Camp Invention's Fun, Action-Packed Summer STEM Program Coming to Bessey Creek Elementary School
Palm City, Fla. - May 21, 2025 —
Camp Invention®, a nationally recognized, nonprofit summer enrichment program, is coming to Bessey Creek Elementary School the week of June 16 - June 19, 2025.
A program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame
® in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Camp Invention challenges children in grades K-6 to tap into their natural curiosity and use their creativity to solve problems. Through hands-on activities, Camp Invention promotes STEM learning; builds confidence, leadership, perseverance and resourcefulness; and encourages entrepreneurship - all in a fun and engaging environment.
Each year, the program features a new curriculum inspired by some of our nation's most world-changing inventors - the National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees. This year's Discover program encourages children to be confident in their ideas and explore their innovativeness through hands-on activities including:
- In Control™: Campers take control of their innovation journey as they head out on the ultimate road trip. From assembling a custom control panel with a transmitter and receiver, to creating a prototype of their own artificial intelligence-inspired bobblehead assistant, they invent their way around every bump and twist in the road.
- Illusion Workshop™: Children discover the mesmerizing world of illusions, where things are not always as they appear. Through hands-on activities and experiments, they go behind the scenes of the tech tricks used in theme parks, animated films and theater. Using design and electrical engineering skills, campers build an animation device to bring drawings to life.
- Claw Arcade™: Campers use their creativity and engineering skills to construct a functional Claw Arcade out of cardboard. They explore physics in easy-to-reach ways as they make hands-on discoveries about the science behind claw machines.
- Penguin Launch™: Children embark on an eco-expedition to investigate penguins and the ice and snow of Antarctica. Along the way, they discover the fascinating connections between the technology and training used to explore Antarctica and outer space. From flippers and flingers to exploring high-wingers, children are sure to have a blast as they propel Pengy, a research assistant penguin, across the South Pole and beyond!
"My son recently attended Camp Invention, and it was an absolutely phenomenal experience for him," said the parent of a 2024 Camp Invention camper. "The camp's focus on creativity, problem solving and innovation truly sparked his curiosity and imagination."
All local Camp Invention programs are facilitated and taught by qualified educators who reside and teach in the community. Camp Invention serves 140,000 students every year and partners with more than 2,600 schools and districts across the nation. For more information or to register, visit invent.org/camp.
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Caption: In Control™: Campers take control of their innovation journey as they head out on the ultimate road trip.
Credit: Camp Invention
About Camp Invention:
Camp Invention is the only nationally recognized summer program focused on creativity, innovation, real-world problem solving and the spirit of invention. Through hands-on programming, Camp Invention encourages children entering kindergarten through sixth grade to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics curricula inspired by some of the world's greatest inventors. Since 1990, our education programs have served more than 3 million children, and 297,000 teachers and Leadership Interns. Regional program sponsors include the United States Patent and Trademark Office and Overdeck Family Foundation.
A LANDMARK 25 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
What a truly special moment this is—a moment to pause, reflect, and celebrate.
This month, we mark an extraordinary milestone: 25 years of Place of Hope.
Twenty-five years of faith in action. Twenty-five years of unwavering commitment. And twenty-five years of lives forever changed.
It is nothing short of remarkable to celebrate this landmark year with our original Founding CEO and Board Member, Charles Bender, still at the helm.
That kind of consistency, vision, and dedication is rare—and it has been the steady heartbeat of this mission since day one.
Alongside our CEO, we are blessed with an executive leadership team that brings over 100 years of combined leadership excellence to this work. Their wisdom, their passion, and their relentless pursuit of healing and justice have helped guide Place of Hope to where it stands today—ranked #1 in the Nation, stronger than ever, and still growing.
Since our doors opened in 2001, Place of Hope has been honored and humbled to serve over 200,000 children, youth, and families.
That number is powerful. But even more powerful are the stories behind it. Children once trapped in cycles of abuse or abandonment, now grown into confident, compassionate adults. Young mothers who found safety and support when they had nowhere else to go. Survivors of human trafficking who have rediscovered their voice, their worth, and their purpose.
Generations of lives have been changed—and generations to come will be changed—because of the work we have done together.
This is what happens when faithful leadership meets a community that cares deeply.
Today and for the remainder of this year, we celebrate not only what has been accomplished—but also what still lies ahead.
Because while our work is far from over, we know this to be true: Hope has staying power. Love leaves a legacy. And together, we will continue to fight for every child, every family, and every future.
Thank you—from the bottom of our hearts—for being a part of this story.
Here is to the next 25 years of impact, transformation, and unshakable hope.
God bless you, and God bless Place of Hope.
DONATE NOW
25 YEARS AND OVER 200,000 LIVES CHANGED
We are humbled and overjoyed to share that since opening our doors in 2001, we have been blessed to serve over 200,000 children, youth, and families in need in our community. 💙
From foster children and aged-out youth to single mothers and survivors of human trafficking—every life touched is a testament to the power of love, community, and unwavering faith.
As we celebrate our 25th year, we give thanks for every heart that has walked this journey with us. While we celebrate, we also know there is so much more work to be done.
Give a gift today to celebrate the over 200,000 lives that have been touched or in honor of the next 200,000 lives that need to be saved.
🎁 $25 can provide basic essentials for a child entering care tonight
🎁 $250 supports life-skills training and education opportunities
🎁 $2,500 helps fund trauma-informed counseling sessions and high-quality therapy
🎁 $250,000 can end the cycle of abuse for an entire generation by providing a safe and stable home for a single mom facing homelessness
DONATE NOW
CELEBRATE WITH US THESE BRIGHT FUTURES
This month we have 9 of our young adults doing what national statistics say they cannot: graduate! Five of the 9 are first generation graduates!
• 4 Graduating High School
• 1 Graduating with their Associate of Nursing
• 1 Graduating with their Associate of Dental Assisting
• 1 Graduating with their Associate of Hospitality Management/Tourism
• 1 Graduating with their Bachelor in Early Childhood Education
• 1 Graduating with their Bachelor in Neuroscience
Here are a few of our amazing graduates!
We are so proud of you! Ancy received her Associates of Nursing and was honored at a beautiful candlelight ceremony held at the Bailey Hall Central Campus for Broward College.
Ancy has been a shining star since first coming to our Place of Hope at the Leighan and David Rinker Campus a few years ago. We continue to highlight her hard work and perseverance to provide a safe, stable and thriving life for herself and her son.
She is a stellar representation of the incredible young adults we are serving with accountability and a hand-up approach.
From valedictorian of her graduating class in 2020 to homeowner, foster youth alum, and now a full-time team member at the prestigious FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute — Beatrice’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary!
Before even crossing the graduation stage with her Bachelor of Neuroscience, Beatrice interned at the new Brain Institute, where her performance and passion stood out so clearly that they offered her a full-time position right after graduation. Her knowledge of admissions and her strong work ethic made her an invaluable part of the team from day one.
Having spent several years in care at Place of Hope, Beatrice is an exceptional representation of the youth we are serving, and the generational cycles we are breaking.
After facing unimaginable challenges — losing her husband, her home, her car, and her job — Elvira and her son, Sebastian, shared one room together for seven long years. Like any loving mother, she carried the weight of believing she had failed… but what she truly did was never give up.
In early 2023, Elvira found Villages of Hope, and everything began to change.
She found not just safe, affordable housing, but a family — a community that wrapped around her with life-skills training, budgeting help, debt management support, and the encouragement to believe in herself again.
Today, we are thrilled to celebrate Elvira's graduation from Palm Beach State College with her Associate of Science in Hospitality Management and Tourism — a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, an Employee of the Month, and a shining example of what resilience and support can accomplish.
From growing up at Place of Hope to graduating with a Bachelor in Early Childhood Education from FAU, Ja’la’s story is one of passion, perseverance, and purpose.
After transitioning out of foster care and into our sister entity, Villages of Hope program, Ja’la balanced college coursework and a job she loves — working at an early education school, where her heart for children shines every day.
Ja'la proudly crossed the stage as a college graduate and successfully transitioned into her very own apartment — ready to step confidently into this next chapter of independence and impact.
We are so proud of the woman you have become — your dedication, your heart, and your resilience inspire us all. We know the children and families you serve are lucky to have you.
DONATE IN HONOR OF OUR GRADS
LEAVING A LEGACY OF LOVE
The Gary & Vivienne Player Foundation has long been a steadfast champion of children, youth, and families in crisis—and once again, they’ve shown their incredible heart.
We are overjoyed to announce that the GVP Foundation has made a generous gift to name the third of four affordable transitional housing triplexes on our KidSanctuary Campus. This newly named triplex will provide a safe, stable, and healing home for aged-out foster youth, homeless youth, and survivors of human trafficking—young people who are working hard to rebuild their lives and pursue their dreams.
For years, the GVP Foundation has walked alongside Place of Hope, believing in our mission and investing in brighter futures. Their compassion and commitment are leaving a true legacy of love—one that will uplift generations to come.
Thank you for continuing to pour into the lives of those who need it most.
MAY IS FOSTER PARENT APPRECIATION MONTH
This May, during Foster Parent Appreciation Month, we pause to say something simple, yet deeply heartfelt: 💗 Thank you.
Thank you for opening your heart and home to children in need.
Thank you for being a steady hand, a safe place, and a voice of comfort.
Thank you for your patience in the hard moments, and your joy in the healing ones.
Thank you for saying “yes”—even when it is not easy.
Here at Place of Hope, we see the difference you make every single day. We see the child who learns to trust again. The teen who starts to believe in their future. The motherless child who feels seen, cherished, and loved—maybe for the very first time.
It is because of you that hope has a name, a face, and a place to grow.
You are more than a foster parent. You are a lifeline. You are a hero. You are family.
On behalf of our entire team, and the thousands of lives your love has touched—thank you for being the heart of this mission. We are honored to walk beside you. 💗
DONATE IN HONOR OF A FOSTER PARENT
CONGRATULATIONS CHARLES BENDER -
ED TANCER COMMUNITY LEADER OF THE YEAR
"GOD'S CHILDREN. OUR FUTURE." CAMPAIGN
A message from Charles Bender
"Place of Hope's 'God's Children. Our Future.' Campaign is a bold and meaningful ten-year initiative that strengthens our mission in the present while securing our vision for generations to come."
I WANT TO JOIN THE CAMPAIGN
I WANT TO DONATE
I WANT TO LEARN MORE
FOCUS ON HOPE
This week we stopped in to say “thank you” to a few of our friends who are dedicated and committed to lifting up and protecting our communities most vulnerable.
Your support is the lifeline that makes our mission possible.
Because of YOU, children in foster care find safety, families in crisis find hope, the homeless find a home, and survivors of human trafficking find healing.
Over 200,000 children, youth and families have been blessed because of your generosity. Whether you have given your time, resources, prayers, or voice—you are part of every life changed.
We could not do this critical work without you. Thank you for being the hands and hearts behind hope.
UPCOMING EVENTS!
Join us for Place of Hope’s 12th Annual Hope Bash Boca – Everglades Ball on Saturday, November 8, 2025 at Boca West Country Club!
Inspired by the untamed beauty and resilience of Florida’s Everglades, this year’s theme reflects the strength and potential of the children and families we serve. Just like the Everglades, every life is worth protecting and preserving.
Sponsorships and underwriting opportunities are now available!
Secure your support early to ensure your name is featured on our mailed invitation!
📧 Contact Events Manager, Maya Elias at Bash@PlaceofHopeRinker.org.
Join us for Place of Hope's 3rd Annual Light in the Shadows Anti-Human Trafficking Luncheon chaired by Jill Gallagher & Jordan Brown.
For 25 years, we have stood in the darkness and stood in the gap to shine a light and to protect the most vulnerable among us—and this year, we invite you to stand with us.
Join us for a powerful gathering dedicated to raising awareness and critical support in the fight against human trafficking and child exploitation in our community.
Tuesday, December 9 at 10AM at Mar-a-Lago.
Sponsorships and table opportunities are available. Contact us at jamieb@placeofhope.com.
Please join us for our 2026 Sporting Clays Fun Shoot and "aim to change a child's life."
Get ready for a day of friendly competition, outdoor fun, and making a meaningful impact—all while supporting the children, youth, and families served by Place of Hope.
Friday, January 9, 2026 at Quail Creek Sporting Ranch, Okeechobee. Morning and afternoon flights will be available.
Sponsorships and team registration will open soon!
Pull for purpose. Aim for impact. Hope starts here. Email jamieb@placeofhope.com.
Join us for a spectacular evening as we celebrate 25 years of life-changing impact at Place of Hope! Our LEXUS Hope Bash 25- Year Jubilee "A Moment in Time."
This milestone event will be a powerful tribute to the generations of children, youth, and families we’ve had the honor to serve—and the faithful supporters like you who have made it all possible.
Friday, February 27, 2026 at 6PM at Mar-a-Lago.
Sponsorship opportunities are now available and will sell out quickly. Secure your table and partnership today to be part of this historic moment.
For sponsorships and early inquiries email jamieb@placeofhope.com.
This is more than a gala. It is a moment in time. A legacy in the making.
LOOKING FOR A CAREER WITH PURPOSE?
We Are Hiring Heroes. 💗
Become a Cottage (Foster) Parent with Place of Hope.
Every child deserves a safe place to sleep, someone to believe in them, and a home filled with love. At Place of Hope, we are seeking compassionate, committed individuals and families to step into one of the most meaningful roles imaginable—becoming a foster parent.
If you have ever felt called to make a difference—this is your moment.
Become a cottage parent and give a child the gift of family.
👉 Learn more at placeofhope.com/careers
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