Headfirst Summer Camps at St. Albans Campus

★★★★★Christine Brown

Our 5 year old daughter has LOVED her week at Headfirst (Multi-Sport, St. Albans). I'm writing this review because I had some concerns after reading other comments - but I think for most children Headfirst would probably be a great experience. I cannot, of course, comment on how Headfirst is as an employer. We are visiting DC from out of town and were all anxious before her first day, but the week at camp has exceeded our expectations. Other kids have been great and every interaction we've had with the counselors/coaches has been very positive. Our daughter has looked forward to camp every morning and informed me last night that she didn't want to go home because she "didn't want to leave" her camp. It's definitely a bigger camp, so that is a consideration if your child would benefit from a lower staff:child ratio. The counselors are on the younger side, but for us - this was a plus because the energy was high and infectious.

★Juanita Beltran

my daughter is at the Wisconsin Ave NW location as a counselar this summer and can say that two days in I am not impressed. I understand thier immediate instructions when handling a distruptive child was to not tell them No and the child could not be touched. So the child in her class was on in another childs face hitting them and taking the other childs food. My daughter place the other well behaved children in her co workers room while she dealt with the child having to chase him down. She got him and he hit her and scratched her up. MInd you the current insturctions was they can not tell the child no, no accountability no real structure or disciplinary action in place. She was late helping me with my underlying health issues and my being a 3x cancer survivor there are days I struggle I can proudly admit that but I give praise to my lord who is not done with me, I called to discuss my concerns with the school putting her in that situation when taking care of 3 year olds is a serious job that my daughter does not take lightly. When the camp charges the prices they do I expect everything to be in place and ready to go day of anything else is unacceptable. The conversations that were had was that she needs to be on time and communicate effectively when going to be late. Which we have messages that she did all. other topic of discussion is that each person must bring thier own lunch to work they cannot order food to the school as that is not permitted. I understand there is a room to eat lunch and in that hour break that they have it takes 30 to order something take to said room and have a quick lunch. I am not sure what others do but in my lunch break I am allowed to do with that time as I wish as long as I am back to work thereafter. The sad part was my daughter believes the parents were never informed the child was disruptive or acted up or placed in a room by himself until the end of the day. All we are looking for was accountablity and actual structure and rules in place to handle these matters. Not being able to tell an unruly 3 year old no is not the start in resolving these matters. I am that mom that when I gave the look it was shut down. Proud to say I raised my kid to know when her mama means business and she knows that look means check the behavior before mama checks it. My duaghter loves kids and she is so good with them and it is frustrating to her when she has to work within the instructions given knowing they make no sense or will not do the child any good other than rewarding bad behavior.