• Hats Off To Columbus Area Support Group and Bartholomew Community School Corporation: Partnership
• Hats Off To Hamilton-Boone-Madison Special Services Cooperative: Movie Day
• Hats Off To South LaPorte County Special Education Cooperative and Autism Society of Central Indiana: Start a Walk in Your Community
• Hats Off To M.S.D. of Wayne Township: Creating Building Level Autism Teams
• Hats Off To Johnson County Special Services
• Hats Off To Switzerland County Middle School Autism Team
• Hats Off To MSD of Lawrence Township: Training via District Website
• Hats Off To MSD of Warren Township: S.A.F.E. Supporting Autism for Everyone
• Hats Off To MSD of Martinsville: Camp Discovery: A Place for Kids to Have Fun!
• Hats Off To An Autism Team Working in Indiana: First Responder Training
• Autism Teams: Building Capacity Across Indiana
• Hats Off to Noblesville Schools for Creating Training Classrooms: Using Evidence-Based Practices of Visual Supports and Work Systems
• Hats Off To Asperger Autism Group of Goshen
• Hats Off to East Centeral Indiana Autism Society of America Chapter: Interlock
• Hats Off To Greater Lafayette Area Special Services Autism Team

Hats Off To MSD of Martinsville: Camp Discovery: A Place for Kids to Have Fun!

Contributed by Cathy Pratt

During the summer of 2005, a group of general and special education teachers, nurses, paraprofessionals, occupational therapists, school psychologists, a retired principal, behavior specialist, a school secretary, and a special education director put together for a terrific day camp for children with special needs run completely by an ALL volunteer staff. First 11 children grades kindergarten thru sixth with autism were invited. Then the 6 best peer mentors in the world were recruited. The camp was located on a 200 acre farm called Misty Meadow Farms with llamas for each child from Red Tail Trail Farms. Red Tail Trail Farms is owned by Bill and Jack Shields, and Brad and Karen Shields and their children. Camp Discovery was from 9:00 in the morning to 12:30 in the afternoon with the biggest mission being to PLAY and HAVE FUN!

Camp Discovery was designed specifically to meet the needs of children on the autism spectrum. All of the activities encompassed the following five goals:

1. Improve social interactions with peers and adults outside the confines of the classroom setting. Peers provided support to one another through words of encouragement and hugs.
2. Develop and enhance fine and gross motor skills. Each student made a journal about themselves that included their daily activities at camp by writing at least one fact about their day that they enjoyed or learned. Then a picture to represent their day was also glued on for keepsake memories. Also, the children learned to ride and feed a horse. As the days became warmer (high 90’s) through the week, a water slide was added . . . then lengthened.
3. Create sensory experiences for exploration and relaxation. One boy loved to nestle his head in the fur of his llama. Others loved bubbles, whirly gigs, the sandbox, and the bean table. There was a nurses’ tent where the kids would go when they were over stimulated and needed some quiet time.
4. Expand interests and provide new experiences in a non-threatening environment. Smokey the bear visited the camp and interacted with the children. The Sheriff and Fire Department visited also. The children were allowed to sit in the front seat of the fire trucks, try on the firemen’s big boots and listen as they talked through their fire masks.
5. Create flexibility and challenge student’s strict dependence on routines and schedules. Every 30 minutes the activities changed. Activities included playing various games, learning about fossils, singing songs, feeding the horses, or caring for their llama. Everyone made new friends.

MSD of Martinsville made a film of their week at Camp Discovery. The greatest things about the entire experience was to see all of the children laughing, smiling, and saying it was their best camp ever.

For information on how to set up a week long camp in your area, contact Pat Lynbrook (autism consultant) in Martinsville. Her phone number is (765) 342-4376 and her email is lybrookp@msdmail.net.

Pratt, C. (2006). Hats off to . . . MSD of Martinsville: Camp Discovery: A place for kids to have fun! The Reporter, 11(1), 5.