July 12, 2025
Spelman and Morehouse alums, Reagan Fresnel and Brian Wright, are introducing students to higher-ed through “Camp HBCYouth.”
HBCU alums are giving Atlanta campers an early taste of college life at an HBCU-led summer camp, Capital B Atlanta reported.
Camp HBCYouth was designed to spark interest in historically Black colleges and enhance academic skills. The program offers affordable access and “camperships” for underserved families, said Reagan Fresnel, founder and Spelman alum.
Fresnel recalled attending a summer program at Morgan State and wanting to bring that experience home. Along with Morehouse alum Brian Wright, that is exactly what she did.
“Only 5% of Black children attend summer camp, so we are carving out space for our students,” Fresnel said to Capital B Atlanta.
She described the camp as a pipeline into HBCUs. HBCYouth strives to instill college values like legacy, community, and excellence in students early in life. To that end, the camp currently serves elementary school students.
Camp counselors are current HBCU students or graduates. At a July 3 field day held at Morehouse’s football stadium, campers took part in tug-of-war, water games, and football training led by NFL cornerback A.J. Terrell Jr. of the Falcons, sponsored by his foundation.
At the West End Spelman campus on July 9, elementary-aged girls painted a mural under the guidance of HBCU students. The camp integrates STEAM, Black history, wellness, sports, and academic enrichment aimed at preventing summer learning loss. Campers received lessons in budgeting, literacy, and tennis lessons licensed through a partnership with the USTA. Each site serves 60 to 70 children, and organizers say nearly 1,000 students have participated since the program began.
Lauren Reed, Camp HBCYouth’s director of marketing, said that hiring HBCU students provides younger campers with mentors who look like them and reflect college success.
“We want them to see people they can look up to,” she said. Spelman senior Skylar Sanford, working as a counselor, said she saw her role as mentorship and sharing joy.
Supported in part by Walmart and Amazon Access, Camp HBCYouth also offers meals to combat food insecurity and maintains a tuition of around $250 per week. Fresnel said the founders are exploring expansion to all HBCUs, extending programming from elementary to high school age to build a sustained pathway into college.
Founded in 2021 by Spelman alums Fresnel and Wright, Camp HBCYouth offers a seven-week day camp on four HBCU campuses—Spelman, Morehouse, Tennessee State, and Clark Atlanta.
Atlanta’s robust HBCU presence—driven by the Atlanta University Center, the nation’s largest HBCU consortium—provides a rich cultural backdrop for this initiative . Camp HBCYouth aims to reinforce that legacy and ensure Black youth have early exposure to environments that reflect their potential and aspirations.
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