Rakad Dance Camp was amazing and I am so grateful that my daughter was able to get a scholarship and participate. It opened a whole new world for her of self love and self worth. Not to mention a new found joy for the Lord. I pray she gets to return for years to come.
I’ve been a supporter of rakad since I first met Leslie Oxford who is the creator of this wonderful opportunity for young girjs to learn the beauty of expression through dance, I appreciate the fact that this is a Biblically based opportunity for a girl to learning to appreciate her value in the world as a woman.
I started at Rakad as a camper with zero dance experience and graduated to a junior leader and I am now a leader, choreographing dances and helping small groups at camp learn. Everyone at Rakad is kind, loving and caring. They are understanding of people with unique abilities and willing to adjust their expectations/plans.
Rakad Dance Camp was such a bright spot in our summer! My daughters enjoyed learning new dances every day, while also hearing stories from the Bible of inspirational women, and different community service projects. My oldest daughter did many different dance camps throughout the summer and Rakad was her favorite. We are already looking forward to next summer’s camp.
My girls have participated in Rakad for several years now and they love it because it’s a chance for them to be themselves while learning dance. I love it because the entire staff and volunteers work so hard to foster an environment that is safe, caring and encouraging. The confidence and joy my girls develop every time is something I appreciate as well. I can’t speak highly enough about this program!
RAKAD is a family affair. It’s the thing we look forward to every summer. My nieces have grown up in this camp and one now serves as a junior leader. It is such an infusion of joy for the girls but also those serving them.
As a fervent supporter of RAKAD’s mission & a volunteer for many years of this special program, no other camp beats this one in the summer.
I’ve had the pleasure of serving the team and the children who come to RAKAD and see them fall in love with dance, make new friends and experience the love of Jesus.
Leslie and her team make it such a great experience and to see the girls dance, there’s never a dry eye on recital day.
The girls really connect to the service projects which are a part of serving the community. They have really big hearts and it’s clearly expressed in their dancing, their friendships and their response to the needs of others. It is a great program to grow up in.
I will always be a big fan of RAKAD & I know I’m not the only one
Rakad Dance Camp has been a program that was and is a foundational experience for my child. It gave them a sense of belonging and ways to learn about missions and worship through dance. But there’s so much more! Leslie helps build leadership skills, planning, and teamwork into the counselors. Everyone from Leslie and Virginia, the adult volunteers during the camps, and the girls who lead campers all pour into every girl so that they are loved and guided pointing them to Christ.
Our Rakad story started with me looking for a place for my daughter to go during a week of scouts planning. One of the other moms said “Just send her to Rakad!" "What's Rakad?" I said. I had never heard this funny word. Eight years later Rakad is still in our lives and it's because of the welcome we received from everyone there. My daughter has airborne anaphylactic nut allergies and Mama V was as vigilant about reading labels and transparent from day 1 about what food would be served and super flexible about changing plans to meet my daughter’s needs. Now my daughter is a leader and Rakad is a big part of our life. We look forward to Christmas, Easter, and Summer camp! Rakad has taught my daughter so much as a camper and even more as a leader!
Where do I start? I heard about RAKAD from my friend Destiny. My little Freya for as long as I can remember has loved to dance. We were blessed with a scholarship to RAKAD’s summer camp. She was the youngest camper to attend. Freya blossomed into a confident, daughter of God. Her excitement for the next dance to learn was beautiful. To this day, months later, she is still dancing to all the dances she learned. Beyond blessed and grateful for the opportunity RAKAD has given Freya. Creating memories & inspirations to last a lifetime.
Enrolling my daughter at Rakad Dance Camp this past summer was such a great idea! Rakad provided so many different activities and lessons that have made a huge impact on how my daughter interacts in her day to day life. I was totally amazed that in just one week, so many things go accomplished at camp. I cannot wait to see what the future hold for the growth of Rakad and the growth of my daughter!
Thank you Rakad Dance Camp!
Rakad Dance Camp is a camp just for girls aged 5 and olde, and it is an amazing experience! Not only did my girls learn how to dance, but they also gained valuable leadership skills and confidence. The sense of community at the camp was really friendly and supportive, and I was blown away by all the excellent services on offer. This nonprofit is so special! Rakad Dance Camp is a hidden gem in Jacksonville - it's definitely the best thing to do during the summer!