Adventures Today, Opportunities Tomorrow: Camp Mariah & The Career Awareness Program

Camp Mariah, the summer component of the Career Awareness Program (CAP), for students aged 12-15, blends outdoor adventures with year-round career exploration opportunities. Campers explore and enrich their interests in classes like film, photography, fashion, dance, culinary arts and robotics, and participate in special workshops focused on mock interviews and creating resumes.  Camp Mariah is named after board member and generous supporter Mariah Carey.

Campers are given a deeper understanding of how school connects to career opportunities through year-round programs that introduce them to a wide range of possibilities for their futures. Campers spend three and a half weeks at camp during the summer, along with two weekend trips throughout the school year, helping them stay engaged and connected year-round. 

Camp Mariah: Where Nature Meets Career Discovery 

Paula, 14, shared how Camp Mariah sparked new interests, with photography class opening her eyes to potential career paths and heightening her appreciation for the beauty of nature. “My favorite thing about camp is how you get introduced to new hobbies, new experiences and get to meet new people,” she said.  

“In photography class, you’re able to be outdoors and show how nature is beautiful through taking photos. While doing photography, it showed me what I’m interested in doing for my future. One of the careers that really stood out to me was forensic photography. Camp Mariah showed me that, wow, there are so many other careers that I had no idea were even possible.” 

Luis, 14, thrived in culinary class, where he tried his hand at making pizza, salsa, and rice krispy treats—learning a variety of new cooking techniques for the very first time. 

“I live in Queens. Being at Camp Mariah, I’ve seen how beautiful nature can be. At home, we have the city that never sleeps which is so different than camp. Here, even just looking at the lake, it gives you a feeling you wouldn’t experience in the city. I really like how we are able to be outside more and enjoy nature. We do so many different activities that you wouldn’t really have the chance to do in the city like archery.” 

Ezekiel, 12, dreams of pursuing a fashion career. In fashion class, Ezekiel learned how to use sewing machines and create patterns.  

“My favorite class is fashion! Just setting up the machine is so fun to me. Today, I made a monster out of thread and cloth. In the past, we were learning different stitch patterns and how the machine works, so today I was excited to finally do something with the skills we learned! Today was my first time making something from sewing. I never did this before I came to camp.” 

Camp Mariah offers more than career classes—campers participate in a wide range of activities like overnight hikes, archery, ropes courses, swimming and more. Each experience is designed to challenge them, spark curiosity and inspire excitement about what’s possible for their futures.   

“My favorite thing about camp is dance! You get to try new things, new styles, and new dances you’ve never done before. You’re also around new people that you’ve never danced with,” said Kimora, 15.  Kimora expressed her creativity through fun dance choreography and, unexpectedly, discovered a potential future career while learning how to swim. 

“Before I came here, I had no idea what I wanted to do in the future. After learning how to swim, I now want to work for the coast guard. I like being around the water and helping people.” 

Beyond Camp: Unlocking Opportunities All Year Long 

When the summer ends, students continue learning and growing. The Career Awareness Program’s school year opportunities include a career fair, job shadowing and one-on-one tutoring. Through job shadowing visits to workplaces, students get a firsthand look at many different career paths. With so many ways to explore their passions and future careers, the opportunities are truly endless! 

Each spring, the annual career fair brings together professionals to lead workshops, giving CAP students a valuable opportunity to gain insights, ask questions and envision a clear path toward their future careers. 

Students at this year’s career fair got to participate in experiential, hands-on workshops with fashion designers, engineers, music producers and more.  From exploring the fast-paced role of a physician’s assistant in a busy hospital to discovering how Con Edison engineers keep the city powered, every workshop offered a spark of inspiration for what’s possible.  

Magalay, 13, said: “The biggest lesson I learned from The Career Awareness Program is that I can accomplish many things if I just put my mind to it.” 

Learn more about Camp Mariah and the Career Awareness Program! 

Watch a video about Camp Mariah!