GLG Esports & Gaming Summer Camp 2025 Report
What Campers Experienced at the 2025 GLG Esports & Gaming Summer Camp
This summer, campers ages 8–16 joined Great Lakes Gaming for a week-long video game and esports summer camp in Rochester, NY. From 9 AM to 4 PM, campers explored the basics of coding, designed their own video games, competed in friendly tournaments, and even learned professional video editing and broadcasting skills while making friends with like-minded kids.
Far more than “just playing games,” campers built teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills, all while having fun. As one camper put it:
“I thought we were going to just be playing video games all day. This is like school, but fun.”
2025 Great Lakes Gaming, Gaming and Esports Summer Camp Report
Activities at GLG Summer Camp
🎮 Coding & Game Design:
Campers created their own platformer games from scratch, coding characters, enemies, obstacles, and levels that parents played on the final day.
🎥 Video Editing & Broadcasting:
Campers recorded 20-minute videos, edited them into polished 2-minute clips, and even acted as esports commentators for their peers’ matches.
🤝 Community & Friendships:
Teamwork was built into every lesson, teaching campers how to regulate emotions in high-stress moments and make lasting friendships.
🎤 Public Speaking & Confidence:
On the final day, each camper presented a 10-slide reflection on what they learned. With Burger King crowns on their heads, they built confidence while showing parents their progress.
Thank You to Our Partners and Families
Great Lakes Guardians (Parents & Guardians): Thank you for your support, daily drop-offs and pick-ups, and for attending final presentations. You make these experiences possible.
Acorn Exchange: Provided lunches with multiple choices, plus snacks, cookies, and drinks, nearly 700 meals this summer!
Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection, The Hive, and Rochester R-Centers: Thank you for trusting us to deliver impactful youth programs.
Rochester Area Community Foundation: Your support fully covered camp tuition for 90 youth in need, ensuring access to these unique opportunities.
Carrols Corporation & Burger King: Donated 200 crowns and combo meals to campers who completed final presentations.
Guest Speakers: Special thanks to Sharon Napier & Julia Sibley (Partners & Napier), Second Avenue Learning/ZSpace game designers, and Dennis McCory (RIT Magic Spell Studios).
And the BIGGEST thanks goes to the GLG staff team, whose dedication, energy, and creativity made this camp an incredible success.
Parent Testimonials
“My middle schooler LOVED his summer camp experience at Great Lakes Gaming! He is already asking when he can return.” – Ms. S.
“My son woke up early every day, excited to go. Every night he told us what he learned and everything he did that day.” – Ms. P.
“The GLG Summer Camp was an excellent experience for my 8-year-old daughter. The staff, curriculum, and environment were amazing.” – Mr. D.
Camp Growth in 2025
Last year: 6 weeks, 80 campers
This year:
9 weeks, 140 campers at the GLG Lounge, plus:
2 weeks, 20 campers in our BuildIT program
40 campers at Jackson R-Center
That’s a total of 200 campers in 2025, nearly double last year’s attendance!
Most campers were ages 8–12, many experiencing computer-based gaming for the first time. Over 100 new faces joined us this year, while 20 returning campers and a dozen multi-week campers showed us how impactful and fun this program truly is.
GLG Summer Camp growth and statistics compared to last year
Fun Statistics from 2025
700 lunches provided by Acorn Exchange
315 hours of camp curriculum delivered
151 crowns and meals distributed, thanks to Burger King & Carrols Corporation
24 school districts represented (from Rochester to as far as Syracuse and Upstate NY)
10 dedicated GLG staff supporting operations all summer
Media Coverage
The 2025 gaming and esports camp had some incredible news coverage this year thanks to our supportive PR gentlemen, Neal Gorman who guided us through the process and organized the events!
First day of the 2025 gaming and esports camp
Channel 8 / Rochester First - Great Lakes Gaming supports youth interest in e-sports and game design with summer camp
Channel 10 - Great Lakes Gaming kicks off summer camp series for kids to explore esports and more
Last day of the 2025 summer camp season!
Channel 8 / Rochester First - Kids debut skills from Great Lakes Gaming camp
Channel 10 - ‘It’s a really cool way’: Kids celebrate end of gaming camp by showcasing games they built
Channel 13 - Local youth debut original projects at Great Lakes Gaming's summer camp
Thank You for Making Summer 2025 Great!
The GLG Esports & Gaming Summer Camp in Rochester, NY continues to grow and inspire the next generation of gamers, creators, and leaders. We can’t wait to welcome even more campers in 2026 or even see you between now and then at our AFTER SCHOOL CLASSES!
