Camp Family Justice serves pediatric survivors of violence in Contra Costa County, California, providing them with an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors in a safe environment surrounded by support services, including a medical clinic. The camp provides the opportunity for children to decompress, learn resiliency skills and build a path forward. Children who applied this year, and attended last year, are now reporting that they worked diligently in school to earn the privilege of attending Camp Family Justice for a second year.

Also contributing to Camp Family Justice is Spencer Holmes, KM6SJO, a popular science teacher at Heritage High School in Brentwood and adviser for the school’s amateur radio club, W6HHS. 

A few weeks ago, Holmes brought a box full of radios to the camp. “The kids were excited,” said Holmes. “They had a lot of questions and two of campers took two GMRS radios and talked to each other for hours.” Holmes also set up a mini HF station. He was able to make contact with several stations and allowed the youth to talk, on a first-name basis, with other amateur radio operators. 

“Clearly, it was chaotic fun,” he added. “But it allowed them to enjoy a safe environment and a sense of community.” Holmes is one of the only teachers in the state to receive a national supporting grant from ARRL to facilitate radio communication education.

Some of the kids will be cycling through again this year to Camp Family Justice. Holmes thinks he might start talking about how to become an amateur radio operator and how he can make that happen. 

Holmes is known for his dedication to education and his long-standing commitment to the East County community. What makes this year at Camp Family Justice especially meaningful for Holmes is an unexpected reunion with Registered Nurse Adrianna Goyette. Goyette, it turns out, was once Holmes’s student at Heritage High School. Both are now giving back to the community, contributing their time and expertise to the camp’s violence prevention program. Their story reflects the strength of the East County community, the power of mentorship, the lasting impact of education and a tip of the hat to amateur radio.