Summer Activities

Our mission is to help youth with chronic health conditions live well and reach their potential. We advance these goals through our week-long condition-specific residential summer camps, as well as through year-round support groups and leadership training programs. Our programs provide children with chronic illnesses the opportunities to meet peers, mentors and counselors with the same conditions and discover that they are not alone in the world.

We provide camp experiences and services for children, teenagers and young adults with the following conditions:

• Celiac disease
• Down syndrome
• Epilepsy
• Heart disease
• Hemiplegia/cerebral palsy
• High functioning autism
• Hydrocephalus
• Neurofibromatosis
• Sickle cell anemia
• Tourette syndrome
• Type 1 diabetes
• Youth transitioning to adulthood

Brainy Camps serves more than 500 children with chronic health conditions each year. During the summer months, an interdisciplinary team of over 150 medical experts, professionals, college students and graduate students offer their time, knowledge and enthusiasm to ensure camper safety and enjoyment. 50 to 60 teens particiipate in our leadership training programs, and another 50 to 60 children join our support groups during the school year. Our campers come from all over the United States, with a few joining us from other countries around the world.

Camp Buckskin is an overnight summer camp program that specializes in serving boys and girls ages 6-18 who are experiencing academic and/or social skill difficulties. Specifically, the majority of our campers have a primary diagnosis of AD/HD and/or learning disabilities, while others have an additional or related diagnosis. While these diagnoses make these individuals somewhat unique, they have the same needs as everyone else. To best address these needs most of our campers benefit from some special education services in a mainstream setting, while others receive some pull out services or attend specialized private schools. In addition, many of our campers benefit from a combination of medical and other professional services. The Buckskin program utilizes the summer break and a camp setting to supplement the efforts of the home, school and others to resolve these areas of need. Since our start in 1959, more than 7,000 children have benefitted from our therapeutic program. These young people have experienced a great deal of personal growth and improvement as reported by their parents, teachers and other involved professionals.

Program Design and Purpose:
The overall Buckskin program design is twofold in nature. Firstly, we serve as a preventive or early intervention program, seeking to address existing deficits before they become more pronounced. By taking this proactive approach, we believe that the individual, his/her family and society all benefit. From a financial and personal standpoint, the program acts as a bridge from one school year to the next. By effectively using the summer break, youth can not only stay focused but gain new abilities and improve existing skills. These new abilities and skills help produce a smoother transition to the new school year. By making this transition easier the individual experiences greater academic and social success.
Our purpose is to help the individual improve attitudes and the accompanying habits or behaviors that affect their self confidence, social skills, academics, and self esteem. This purpose is accomplished as our campers gain knowledge, and develop or improve their skills in a wide variety of areas. The camper’s progression through the various formal skill levels in our structured activities represent concrete accomplishments. These individual successes enable the child to realize and better appreciate what he or she is capable of achieving. As a result of these successes, the camper feels a genuine sense of accomplishment, takes increased responsibility for his/her choices or actions, and has a more positive view of his/her self.

Building self–esteem for children with high functioning autism spectrum disorder
Camp Connect ASD offers children and teens diagnosed with high functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ages 9-18, five days and four nights of summer fun and social connections. Children experience all the fun and adventure of a sleep-away camp with medical staff close at hand.
For six days, the children do not have to worry about how they are seen or what others think; they simply have fun.  They participate in a myriad of activities, learning team-building skills through sports, skits, and Camp Olympics.  Formal and informal support groups allow campers to practice appropriate social and communication skills and encourage the discussion of meaningful topics including how to handle bullying, what to do when teased and how to make friends.
The Department of Neurology of Children’s National provides the medical management of Camp Connect. A Child Neurophysiologist, is joined by a staff of nurses, social workers, physical therapists, and psychologists to provide medical coverage throughout the week of camp. Experienced teachers volunteer their time and expertise to work with the ASD population and help train the counselors to deal with the issues associated with ASD.  Several counselors and volunteers who live with the condition share their experience and wisdom with the campers each summer.

“Our summer camp programs promote the education, creative expression and social growth of special needs youth. Lions Camp Merrick fosters friendships between children facing similar challenges and provides the community and Lions with opportunities for service, philanthropy and leadership.”

Lions Camp Merrick provides a fun and exciting, week-long residential camping experience for children ages 6-16 who are diagnosed diabetic type 1, and children that are hearing or visually impaired. The camp can also accommodate organizations and businesses seeking to coordinate off-site team-building sessions or retreats.

Lions Camp Merrick is located on 320 acres on the shores of the Potomac River in southern Maryland. Although only 40 miles away from our nation’s capital, it is truly a world away!

The camp is owned and operated by the Lions Clubs of District 22-C (Washington, D.C., and Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s counties in Maryland). The camp is funded by Lions Clubs in the Washington, D.C. and DELMARVA area, grants, private donations and rentals.

Camp Lee Mar is a private, 7-week residential special needs summer camp for campers ages 7-21.
We offer unique summer programs for kids with special needs with a full curriculum incorporating a strong Academic and Speech program with traditional camp activities. Our campers flourish at Camp Lee Mar due to the structured environment we provide, which allows our campers to feel comfortable and secure. Some of our campers may be in a mainstream school during the year while working on social skills and life skills at our special needs camp.
As a special needs camp we understand the need to individualize each camper’s program. Careful study is made of parent input, school IEPs, camper interviews, etc., so that the interests and needs of each child can best be determined for suitable grouping prior to the camper arriving. At Camp Lee Mar, campers find comfort and friendship with children of similar age and functioning level. From this foundation we encourage our campers to embrace and learn new skills and have new experiences, all of which they will build upon on their return home. We focus on building friendships which last throughout the year, and we also help our campers learn how to cope with the dynamics of group situations. Development of the whole child is our goal.
During our summer programs for kids with special needs, we work hard at improving the daily living, social, and life skills of our campers, while giving them the happiest summers of their lives! Our campers have a variety of diagnoses, including Developmental Challenges, Learning Disabilities, Down Syndrome, Williams Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Social Communication Disorder, Fragile X, Sensory Processing Disorder, and Prader-Willi Syndrome. Special needs summer camps, such as Camp Lee Mar, provide an amazing growth producing experience while allowing every child to have fun and make friends.

Camp Sequoia is a supportive overnight camp for exceptional young men ages 7-17 and exceptional young women ages 10-16, focusing on the unique needs of boys with ADHD and those working on social or life development skills.

Camp Sequoia is designed for children and teenagers with ADHD and other similar diagnoses who do not need the level of support offered at special needs overnight camps yet need a different experience than a traditional overnight camp can offer. Our 2:5 staffing ratio allows our campers to have fun and grow in a safe and supportive camp experience.

Parents choose Camp Sequoia because the experience we provide is much more than a summer camp. It is truly an investment in their child’s future success. The mission of Sequoia is to help our campers have a great time while developing their social cognition (how to think in a social context and apply socially related skills).

Sequoia also offers social skill and recreational programs during the school year for Philadelphia, NYC and Washington DC area children and teenagers diagnosed with ADHD. These school year programs feature our Director Lux, a Registered Nurse, and our best staff to provide incredible experiences for our campers.

Round Lake Camp is an INCLUSION PROGRAM within Nah-Jee-Wah and Cedar Lake Camps for children ages 7 to 17 with learning differences, social communication disorders and ADHD.

Fun. Friendship. Learning. Round Lake Camp is located on 1250 wooded acres, approximately 90 minutes from New York City. This meadow and mountain environment creates a backdrop for fun-filled days.

The inclusion model at NJY Camps is unique in the camping world. We have created an environment of opportunity and choice.  At NJY Camps we believe in creating an inclusive environment in which Round Lake campers are able to integrate into all mainstream activities based on their level of comfort and interest. Campers are able to attend a typical sleep away camp, while benefitting from the additional supports put in place for Round Lake campers. We achieve this by sharing all the facilities and programming with our mainstream camps Camp Nah-Jee-Wah and Cedar Lake Camp. We also provide programming specific to Round Lake campers for those who prefer it. Some campers choose to integrate all throughout the day, while other campers choose to join the mainstream programs for certain activities. Campers’ schedules are individualized based on their needs and requests.

The Round Lake Goal

Confidence. Achievement. Self-Worth. Each experience at Round Lake is designed to help develop confidence and improve peer interaction, as well as to have fun and feel secure in their camp environment. A chief motivation that informs the design of all programming is the mission to help campers improve their social skills in a supportive environment. Campers experience success in their daily lives, develop healthy relationships with their peers and learn necessary life skills. While keeping a strong focus on the group dynamic, we are always looking to foster individual achievements and pride. Our program is flexible and individualized such that each camper’s interests, needs, goals and supportive services can be met. The camp experience is designed to offer campers life skills that lead to success and a feeling of accomplishment, and developed to encourage our campers to be part of a group.
The group experience is the keystone to success. Friendship and communication are the cornerstones of every camper’s goals. Campers are placed within a compatible cabin group where constant opportunity for self-understanding and friendship is provided.

The Round Lake Camper

Unique. Valued. Supported. Round Lake Camp serves children between the ages of 7 to 17 with a wide array of special needs. Campers come from both private and public educational environments in which they have been a part of resource programs, self-contained classrooms and general education settings. Acceptance is contingent upon interviews and supportive materials which are consistent with camp’s philosophy. Our campers present with a variety of diagnoses including, but not limited to, high-functioning autism, ADHD, communication disorders, social skills challenges and learning disabilities.

Our 7 to 11 year old Round Lake campers reside in dedicated bunks on the Nah-Jee-Wah campus, while campers 12 years and older live in dedicated bunks on the Cedar Lake Campus. To insure a strong inclusive program, we share all the facilities and programming with our respective camps. Our campers benefit from the support of a high counselor to camper ratio. In particular, the campers have strong support during the unstructured parts of the day, for example, during meals, clean up, rest hour, and shower hour.

Summer Camp for Ages 8 – 14
A traditional camp program that includes a highly structured schedule of arts, athletics, outdoor education, nature, waterfront, and specialty activities in a six period day. Campers also participate in a social skills development program and a program to improve executive functioning skills as a part of regular weekly program.
Bunk selections are carefully made through the course of the application process; campers will be bunked with others that have a similar profile of strengths and needs. Campers participate in all activities as a part of their 8 camper bunk with their familiar staff, with most activities being structured for one bunk group at a time. Support is offered for each camper’s individual needs while encouraging group participation, personal engagement, and trying the new and novel.
Our transitioning adolescents (approx. 13-14 years) will continue to participate in a structured program of camp activities across a 6 period day, however more options of choice and individual expression are built in for this age group- the ages most desiring of ways to assert their independence. Arts, performance, athletics, outdoor education, nature, waterfront, and specialty activities are offered with the use of option within, such as selecting between a variety of arts programming areas rather than having a set schedule for a music or ceramics class. The middle camp age group also enjoys a great deal of specialty games and activities that encourage team building and collaboration, as they are strongly desiring peer input and acceptance in a very new  way.
 Upper Camp, or “Super Teens”, for Ages 15-21 Years
Teens who join us at Summit in their later adolescence will participate in a program geared towards vocational and personal development referred to as the Super Teens. This program universally serves all our older participants in all sessions. This program is comprised of three unique goal areas: social inclusion and development, vocational development, and transition to adult living skills. Due to the nature of the program, Summit still receives a large number of new applicants for our Super Teen programs- including many youth that have never been away from home before. So if you are looking for a fresh start or a new home away for home for your teen, fear not that they will be the only one joining us for the first time in the upper camp age group.

While campers continue to have opportunities to participate in certain traditional aspects of camp life- such as swimming and arts programs- these are combined with a greater level of programming for work periods on camp. As such, Super Teens is much like a ‘counselor in training’ program but geared in a very specific way to meet the unique needs of our teens. Teens earn money for daily work periods waitering in the dining hall, as well as participating in a camp ‘job fair’ that includes interviewing and choosing possible areas for job success. Rather than training as counselors, our teens will be working as a shop assistant, helping sort incoming emails and packages out to younger campers, or serving as a “big brother” or “big sister” to a single camper in the youngest bunks. Teens will participate in a twice weekly program for transitions skills that includes covering healthy cooking and shopping for meals, personal hygiene and dress for various environments, interpersonal relationships, and further education/career prospects. Teens continue to participate in a program specific to social skills development that focuses on more complex social interactions and behaviors- for example, how to excuse yourself when you are no longer interested rather than simply walking away.

We believe that every child, no matter their illness or diagnosis, deserves to just be a kid. That’s why we provide medically-safe camp experiences filled with discovery, friendship and a lot of laughter. Always at no cost to families.