From Early Childhood Education and the JCare after school program to Camp J and beyond, the Tucson J offers so much more than the average childcare center—it’s a place where kids grow, families connect, and community is built. For busy families balancing childcare, work, school, and everything in between, having a trusted, enriching environment that fosters lifelong learning can make all the difference.  

For the Contentos, and so many others like them, what began as a search for childcare turned into something much bigger. From their earliest days in the Early Childhood Education program, to summers spent at Camp J, the J has become a home away from home for their family—and a place where they found the values, diversity, and sense of belonging they were looking for.   

Victoria and Brad Contento initially joined the J for the Early Childhood Education (ECE) program for their then 11-month-old son, Lorenzo. “I had heard a lot of good things about the ECE here at the J from coworkers and friends. We came for a tour and checked it out, and decided we wanted to come here,” said Victoria.  

That first visit quickly affirmed that they had found the right place.  

“From the very beginning, when we were touring the ECE, it was made very clear that our children would be exposed to multiple languages, multiple people, multiple religions, and that was something they made an emphasis to show us and to make sure we would fit in and be part of the community,” said Brad. 

“ECE has exposed our children to phenomenal instructors and a great curriculum to prepare them for kindergarten and beyond,” added Victoria. 

As their kids’ involvement at the J grew, so did its role in their daily lives.  

“The Tucson J gives us a third space to be at—a place to work out, a place to have fun with the kids, not just for daycare and preschool, but also swimming lessons and birthday parties. It’s a big part of our lives at this point,” said Brad. 

The family found friends, made memories, and today, Lorenzo is eight years old, spending his summers at Camp J, while the littlest member of the family, Arlette, is a thriving ECE student, and Victoria is back at work part-time.  

Victoria and Brad say that, like any transition, moving from ECE to Camp J had its challenges, but “it was a lot easier being familiar with the staff and the facility than it would have been otherwise.” Camp J makes the switch from preschool to summer camp seamless, with a designated group for rising kindergartners, called Noar. This age group relies on familiarity and routine, so each day, camp schedules follow a structured schedule that includes a rest period, splitting up the morning and afternoon activities, so that campers can truly ease their way into kindergarten and big-kid camp. 

“A big memory that stands out for me from Camp J was the first time that Lorenzo came home with a virtue card. A virtue card is a card that staff members give out to campers when they have displayed the virtue or the theme of the week that they’re trying to drive home at camp. That first day that he got that virtue card, he came running out, holding it in his hand, so excited.” said Victoria.  

That excitement was just the beginning for Lorenzo. By the end of the summer, it was clear how much camp meant to him and to his camp community.   

“I remember how emotional [the end of summer] was for the children and the counselors and how deeply they were all affected by it. And it just showed how much they liked being there and how important it was to them,” added Brad. 

While Camp J is filled with pool days, art projects, sports, cooking, and so much more, it is all of the moments in between the activities that set it apart: at Camp J, character is built, leadership skills are developed, and children grow into their most confident, kindest, and best selves. Every child deserves the opportunity to shine—this is why the J is committed to making Camp J accessible for all. Through scholarships provided by the Send a Kid to Camp campaign, our community comes together to ensure no child is turned away for lack of funds.  

Inspired by their own journey at the J, the Contentos are passionate about giving other families the same meaningful experience.  

“We would encourage people to invest in the Tucson J. We hear about the scholarships and opportunities that it can give to other families to come to camp or to be a part of the ECE. We want everyone to have that opportunity to come here,” said Victoria, as she looked at her family with a smile. 

From preschool to after school and summer camp to swim lessons, the J is proud to be a place where the Contento family—and every family—can grow, finding support, wellness, and community through every age and stage.