Camp Sugar Plum Inspires the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs

 The Sugar Plum Farm Foundation is helping children discover that their future is limited only by their imagination. 

This summer, students from ROOTS Academy – formerly Philip Schuyler Achievement Academy, the elementary school attended by Anthony “Tony” Malatino – spent their days at Camp Sugar Plum, where they built confidence through hands-on experiences in entrepreneurship, agriculture, leadership, and teamwork. 

At Camp Sugar Plum, children learn by doing. Campers care for farm animals, develop culinary skills, help operate the Sugar Plum General Store, and launch their first businesses through the camp’s signature Lemonade Wars challenge. Along the way, they develop practical skills in teamwork, problem-solving, communication, customer service, financial literacy, and leadership skills that extend far beyond the farm. 

“The Lemonade Wars is about much more than selling lemonade,” said Robin Malatino, founder of The Sugar Plum Farm Foundation. “It’s about giving children the confidence to dream bigger, the courage to try something new, and the opportunity to discover what they’re capable of. Because our campers attend the same elementary school that my late husband, Tony, once attended, their mantra is simple: ‘If Tony could do it, I can do it.’” 

Malatino added, “We aspire to inspire the next generation. If these children leave believing in themselves just a little more than when they arrived, we’ve accomplished exactly what we set out to do.” 

The Sugar Plum Farm Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing transformative educational experiences through agriculture, entrepreneurship, and hands-on learning. By combining meaningful mentorship with real-world experiences, the Foundation empowers children to build confidence, develop lifelong skills, and imagine a future filled with possibility.