Free Animation Summer Camp for Florida Families: How to Use Step Up for Students at Elite Animation Academy in 2026
Step Up for Students scholarships cover educational summer camps. Most Florida parents don't realize their FES-UA, FTC, FES-EO, or New Worlds Reading award can pay for every week of EAA's June 1 – August 7 program. Here's exactly how it works — and how to enroll in time.
Registered Step Up for Students Provider · FES-UA · FES-EO · FTC · New Worlds Reading
Time-sensitive: April 30 priority deadline for Step Up renewals
If you're a returning Step Up family, submit your renewal by April 30 to maintain priority funding. Camps start June 1 — earlier enrollment locks the weeks you want.
Elite Animation Academy is a registered Step Up for Students provider. Eligible Florida families can use FES-UA (averaging ~$10,000/year), FTC, FES-EO, or New Worlds Reading scholarship funds to cover summer camp tuition — including all 10 weeks at $500 each. Camps run June 1–August 7, 2026, ages 8–17 in-studio, all ages online. Below: who qualifies, how to apply, exact costs covered, and the camp subjects available each week.
What Step Up for Students actually covers
Most Florida parents who hold a Step Up for Students scholarship use it for tuition during the school year and stop there. That's leaving real money on the table. Florida's scholarship programs explicitly include educational summer camps and supplemental enrichment programs as approved expenses — provided the camp meets specific criteria around educational benefit and provider eligibility.[1]
Elite Animation Academy meets those criteria. We are a registered Step Up for Students provider for FES-UA, FES-EO, FTC, and New Worlds Reading scholarships. Eligible families have used these scholarships to cover summer camp tuition, year-round courses, and supplies for as long as we've offered programs.
For a typical Florida family on FES-UA — the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities — the average award is around $10,000 per student per year, deposited quarterly into an Education Savings Account (ESA).[2] That's enough to cover all 10 weeks of EAA summer camp at $500/week ($5,000) and still leave half the award for the school year.
The point isn't that summer camp is "extra." It's that structured, instructor-led creative training over the summer is one of the highest-leverage uses of scholarship funds you can make — especially for kids whose interests fall outside the typical academic curriculum.
The 4 scholarships EAA accepts
Each Florida scholarship has its own eligibility rules, award amount, and approved-use list. Here's the short version. If any of these match your family, our camps are coverable.
FES-UA
Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities. ESA-style flexible spending across tuition, therapies, supplies, technology, and supplemental programs.
FES-EO & FTC
Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options and the Florida Tax Credit. Income-eligible families can use remaining funds for approved supplemental services after tuition.
New Worlds Reading
For students reading below grade level. Funds purchased through MyScholarShop or EMA Marketplace, focused on programs that improve literacy or math skills.
Don't know which scholarship you'd qualify for? The 60-second eligibility check below will point you to the most likely match — or tell you that self-pay is your path, in which case the calculator will show you the actual cost.
The 2026 camp schedule — 10 weeks, 4 subjects each
Camps run Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM, June 1 through August 7, 2026. Every week, four different camp subjects run simultaneously, so siblings or friends can attend together but pursue different tracks. Pick one week, pick all ten — fully flexible.
Tuition: $500/week, all supplies included. No registration fees, no surprise add-ons. Step Up scholarship funds cover this directly when you select EAA as the provider in EMA, or via reimbursement after enrollment depending on your scholarship type.
What's typically offered (subjects rotate by week)
- Foundational Drawing — perspective, gesture, anatomy basics. The starting point for any kid new to art instruction.
- Character Design & Anime/Manga — silhouette, shape language, costume design, the Japanese-influenced style most kids are already drawn to.
- 2D Animation — the 12 principles, walk cycles, and short scene work in Adobe Animate. Disney-style, taught by people who shipped Disney films.
- 3D Animation & Game Design — Maya, Blender, Unity. Rigging, modeling, lighting. Ages 12+ recommended.
- Storyboarding & Sequential Art — visual storytelling, comics, the directors' track.
- Digital Art / Photoshop — professional digital workflows, photo manipulation, illustration techniques.
- Video Editing & VFX — Premiere Pro, After Effects, sound design fundamentals.
- Stop Motion — frame-by-frame photography, set building, the principles in physical form.
Specific weekly schedules are published on the Summer Camps page. For a deep comparison of EAA's camps vs. other Orlando programs (UCF CREATE, Full Sail Labs, etc.), our existing complete parent's guide to Summer 2026 camps covers the broader landscape.
For a family on FES-UA: 10 weeks of camp = $5,000 of tuition, fully covered by your scholarship, with $5,000+ still in the ESA for the school year.
Eligibility Quick-Check
Four quick questions will point you to the scholarship most likely to fit your family — or confirm that self-pay is your path. This is informational, not an official determination; only Step Up for Students can confirm eligibility, but this gets you to the right starting point fast.
Which scholarship path likely fits?
Honest answers get you the right answer.
1. Does your child have an IEP, 504 Plan, or a documented diagnosis (autism, ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, or other qualifying condition)?
2. Is your child in K-5 in Florida public school AND reading below grade level?
3. Is your household income at or below ~$90,000 for a family of four (300% of federal poverty)?
4. None of the above apply — but you're considering EAA for your kid?
Cost calculator — see your scholarship coverage
Drag the slider to set how many weeks of camp you want. The calculator shows total tuition, what your scholarship covers, and what (if anything) is left out-of-pocket.
How many weeks of camp?
$500 per week · all supplies included · 10 weeks available
All supplies included. For a typical FES-UA family with ~$10,000/year, this is fully covered with $8,500 still available for the school year.
How to apply — step by step
If you're already a Step Up family, skip to step 4. If you're new to the program, start at step 1.
1. Create an EMA account
EMA (Education Market Assistant) is the secure platform Step Up uses to manage every scholarship. Visit stepupforstudents.org, click Apply, and create a parent profile. You'll need a valid email address and basic family information.
2. Gather required documents
For most scholarships, you'll need:
- Proof of Florida residency (driver's license, lease, or utility bill)
- Proof of your child's age (birth certificate)
- For FES-UA: diagnosis documentation (IEP, 504 Plan, or licensed-professional letter)
- For income-based scholarships (FTC/FES-EO): recent tax return or pay stubs
3. Submit your application
Complete the online application carefully. Double-check all uploaded documents. Processing typically takes 2–4 weeks. Returning families should submit by April 30 to maintain priority funding for the next school year. New applicants have until November 15.[3]
4. Choose Elite Animation Academy as your provider
Once your scholarship is awarded and accepted, log into EMA and search for "Elite Animation Academy" as a provider. We're verified for FES-UA, FES-EO, FTC, and New Worlds Reading. Then either:
- Direct billing (FES-UA): Tell EAA your child's Award ID; we'll enroll them in EMA at the agreed tuition rate. Funds transfer directly — you pay nothing out of pocket.
- Reimbursement (some scholarship types): You pay tuition up front, then submit reimbursement through your SFO platform. Save all receipts; processing takes 2–4 weeks.
5. Pick your camp weeks
Visit our enrollment page or call 407-459-7959. Tell us which weeks you want and which subjects. We'll handle the EMA-side enrollment from there.
Want to talk through it? We've helped hundreds of families set this up. Call the studio — it's faster than figuring out the paperwork solo.
Camp Match Quiz — what subjects fit your kid
With 10 weeks and 4 subjects per week, the question isn't "is there a camp" — it's "which one fits this kid right now?" Four questions about your child's interests will recommend the camp track most likely to click.
Q1 of 4 — When your kid sketches in their notebook, what comes out most often?
Q2 of 4 — What grabs their attention most?
Q3 of 4 — How old is your camper?
Q4 of 4 — What's the goal of summer camp for them?
Foundational Drawing
The starting point for any kid new to art. Builds proportion, perspective, and gesture — the foundation that makes every other subject click.
Out-of-state? The Animation Vacation works too
Roughly 30% of our summer campers are visiting Florida for vacation. The 10am–3pm schedule is intentionally designed for families combining camp weeks with Disney, Universal, and Orlando attractions — drop off in the morning, pick up mid-afternoon, head to the parks in time for the 4pm crowd thinning.
Out-of-state families pay the standard $500/week (Step Up scholarships only apply to Florida residents). Our College Park studio is in a quiet residential neighborhood about 20 minutes from Disney and Universal — much less traffic and parking stress than the tourist-corridor venues.
Visiting families have come from Texas, New York, California, Georgia, Tennessee, and as far as Saint Augustine driving in for a single week. No prior experience required, no pre-camp paperwork beyond standard registration.
Meet the instructors
Animation taught by people who've shipped real films
Woody Woodman — animator on Mulan, Tarzan, and Brother Bear — walks through a character-design demonstration. The kind of working-professional feedback your kid will get every day at camp.
Beyond Woody, our instructor roster includes working professionals from Disney, Marvel, and adjacent studios — combined ~50+ years of industry experience. Small class sizes (typically under 10 students per camp) mean every kid gets personal critique, not just lectures from a curriculum binder.
Ready to enroll? Camps fill fast — pick your weeks now.
Step Up family or self-pay, in-studio or online — we'll match you with the right weeks and subjects. Most families decide in one phone call.
Frequently asked questions
How does Step Up payment actually work for camp tuition?
Two paths. FES-UA direct billing is simplest: you provide EAA with your child's Award ID, we enroll them in EMA, and Step Up transfers funds directly — you pay nothing out of pocket. Reimbursement is the alternate path: you pay tuition up front, save the receipt, and submit a reimbursement request through your SFO platform. Reimbursements typically process within 2–4 weeks.
My kid is a beginner. Are camps appropriate?
Yes — most of our campers are beginners. Foundational Drawing is the standard starting subject for kids new to structured art instruction; it builds the eye, the hand, and the discipline that make every other subject click. Older or more experienced campers go directly into Character Design, 2D Animation, or 3D tracks. We'll help you pick when you call.
Can siblings attend together?
Yes. With 4 different camp subjects running each week, siblings can attend the same week without being in the same camp — older sibling in 3D, younger sibling in Foundational Drawing, both in the building together. Same drop-off, same pickup, same lunch break. Multi-week and sibling discount inquiries: call us.
What about online camps?
Yes — we run online camps in parallel with in-studio for families who can't travel to Orlando or prefer remote. Live, instructor-led, same curriculum. No age cap on online camps (we've taught adults), and Step Up scholarships apply equally to in-studio and virtual provided the program is approved by your SFO.
Is my autistic kid a good fit?
Yes — we have served autistic students across all programs since founding, and our 501(c)(3) sister organization Digital Arts for Autism serves autistic adults 18+ with vocational training in the same Orlando building. For school-age kids on FES-UA, our regular camps work well; small class sizes (under 10) and structured curriculum tend to suit kids who do better with predictability than chaos. Tell us about your child's specific needs when you call — we'll set up a curriculum that fits.
What happens if I miss the April 30 priority deadline?
For Step Up renewals, missing April 30 doesn't disqualify you — but priority funding goes to on-time renewals. New applicants have until November 15 for the following school year, but funds are first-come/first-served, so earlier is better. If you're applying right now for the 2026 summer, our recommendation is to apply immediately and call EAA simultaneously — we can hold camp weeks for you while your application processes.
Sources & further reading
- Florida Choice Scholarships Provider Handbook (FES-UA, FES-EO, FTC, PEP, NWSA). Step Up for Students. Outlines authorized uses of scholarship funds, including provisions covering specialized educational programs and approved supplemental services. PDF.
- Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) — Award Amounts. Step Up for Students. Average award figures and county-level scholarship amounts. stepupforstudents.org.
- FES-UA Parent Handbook 2025–2026. Step Up for Students. Application deadlines (April 30 priority for renewals; November 15 for new applicants), EMA platform usage, and reimbursement processes. PDF.
- Florida Statute 1002.394 — Family Empowerment Scholarship Program. Statutory framework for FES-UA, including authorized uses of scholarship funds for educational services.
- Summer 2026 Animation Camps in Orlando: The Complete Parent's Guide. Elite Animation Academy, April 4, 2026. Comparison guide of EAA vs. other Orlando camps.
All scholarship policies and award amounts are subject to change by the Florida Legislature and by Step Up for Students. Always verify current eligibility and amounts on the official Step Up website before applying.
