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More Laughing Arts & Media Camp draws local praise; city provided $15,000 sponsorship, organizer seeks further support
Summary
Allison Moore reported success of the More Laughing Arts & Media summer camp, which served 25 youth (18 from Hampton), logged over 100 hours of instruction and staged a public showcase; she thanked council for a $15,000 city sponsorship and said she will seek additional private and budget support to expand programming.
Allison Moore, founder of Moore Laughing Arts and Media, updated Hampton City Council on the pilot More Laughing Arts & Media summer camp and asked for continued support as she seeks to expand programming.
Moore said the council provided a $15,000 sponsorship that enabled the three‑week pilot, which trained 18 Hampton students and seven participants from outside the city in journalism, performing arts, media production, STEM and leadership. She said campers logged more than 100 hours of instruction, interviewed civic and business leaders including Mayor Gray and Vice Mayor Brown, produced original media content, hosted community events that brought families to local businesses and drew more than 100 community members to a public showcase.
Supporters who spoke during public comment described the camp as confidence‑building and career‑oriented for elementary and middle‑school students. Speakers included Amanda and Andy Ludwig, WSKY TV general manager Kathy Evac, parent Yola Lewis Dance, student Sarai Vance and educator Shonda Dawson, who emphasized social‑emotional learning, public speaking and media‑literacy benefits.
Moore said the fall program will expand into weekend clinics serving 50–75 Hampton families and that tuition will cover only a fraction of a proposed $40,000 program budget; she said she seeks $25,000 in private and other support to close the gap and hopes to pursue inclusion in the 2026 city budget for a $120,000 flagship summer program that aims to create a regional performing‑arts and media incubator. City Manager Mary Bunting and other staff commended the program; Bunting said staff will explore grant and in‑kind partnership opportunities and connect Moore with Hampton City Schools facilities and academy programs.
