2025 Update

The fund supported its very first Aerial Arts Scholarship, awarded to Shakon Miller Jr., a gifted young aerialist who began his journey in Camp Winnarainbow’s aerials program back in 2019 (coincidentally, the same year of Mischa’s passing).

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Thanks to your support, Shakon was able to train at the Circus Arts Institute in Atlanta, GA, deepening his skills and preparing him to return to camp as both a performer and a teacher. Seeing him soar on the trapeze this summer—and guide campers through their own first flights—was deeply moving.

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In Shakon’s own words: “I plan to help kids bring out the bravery and love for trying something never done before and continue to teach future generations of camp what I have learned from the beginning trapeze teacher training and the values of camp passed down to me.”

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Shakon embodies exactly what the fund was created to nurture—artistry, mentorship, and the transformative joy that comes from trying something new.

The second major project made possible by the Mischa Memorial Fund was the creation of an entirely new program: the M. Sound Lab. The Sound Lab puts the power of music production and recording directly into the hands of Winnarainbow campers. With your help, we built three portable music recording stations, each with the following:

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• A high-quality microphone for vocals and acoustic instruments

• Two sets of headphones (so kids can record and collaborate together in pairs)

• A keyboard and sustain pedal

• An audio interface for recording other electric instruments

• An iPad running the latest GarageBand software
   

We also created detailed teaching guides to ensure the program thrives for years to come.

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Staff members jumped at the chance to become “Sound Lab Librarians”, mentoring kids and keeping the creative energy flowing. Campers who completed the introductory class earned their own Sound Lab Library Cards, becoming “Certified Borrowers” who could check out equipment independently.

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In addition to the recording gear, the fund has also provided over a dozen brand-new instruments for campers to use during free time, practice sessions, and performances. The collection includes multiple guitars (acoustic and electric), an electric bass, ukuleles in several sizes, a steel drum, a cajon, and of course, lots of extra strings, tuners, and more — enough variety and quantity to keep the music echoing across camp for many summers to come.

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While we were at camp installing the M. Sound Lab, we saw kids record their first-ever songs, collaborate with friends, and experiment fearlessly. The Sound Lab has already become a hub of imagination — a new way for campers to express themselves and a medium through which Mischa’s love of sound, play, and creativity live on.

We hope to grow the Aerial Arts Scholarship and the M. Sound Lab even further. Our vision includes expanding the Sound Lab library of instruments and equipment, offering more scholarships for campers-turned-staff to attend professional circus arts trainings, and continuing to create opportunities for inspiration, joy, and learning for young people for years to come. 

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On behalf of the Mischa Memorial Fund, our family, and the Camp Winnarainbow family, from the bottom of our hearts—thank you. Your support is building something lasting, joyful, and full of love.