Every April, parents around the metroplex start to stress about how to entertain their children during the long summer months. While there are countless camps caregivers can choose from, a local Plano camp stands out. JumpStart for Arts offers multiple free camps each summer, helping campers build confidence, self-expression, and gain exposure to the arts. Since its inception in 2003, over 5,000 campers have joined—including Jerry Gonzalez.
Jerry was six years old the first time his mom signed him up. His parents, both immigrants from Mexico, enjoyed the arts and wanted Jerry to develop a similar love. After his first week of camp, it became his favorite part of every summer. “Some kids are like, ‘I can’t wait to play video games this summer!' And I couldn’t wait for camp. I came back every year, and I only loved it more. It was really special to me.”
Even though he grew too old to be a camper, Jerry wasn’t ready to say goodbye to JumpStart. “It’s kind of crazy to think that I went from a camper to junior counselor to counselor to lead counselor to teacher. It makes me really happy because I'm able to be the influence now. I'm able to share the love that I have for these art forms with all of the campers.”
Jerry's love for the arts continues to grow. He’s currently taking dance classes, something his mother is especially proud of since she encouraged him to learn Latin dancing from a young age. He spends most of his time studying though; he’s working on a degree in neuroscience from UTD. If you want to see Jerry this summer, you just have to visit JumpStart for Arts's weekly Friday performance. “That's when a lot of parents come. You can see all the kids and what they've been working on.”
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