Take 2: Teaching Children w/ Autism Washington, DC

Someone recently admitted to experiencing the "Sunday Scaries" every week before work. This is the unfortunate phenomenon where people experience increasing amounts of anxiety as their weekend comes to a close. After some commiseration and reflection, I realized that we experience similar anxiety getting ready for Take2; the only difference is that our Sunday lasts for a month. "Monthly Scaries" doesn't have the same ring to it. Just like those who are anxious about going to work must set their alarms on Sunday nights, we at Take2 must remind ourselves of our own lessons. 

In the nearly 14 years that Take2 has been running, our tried-and-true systems and strategies have allowed us to better serve our students that they may find their own success. We've made changes to curriculum, expanded the outreach of our camp, and introduced innovative additions to the camp (like our improv instruction with Imagination Stage). And yet, we still worry about the unexpected. Each new week, or each new summer, there's always something that could happen differently from the time before...

...Like the time the gym had to be refinished and we were forced to hold all activity time classes outside in July. Or when transportation to our favorite ropes course fell through. Or the time our veteran and beloved camp counselor had a baby two months before camp (what was she thinking!?). We recovered from all of these unexpected moments with a solid landing and a flourish at the end, but only because we had practiced and become experts at utilizing our own coping strategies. Even now, I smile as I remember our staff banding together to cope with each of these setbacks. My coping strategy for this year is to remember the successes that have come out the unexpected and take a deep breath.

At Take2, we are reminded that our campers' social deficits and differences cause them to experience this kind of anticipatory anxiety on a daily basis. We teach them the best way to brainstorm, plan, and execute successful coping strategies so that they can expertly maneuver their way through this scary social world we live in. 

We look forward to sharing this summer's successes with you. 

Dear Take2 Supporter,

Even though we're technically in the "off season," there's a lot happening behind the scenes that goes into making Take2 great.  Here's what we've been up to since camp ended:

We're accepting applications! Enrollment for Take2 started on January 1st. We have been reviewing applications from wonderful families who have heard about our camp from friends, related service providers, and researchers. In March, we will get a chance to meet these families in person at our meet and greet. Here, we run some of the Take2 favorites to give applicants a glimpse into what camp is like.

We attended GlobalGiving's Fourth Annual Town Hall meeting. This year, we were able to participate in person (instead of via web) at GlobalGiving's DC office. The panel discussed a range of topics, from new technologies for 2018 to in-kind resources from their network of volunteers. This experience reminds us of how fortunate we are to be partnered with such an innovative network of people dedicated to service. 

We're updating our curriculum. We're making updates and adding exciting new activities to the elementary and middle school curricula. This includes the addition of an outdoor elementary activity curriculum that incorporates team sports and LOTS of water. Think: "water balloon toss", "drip drip drop" (water duck duck goose), and "drench the counselor," which we're confident will become a camp favorite. 

It may be February, but we're thinking about July all year long. Thank you for supporting the work we do in all seasons!

With gratitude,

Callie Stezar