We all know that raising a child with special needs presents challenges at almost all stages of development. Whether in interacting in social settings, dealing with everyday tasks, or learning critical life skills, a special needs child needs to be in the appropriate environment to reach the heights that we all hope for. As Senior Director of Summit Camp, I’ve seen countless of these children attain goals and reach new heights in the warm and encouraging atmosphere of our summer camp, travel, and school year weekender programs.

With our “Magic On the Hill,” Summit Camp has been meeting the needs of special needs children since 1969. Located in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, our camp and travel programs serve children ages 8 – 19 with attention issues. The various diagnoses that a camper may have include verbal or non-verbal learning disorders, AD/HD, Asperger’s Syndrome, Tourettes Syndrome, and/or mild mood disorders. We provide a consistent environment for these children that enables them to better establish meaningful and mutually rewarding relationships with other children - something you know is often times difficult for them in the traditional school environment.

We understand that each camper is unique and has his or her own challenges that we work to overcome in order to meet the basic needs for acceptance, recognition and respect. But throughout all of the various sessions and activities, certain goals are constant – we look to establish and reinforce feelings of success, confidence, enthusiasm and self-worth in all of our campers. These are the traits that they may not attain in the typical social environments, and I believe we can fill those voids.

Through traditional camping activities – sports, arts and crafts, hiking, and other camp programs, we work to help them attain these traits. Yet, each program is geared towards developing the social interaction skills of the camper and allowing them to identify their special interests. Our staff is masterful at bringing each camper on at their own pace while also involved with their bunkmates. Older campers also have the opportunity for “personal development training,” such as baby sitting or auto repair, and during summer sessions they take part in three-day overnight trips, while younger campers can participate in afternoon daytrips.

We’ve seen children build friendships, improve social skills, gain independence, and learn the life skills that we all need to succeed. Through it all, the safety of our campers is paramount. We have 250 staff to supervise and nurture the maximum 300 campers our camp hosts at a time.

I encourage you to check out our website and learn more about Summit Camp and the “Magic on the Hill.” It’s made a difference in the lives of so many special children and their families, and it may be the perfect fit for your child as well. For more information visit www.summitcamp.com.

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