the summer was over. Because he didn't want to leave Mr. Gray- his mentor, his teacher, the person who made him feel like reading was something he could do.

Nicholas had struggled with reading for years. He was the kind of kid who could easily slip through the cracks. Instead, he came to Camp iRock, Pickens County's summer reading program for struggling readers, where he raised his MAP score by 10 points and made a connection so meaningful that his family reached out to ask if Mr. Gray could attend his baptism the following Sunday.

He did.

That's what happens when a community decides every child deserves a chance.

In Pickens County, reading by 3rd grade isn't just an academic milestone, it's a turning point. Children who aren't reading proficiently by that age are four times less likely to graduate from high school on time. That's not a statistic. That's a future. United Way of Pickens County has set a bold goal: 70% of Pickens County 3rd graders reading at grade level by 2028. Camp iRock is how we get there.

And the proof is already here. When Camp iRock launched, no one knew exactly what the future held for those first campers. This year, we found out: 92% of Camp iRock's inaugural class of 3rd graders graduated from high school. Isaac Turner was one of them. He came to Camp iRock in 3rd grade without the reading skills or confidence to excel in school. He graduated from Daniel High School in 2024, scored the winning goal in the state soccer championship, and headed to college on a substantial scholarship. Isaac wants you to know how much your belief in him mattered.

A Summer Reading Program Pickens County Kids can Count On

Each spring, the School District of Pickens County identifies students who need a boost and invites their families to attend. In partnership with the School District of Pickens County and Clemson University's Call Me MiSTER program, we bring children together for an enriching summer camp environment, building reading skills, character, and connections that last well beyond summer.

Last summer, Camp iRock served 486 struggling readers across three sites in Pickens County. Every single one of them came because donors in this community made it possible.

There are more kids like Nicholas and Isaac waiting. Give today and help a child discover what they're capable of.