Wayfinders

Our MISSION is to ignite students' potential by expanding their confidence, connections, and horizons. This is not a one-time deal.

We achieve this through summer camp experiences, year-round enrichment programs, and mentor relationships for self-motivated, underserved students. Wayfinders makes a commitment to send selected students to high-quality residential camps for at least five years. In grades 4-6, scholars attend a two- or three-week overnight camp in the North Carolina mountains, allowing them to experience the natur

al world and a new environment outside the city. In grades 7-9, scholars attend one-to-three weeks at an overnight college camp or nature camp. In grades 10-12, scholars participate in job shadowing experiences, internships, or work as camp counselors/counselors in training at overnight camps. Wayfinders is involved in the selection process and works directly with teachers and school personnel to select students for our program who are showing strong academic effort, leadership potential, and good citizenship. All of our scholars come from low-income families who would not be able to afford an opportunity such as this for their children. Our organization builds a personal relationship with each scholar and their family and stays involved with them through one-on-one mentoring and year-round enrichment activities.

06/05/2026

A huge thank you to GreerWalker LLP for awarding us a $25,000 grant to support our Mentoring Program! 🌟 This investment will help build meaningful, long-lasting connections between our mentors and our scholars.

We are also so grateful to have joined your Volunteer Day, where your team created snack packs for our summer programming and wrote thoughtful camp letters for our scholars. These acts of kindness may seem small, but they truly make a world of difference. From helping our scholars feel encouraged before camp to supporting them throughout the summer, every detail matters.

Thank you for your generosity, time, and commitment to our community. We are so grateful for your partnership and the many ways you continue to show up for our scholars! 💚💙

06/03/2026

This year, we were proud to introduce a special $1,000 scholarship award at our Senior Scholar Banquet—created to recognize a graduating senior who truly embodies what it means to be a Wayfinders Scholar.

This award honors a scholar who embraces new opportunities, actively participates in enrichment experiences, demonstrates leadership, and consistently seeks ways to give back to both the Wayfinders community and the world around them.

We are thrilled to announce that this year’s recipient is Karlina! 💚💙

Throughout her time with Wayfinders, Karlina has approached every opportunity with curiosity, determination, and a willingness to grow. She has engaged fully in our programs, built meaningful relationships, and served as a positive example for her peers. Most importantly, she has shown a genuine commitment to uplifting others and making a difference in her community.

Karlina, we are incredibly proud of all you have accomplished and cannot wait to see what you achieve next. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition and on an exciting future ahead! 🎓

06/02/2026

🎓️ An evening of celebration, reflection, and excitement for what lies ahead.

On Thursday night, we had the privilege of honoring our graduating Senior Scholars at our annual Senior Scholar Banquet! Surrounded by family, mentors, staff, and supporters, we celebrated the hard work, resilience, growth, and accomplishments that have brought these scholars to this milestone moment.

🙌 A special thank you to Kara and Karlina, our mentor and mentee reflection speakers, for sharing their journeys and reflections, and to Quindon, a Wayfinders alumni, for offering encouragement and wisdom as our graduates prepare for their next chapter.

One of the highlights of the evening was presenting each graduating scholar with a brand-new laptop, made possible through the generous support of Promenade of Charlotte. 💻️ As our scholars begin new journeys in higher education and the workforce, these laptops will serve as valuable tools to help them pursue their goals and continue building bright futures.

To the Class of 2026: We are incredibly proud of all you have accomplished and cannot wait to see where your paths lead next. No matter where life takes you, you will always be part of the Wayfinders family. 💚💙

Congratulations, Senior Scholars!

05/28/2026

We are incredibly grateful to Healthy Charlotte Alliance for awarding Wayfinders a $35,000 grant to support our Year-Round Enrichment programming and send scholars to Mountain Camp! 🏕️

Creating meaningful, exciting, and transformative experiences for our scholars is at the heart of everything we do. These opportunities support not only personal growth and connection, but also the overall health and well-being of our scholars by encouraging time outdoors, building confidence, strengthening relationships, and creating spaces where they can truly thrive. 💪

We are so grateful for partners like Healthy Charlotte Alliance who believe in our scholars and invest in their journeys. 💚💙

05/27/2026

🌟 We are incredibly grateful to Promenade of Charlotte for their generous $10,000 grant in support of our scholars! 🌟

This funding will provide new swim shoes for all Scholars going to mountain camp, hiking boots for expedition-style camps, and an exciting surprise gift for all graduating seniors as they prepare for their next chapter. Stay tuned to hear more after our Senior Scholar Banquet on May 28th! At Wayfinders, we strive to create the most equitable experience possible across our programming, and support like this helps make that vision a reality.

Thank you, Promenade of Charlotte, for investing in our scholars, their experiences, and their futures. 💚💙

05/21/2026

💫 When Karlina entered the Wayfinders program in 2018, she was a bright young student with tremendous promise. Now, after eight years of mentorship and support, she’s preparing to graduate high school on time and continue her journey at Central Piedmont Community College to study Marketing. 👩‍🎓

100% of Wayfinders scholars say their mentor cares about their future, and Karlina is no exception. She shared, “I definitely feel supported by Kara. She makes me feel seen and understood! She is my biggest advocate and I couldn’t ask for a better mentor.”
Mentorship is proven to support academic engagement and persistence. In 2025, 100% of Wayfinders scholars graduated high school on time, and we are preparing for our next class of seniors to graduate this month. 🙌

Karlina’s story is a reminder that when young people are supported, encouraged, and poured into consistently, futures that once seemed out of reach suddenly become possible. 💚💙

05/20/2026

💚 Mental Health Awareness Month 💙

At Wayfinders, we know that support, connection, and community can make a lasting impact. Whether it’s building friendships at camp, connecting with their mentor, trying something new, or simply feeling seen and encouraged — these moments matter.

This month, we’re sharing a few reminders with our scholars and community:
✨ I don’t have to have everything figured out.
✨ Asking for help is a strength.
✨ I deserve spaces where I feel safe and supported.
✨ Rest is productive too.
✨ I can be proud of how far you’ve come.

We are grateful to help create experiences and relationships that encourage growth, joy, confidence, and belonging.

05/19/2026

🌟 Board Member Spotlight: Marc McCollum🌟

This month, we’re proud to spotlight Marc, who has been a valued member of the Wayfinders Board since 2023. Marc brings incredible insight into how we can continue to grow as an organization and expand our visibility throughout Charlotte and beyond. His leadership, perspective, and support have made a lasting impact on our community.

💬 Reflecting on his journey at Wayfinders, he shares: "Serving as a Wayfinders board member allows me to set the strategic direction and help the organization at scale, but the real impact comes from mentoring my scholar Edrian. It's been fun and rewarding to see how much he has grown over the 3 years we've been hanging out. What a treat!"

Thank you, Marc, for your leadership, mentorship, and dedication to helping our scholars and community thrive. 💚💙

05/14/2026

A beautiful day spent exploring a beautiful place 🏕️✨

Our Program Team recently visited Camp Harrison, one of our incredible mountain camp partners. While some of our team members had visited before, for others it was their first time experiencing Camp Harrison in person — and seeing it through fresh eyes made the visit even more special.

We’ve heard so many amazing stories and memories from our scholars over the years, but being on site gave us an even deeper understanding of the experiences that make camp so meaningful. These visits are such a special opportunity to strengthen relationships with the camps that play an important role in our scholars’ summers while also helping us better connect to what our scholars experience each year.

We’re so excited for our Camp Harrison scholars to make memories there this summer. 💚💙

05/12/2026

Nothing says “camp season is almost here” like Family Day at Camp Grier! 🏕️☀️

This special day gave our newest scholars and their families the chance to experience a little bit of camp magic before summer begins—exploring camp, trying activities, and building excitement for all that’s ahead. Watching families connect with the camp experience (and each other!) made the day even more meaningful.

Thank you, , for helping our families feel so welcomed and ready for an unforgettable summer. 💚💙

Address

809 Westmere Avenue, C190
Charlotte, NC
28208

Website

https://linktr.ee/wayfindersnc?fbclid=PAAaaopMtTH77Q9wNVvHlC6soY6Xoc52SbQc91f0FTkGMiIWAuKbfGL-7EIoE_aem_AR8pJDpKyIMC7JWa

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