Charlotte Observer Feature: Charlotte's Impact Camp supports 1000+ boys in 10 years
Image Source: Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez mrodriguez@charlotteobserver.com
The junior varsity group of boys, ages 8-10 years old, listen as Capt. Brian Cunningham talks about the importance of school during Impact Camp at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte on Monday, July 21, 2025. Impact Camp offers 300 spots for a week-long free camp based in teaching young boys the importance of education, entrepreneurship, enlistment, employment and that there are many different positive paths in their lives.
Source: The Charlotte Observer
Coverage: July 22, 2025
For a decade, Impact Camp has worked to create opportunities for young boys in Charlotte through mentorship, education, career exposure and athletics.
The Charlotte Observer documented that growth as Impact Camp celebrated its 10th year. What began in 2015 as a self-funded program serving approximately 25 young people at a local church had grown to serve more than 1,000 boys over its first decade.
The 2025 camp received more than 800 applications for 300 available spaces, demonstrating both the program's growth and the continued demand for accessible youth programming in Charlotte. Founder Shawn Kennedy told the Observer that approximately 70% of participants return each summer, while some young people who age out of the program return as volunteers and mentors.
Impact Camp combines sports with exposure to education, employment, entrepreneurship and enlistment, giving participants multiple ways to envision their lives after school.
For Kennedy, the milestone represents more than the growth of a summer program. It demonstrates what sustained investment in young people can accomplish and why expanding access to mentorship and opportunity remains an important part of community development.
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