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Camps located allover the country are getting ready to welcome this season's crop of happy campers, children of all ages who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Summer camp season is just around the corner, and for children who are deaf or hard of hearing(D/HH), opportunities for new experiences abound.
Looking for something traditional? Many summer camps offer classic camp activities like swimming,canoeing, arts and crafts, drama, and nature appreciation.
Does your child like science or sports? There's a camp for that! Test out G-forces at a camp that teaches about space exploration, or practice your baseball skills at sports camp. Other camps allow your child to hone math skills, pick up lacrosse, or learn to cook.
Can't decide? Many D/HH-focused summer camps offer both traditional and nontraditional activities, all designed to help campers develop confidence,communication and problem-solving skills and of course, the long-lasting friendships and connections that summer camp is all about.
While our full list of roughly four dozen summer camps is online at www.drf.org/magazine/camps, here is asampling of camps around the country.
Postcard From the Northeast
Name:Clarke School's Summer Adventure in Northampton, Mass.
Dates and ages:July 10-22, age 9-13
What it is: This two-week camp for children who are D/HH is led by experienced teachers of the deaf from the Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech, which has five locations on the East Coast. Held at its Northampton, Mass., campus, the camp features hiking and swimming, field trips, and arts and crafts. The focus is on campers improving their communication skills as they learn from Clarke Schools alumni and student mentors, all of whom have a hearing loss. The theme for this year's camp is "Science and Nature: The World Around Us."
They say:"Summer camp is often a big step for families of children with hearing loss. In addition to the usual anxiety over a child going to a sleep-away program, there are a host of other concerns: Will the counselors understand the assistive technologies my child needs? Will they know how to change a hearing aid battery? The bond the kids develop with the junior counselors is incredible. They know that the counselors understand what they're going through, because they've been through it themselves." Marthade Hahn,Clarke Schools information director
Note: A weekend camp for all family members is July 22-24. The weekend is a chance for families to meet one another, learn from Clarke professionals, and enjoy the campus through various planned activities.
Cost:Summer Adventure: $1,395; Family Weekend: $325 per family.
For more information: www.clarkeschools.org/programs-and-schools/summer-programs
Postcard From the Southeast
Name:Deaf Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala.
Dates and ages: May1-6; age 9 to 18 (separated into three age groups)
What it is: Now in its 25th year, the five-day-long Deaf Space Camp offers about 85 students the chance to go on simulated space missions complete with"anomalies" they must figure out how to correct on the fly, such as an ill astronaut and experience the pull of G-forces. Older students scuba dive down to 25 feet in order to experience weightlessness, and use a zip line to experience flying through the air. Certified sign language interpreters are available.
They say: "Not only do the children learn about math, science, and technology, it's also a chance for students to interact with their peers. You might hear one child saying to another, 'Oh, you have Waardenburg syndrome, too.' They meet other kids like themselves." Amy Newland, camp director
Note:Children of deaf adults are also welcome, as are, in some cases, hearing siblings.
Cost:$760 to $840, which includes lodging and meals. There is an additional $30transportation fee.
For more information: www.spacecamp.com/deaf
Postcard From the Midwest
Name:Illinois School for the Deaf in Jacksonville, Ill.
Dates and ages:Creative Arts Camp (June 19-24, grades 3-6); Sports Camp (June 19-24, grades5-8); and the Institute for Parents of Preschool Children Who Are Deaf or Hardof Hearing (for parents, June 12-17).
What it is:Creative Arts Camp encourages artistic expression via dance, a mixed-media art project, and American Sign Language expression activities. Children attending Sports Camp will spend each morning learning specific skills for a new
Get more information about four dozen camps all over the country at our online camps directory exclusively at www.drf.org/magazine/camps. sport, such as soccer, then play the sport the rest of the day. Parents attending the Institute learn about communication options, language development,amplification, socio-emotional development, and school programs.
They say: "Parents who attend the Institute tell us it is a life-changing experience in many cases, the most important week of their lives. The best thing they takeaway from it is simply meeting one another, making close relationships, and finding out that they are not alone." Leslie Frederick, Institute coordinator
Note:Siblings up to age 7 may attend the Institute with their parents to enjoy age-specific activities.
Cost: $10each; the Institute is free.
For more information: www.morgan.k12.il.us/isd
Postcard From the West
Name: Camp Sign Shine in Eagle Lake, Calif.
Dates and ages:July 17-23; age 7-19
What it is:Sponsored by the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Advocacy Resource Center (DHHARC) of Nevada, this camp features canoeing, swimming, hiking, and fishing, and unique extras such as panning for gold and advanced Lego construction. Camp counselors and staff members are skilled in sign language, and campers will also receive sign language instruction and participate in leadership activities. The camp is open to children who are D/HH, their siblings, and children of deaf adults.
They say: "Campers, counselors-in-training, and volunteers can easily communicate with one another as they all understand what it means to live with hearing loss. The children socialize with similar others, see adult role models with hearing loss, and learn some essential life skills." Edina Jambor, Ph.D., camp director
Note: A talent show on the last night finishes out the week.
Cost:$375
For more information: www.dhharc.org/youth-events/camp-signshine.htm
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