Our Vision
Our philosophy of camp is that every child must experience success to develop social confidence. For a population of children with special needs, a structured and professionally supervised setting is vital to create an environment conducive to success. The 2 week Camp of Champs "LITE" (Leaders in Training Experience) provides opportunities for growth in areas of leadership, advocacy and transitional skills among others.
We incorporate an extensive new curriculum into our hands-on learning every summer. Your child will complete activities that are developed based on character themes and individual skill development. From sunrise to sunset, your child will build social skills, character traits, and life skills that will increase their independence. Highly trained staff, including special education teachers and social workers, work together to provide a successful experience for your child. In Minnesota, look no further to find the most comprehensive, collaborative, and character-filled camp for special needs youth! Most critical to the success of our camp is the emphasis on the development of age appropriate social skills. Positive behavior skills and expression of feelings must be taught, practiced and reinforced in order for skills to fully develop. We pride ourselves on safety, cooperation, cutting edge curriculum, and improved confidence!
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Camp programming leans heavily on CASEL, a national movement focused on improved Social Emotional Learning. This philosophy
is the key to success at the Camp of Champs. Our focus hinges on 5 keys to this model of growth and development and the activities we facilitate our woven within these competencies.
YOUTH SERVED
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Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FASD/FAE), Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD), Attachment & Anxiety Disorders, ADHD/ADD, Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), Developmental/Cognitive Delay (D/CD), Autism Spectrum (ASD), Down's Syndrome, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and more. Contact us for specific questions regarding your child and how they will be served at camp.
BUILDING YOUR CHILD'S STRENGTHS
Click here for a link to read how the Camp of Champs addresses the specific needs of your child and the activities that are incorporated into skills development. The fast paced schedule is great for campers with ADHD to allow for movement. The flexible schedule and trained counselors assist those campers with ASD or PTSD. The concrete boundaries and effective behavior management skills aid in working with all campers. The debriefing that is used after each lesson helps those with FASD to process cause and effect, along with application skills. Our goal is to allow for success right from the start!
YOUR CHILD'S SECOND HOME
Our camps are a top resource for parents of children with special needs. This includes youth in the foster care system or those who have been adopted. We work with youth with mental health needs, educational needs, and special needs. We are also a resource for social workers, psychologists, and behavior and family therapists searching for opportunities for children to develop their social skills, confidence, and positive behavior management. Remember to check out your parent resource guide (you will receive at check-in). This full color guide will provide a great souvenir but also with questions to ask your child when they return home. This will assist your child in generalizing the skills learned at camp across settings. We eat our meals family style with all campers together, but smaller groups will be incorporated for discussions and character education throughout each day. Here is a link to our amazing venue: the DOJO Retreat Center.
BENEFITS
With a stellar camp staff and program curriculum, the benefits of Camp of Champs are endless. We will work to improve skills in the areas of: Communication, Self-Advocacy, Independence, Physical Activity and Healthy Choices, Friendships, Anger Management, Etiquette and Respect, Teambuilding, Cooperation and Problem Solving, Trust, Initiative, Responsibility, Goal setting, and Service learning. All camps come with a staff to camper ratio not to exceed 4:1 allowing for a great personal connection and close supervision.
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1:4 Staff to Camper Ratio
Can respond well to new and unfamiliar situations
Can enjoy group settings
• Is independent with activities of daily living
• Easily communicates wants and needs
Easily accepts support from staff
1:3 Staff to Camper Ratio
• May have occasional verbal or physical outbursts that require staff intervention
• May have trouble with large social environments, but does well in small groups
• May need some support with medical care needs
• May need verbal support with activities of daily living
Easily accepts support from staff
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Kids with higher needs may not be eligible for the Camp of Champs. Our goal is to ensure an inclusive environment where we can host as many campers each year as possible. In order to optimally facilitate these adventures, physical, emotional safety is of the utmost importance. If you have any questions on if your kiddo is a good fit, please contact us.