Special Needs After School Enrichment and Respite

This month's update focuses on the Trailblazers program at the Rosenthal JCC's Camp Discovery.  The Trailblazers program provides a typical full day camp experience for children who require extra support for their individual needs.  Our Trailblazers range from Pre K - 9th grade and have challenges such as Expressive and Receptive Language Disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorders and ADHD. 

"You would never know she is receiving extra support", a common phrase relayed by many of our parents whose children participate in our Trailblazers program at Camp Discovery.  "When we came to visit our daughter on visiting day, my wife and I were so pleased to see her engaged and happy... at that moment she was a leader and was able to shine.  I had to pinch myself.... Her Shadow, and more importantly her Counselors, were all on the same page, helping eachother and modeling behaviors that the entire group seemed to rise up too."

Shadow's are specially trained counselors that support our Trailblazer campers in all camp activities throughout the day. The responsibilities of a Shadow are to make sure their specific camper(s) are mainstreamed into the eight periods of the traditonal camp day while still being flexible and ready to make accomodations as needed thoughout the day.   Communication is key amoung the team as everyone wants to make sure campers are participating at their comfort level.  Camp Discovery is fortunate to have mixed within the fabric of our camp an amazing team of Shadows who support Counselors, Specialists and Pool Staff.  The patience and enthusiasm that our Shadows show for their campers is contagious throughout camp.  

"We are (so pleasantly) shocked to see such dramatic growth in just two weeks of your program... we cannot thank you enough!"  E.W. parent of Trailblazers camper