Beyoncé’s BeyGOOD Awards $25,000 to Camp Introducing Young Children to HBCU Life

Beyoncé’s BeyGOOD Foundation is investing $25,000 in Camp HBCYouth, an education program that introduces elementary-school children to historically Black colleges and universities long before they reach college-application age. The award was announced this week, with the camp and the foundation describing the support as a way to broaden access to early college experiences.

The grant will help Camp HBCYouth welcome more children onto HBCU campuses, employ additional college students and keep its summer programming affordable for families, according to statements shared by the organization and reported by AFROTECH on October 27. It is a targeted investment in a program that combines summer enrichment with Black cultural history and mentorship.

Camp HBCYouth was launched in 2021 by Spelman College graduate Reagan Fresnel and Morehouse College alumnus Brian Wright. Its seven-week program serves children in kindergarten through fifth grade. Organizers say approximately 2,000 children have participated since the program began, a cumulative figure rather than a count of this year’s enrollment.

Instead of treating college as a distant conversation reserved for teenagers, the camp places younger children in an academic environment and invites them to picture themselves there. The curriculum combines reading and literacy with science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics, as well as critical thinking, problem-solving, music, sports and wellness.

Children also learn about Black pioneers and traditions associated with HBCUs. Exposure to campus facilities and mentorship from college students and alumni is designed to make higher education more familiar, especially for families whose children might not otherwise spend time on a college campus.

Fresnel, who graduated from Spelman in 2018, has described her own HBCU experience as central to the camp’s mission. The program is intended to create a welcoming, culturally grounded introduction to academic life while also providing work opportunities for current students.

In publicly reported remarks thanking Beyoncé, Tina Knowles and BeyGOOD, Fresnel said the funding would help the camp bring more children onto HBCU campuses, hire more HBCU students and keep participation within reach of families who need affordable options. The organization has not announced a detailed line-item budget for the $25,000 award.

According to AFROTECH, Camp HBCYouth has worked with institutions including Spelman College, Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University, Tennessee State University and Morgan State University. The organization has also discussed expansion to Texas Southern University in Houston. Those institutional connections describe the camp’s educational network, not a claim that every campus is hosting a session at the same time.

BeyGOOD has a broader record of supporting education, scholarships, entrepreneurship and community initiatives. This particular grant focuses on children who are years away from making college decisions, highlighting the idea that a sense of belonging in higher education can begin in elementary school.

The amount is modest compared with major university endowments, but its intended uses are concrete: reducing access barriers for families, paying student mentors and giving more young people firsthand exposure to historically Black institutions. The actual number of additional campers or jobs supported has not yet been publicly established.

The announcement arrives as families and educators continue to weigh the cost of summer enrichment programs and the value of culturally relevant learning. Camp HBCYouth offers one approach, pairing practical academic activities with a setting that celebrates the history and contributions of HBCUs.

Early-bird enrollment for a coming camp session was listed for November 9 in reporting published this week. Families interested in participating should confirm dates, eligibility, locations and fees directly with Camp HBCYouth, since program details can change.

The $25,000 award was reported by AFROTECH, TheGrio and Baller Alert and is supported by publicly described statements from BeyGOOD and Camp HBCYouth. No claim is being made that Beyoncé personally attended the camp or a grant presentation.

Photo credit: Broadmoor / Wikimedia Commons, Spelman College campus, photographed March 2019, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0. This archival campus photograph does not show Camp HBCYouth activities or the 2026 grant announcement. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ . Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SpelmanCampus.jpg . No alterations were made.