From One Decision to Ten Years of Growth: A Family’s Story with Fiver
Curated in partnership with Benjamin Ha ‘26
When Benjamin first came to Camp Fiver in 2016, it did not feel unfamiliar. He had grown up surrounded by Fivers, older siblings and cousins who had already begun their own journeys. At eight years old, stepping into Fiver was not stepping into something new. It was stepping into something that already felt like home.
Nearly ten years later, Benjamin is now a high school senior thinking about what comes next. He started with some family already in the program, but it was not long before he built connections of his own, friendships with other campers that have grown into brotherhood. Even during the uncertainty of COVID, when camp paused and Wi-Fiver replaced cabins and campfires, the connection endured.
“Fiver became my third home,” Benjamin shares. “It’s where I could be fully authentic. It shaped me into the person I see in the mirror today.”
For Benjamin, the lessons were not always grand gestures. Sometimes they were small and intentional, like learning how to give a proper handshake. A firm grip. Eye contact. First and last name. A pause. A smile. A detail practiced daily by the pool that now shows up in interviews, professional settings, and everyday life.
Fiver’s impact extended beyond character development. Through job training, Investment Camp, and support securing a competitive internship at BlackRock, Benjamin began translating camp values into career readiness. Today, as an Allianz Development Fellow working in Fiver’s office, he contributes to budgeting projects, social media, and operational work. He is no longer just a participant, but a leader within the organization that helped shape him.
But Benjamin’s story is also his family’s story.
His stepmother remembers the first time she heard about Camp Fiver through the Maura Clarke–Ita Ford Center. An overnight camp opportunity felt new and uncertain, but something about the values, the warmth of the staff, and the promise of growth made her say yes.
“I truly know this is a safe and nurturing place,” she reflects. “My children disconnect from technology and reconnect with real life through swimming, horseback riding, and hands-on activities. Most importantly, they learn to socialize with people from many different cultures, building empathy, confidence, and respect.”
Over time, Fiver became more than a camp for her children. It became part of the rhythm of their family life. Summers meant returning to a place they trusted. One son worked in the camp kitchen. Benjamin found his own path. Their youngest daughter joins programs whenever she can. What started as an opportunity for one child gradually became something the whole family felt connected to, a place that feels steady, familiar, and close to home.
For this family, Fiver is not simply something their children attend. It has become part of who they are and how they move through the world. As Benjamin prepares to complete his tenth and final year in the program, he reflects on what Fiver has given him. “Family, growth, and accountability. It’s something I carry with me in how I act, speak, and treat others.”
That may be the clearest measure of impact. When a program is no longer just a place you go, but a standard you live by. For Benjamin and his family, this is not an ending. It is the continuation of something that will remain with them long after camp.
