Camp Shout Out Builds Great Communicators! Great communicators can express themselves using a variety of mediums. This project provides young people who stutter with an array of hands-on art materials and instruction in order to be able to put their inner-most thoughts and ideas into projects that can been seen, experienced, and understood by others.
Stuttering is a communication disorder occurring in 5% of all school age youth often resulting in significant emotional & social consequences, including communication withdrawal, bullying, & shame. Many youth who stutter experience a great deal of fear when faced with everyday communication tasks such as ordering in a restaurant, speaking in class, or answering the phone. This fear of speaking can have significant academic and social ramifications effecting grades and even career choices.
Art has been described as one of the most basic forms of communication. By giving young people who stutter the training and materials needed to express themselves using art we will be providing them with a powerful avenue to communicate their thoughts, ideas, and opinions successfully. A young person may choose to make a sculpture, draw a picture of what it feels like when they are talking or build a self-portrait, the possibilities are endless with the right materials and training.
This project will build great communicators by providing training and treatment both directly and indirectly to approximately 200 young people who stutter each year. Camp Shout Out has become a model for the training of speech-language pathologists and graduate students as they seek to deepen their knowledge and and understanding when working with young people who stutter. Camp Shout Out Builds Great Communicators. Great Communicators Change the World. Camp Shout Out is changing the world!