Our Story
The story of Bright Minds
More than just a summer camp.
More than a childcare organization, Bright Minds Academy is a resource center for the community to learn, heal, love and create. It’s a special place. Here, the voices of children are centered, and they are met at their individual place of need.
In 2015, Toni Cook-Smith saw a need in Salisbury, NC that she was destined to meet.
Children without options for care, struggling with the constraints of the public school system, required a safe place to support their learning. Toni carved out a space in her home and registered seven children for the very first summer of camp. The children thrived. They returned to school in the fall, equipped with fresh and essential skills. Word spread like wildfire. Toni was working magic with children most in need, from families who could least afford it.
Bright Minds Academy was born.
They began to provide year-round small daycare services and added before and after school tutoring for Bright Minds families. Toni became an advocate in public schools for children who are overlooked or struggle to adapt to standard institutional processes.
Bright Minds built a reputation for meeting children at their exact point of need.
In 2017, they moved into the Mission House church building, allowing Toni to accept more students. The summer of 2022 supported fifty-two total children in attendance at summer camp. Bright Minds is at maximum capacity, and still has a waiting list for more children. Bright Minds is a pillar of stability, creating a ripple effect in an overlooked and under-funded community.
Limited resources have been stretched for Bright Minds.
Many of our students are from single parent households or homes that have extenuating needs. Toni often offers scholarships, but for Bright Minds to continue to thrive and meet the increasing demand of the community, it will need support.
Support Bright Minds
Bright Minds is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Our growth over the last eight years has exceeded the resources we have to serve our community.
In preparation for 2024 summer camp, our current fundraising goal of $50,000 is two-fold:
- Provide scholarships for 50% of our students
- Increase capacity to serve more families by increasing staff and securing a bus for field trips
Student Scholarships
Bright Minds Academy’s 2024 goal is to fund 25 scholarships for summer camp.
Staff Salary
Bright Minds will need $12,600 in funding to support staff salaries in 2024.
Help us nurture bright minds and strengthen our community through your generous contribution!