The New York State Summer School of the Arts is in danger of shutting down for good after its funding was taken out of the state's budget.

The highly competitive arts program chooses students based on their talent, not their family's ability to pay.

The $2 million it needs was suddenly taken out of the New York State budget, meaning the camp won't operate this summer and could remain closed for years.

The camp was a great experience for many Long Islanders like James Hernandez of Coram.

"That program was the best experience of my life," Hernandez says. "I wish I could go back and do it again."

He is now pursuing a career as an opera singer or music teacher.

Hernandez took part in the choral studies program, one of seven concentrations at the upstate sleepaway camp. There are also options to study orchestra, dance, theater and visual arts.

The camp's administration director Jared Berry says funding was eliminated suddenly without consulting the staff.

He says talented students who are from poorer backgrounds could now miss out on the chance to train with some of New York's best instructors.

"About 33% of the students that do attend the program do receive some type of financial aid," Berry says. "Without this program these students don't have access to this caliber of music that is accessible to them."

Hernandez say he hopes they bring back NYSSSA so future generations can go and perform.

The State Education Department set aside $150,000 for scholarships to similar programs.

One the money is spread out among hundreds of students, News 12 is told it won't make a dent in the tuition some of the programs charge.