College intern Emma Laborsky once built popsicle-stick bridges at Kids Science Camp. This summer, she came back — not as a camper, but as a volunteer helping spark that same curiosity in a new generation.
When I was a kid, Kids Science Camp was the highlight of my summer.
I still remember building bridges from popsicle sticks, making slime, sketching the city I imagined one day living in, and discovering that science wasn’t just something you read about in school. It was something you could build, test and experience for yourself.
At the time, I didn’t realize I was also getting a glimpse into what The Heritage Group was all about.
I simply knew that every experiment, every challenge and every volunteer made me excited to come back the next day.
This summer, I did.
Not as a camper, but as a volunteer.
Standing in front of a room full of curious kids, helping them imagine, design, build and create, I realized I was standing exactly where volunteers had once stood for me. The same encouragement they gave me years ago was now mine to pass along to someone else.
That felt incredibly meaningful.
Kids Science Camp has grown tremendously since I first attended. What began in a single classroom has become a week-long experience that brings together more than 60 campers from families across The Heritage Group’s businesses, and from several states, to explore science through hands-on discovery.
Watching that growth reminded me that some investments aren’t measured in months or even years.
They’re measured in generations.
One moment especially stayed with me.
After campers learned about rocks and minerals, they headed into a miniature quarry where they operated remote-controlled construction equipment and worked together to move material through the course. They weren’t just learning how a quarry works, they were discovering how science, engineering and teamwork come together to solve real problems.
As I watched their excitement, one parent shared something I’ll never forget.
“My child came home and said, ‘Mom, I want to work there when I grow up. What should I be doing now so I can?’”
That’s the power of experiences like this.
They don’t just teach science.
They spark curiosity.
They help young people imagine possibilities they may never have considered before.
Looking around the room, I couldn’t help but wonder how many future engineers, scientists, environmental professionals, innovators or even communicators were discovering something about themselves that week.
Years ago, Kids Science Camp gave me a place to ask questions, make things and think creatively. Those experiences helped shape who I am today.
Now I had the opportunity to help create those same moments for someone else.
The Heritage Group often talks about investing in people. We see it in our employees, our communities and our families. Kids Science Camp is one of the clearest examples of what that looks like.
Sometimes the return on that investment isn’t immediate.
Sometimes it takes years.
Sometimes it looks like a former camper returning to help inspire the next generation.
And somewhere in this year’s group of campers, there may be another child who will one day come back and do the very same thing.
