A matter of inclusion

Sam Paster of Swampscott with fellow KinderCamp counselors. Sam is working as a counselor, leading art and science activities at KinderCamp.

Besides having fun at “Summer on the Hill” held at the Jewish Community Center of the North Shore in Marblehead, campers and counselors alike are learning important lessons about inclusion.

Swampscott resident Melissa Caplan is directing a pilot of the new inclusion camp there which has attracted 21 campers and five staff members with physical, cognitive and/or social disabilities. In addition, the program provides supports for 10 other children with special needs who entered through general camp registration.

“We are taking a camp that already exists and making modifications so they can participate in activities along with their chronologically-aged peers,” Caplan said. These modifications range from using a bright orange ball for games to accommodate campers with visual impairments, to providing an aide, or even two, trained in special education. These services are given free of charge with camp enrollment.

JCCNS Youth and J-Adventure Director and Assistant Camp Director Ashley Corcoran said of the inclusion program, “It’s not a separate camp. We have embedded these kids in all of our programs.”

For example, Evan Goodman, 12, of Salem, who has high-functioning autism, needs extra help with getting his belongings together; making transitions between activities; focusing on tasks; and coping with frustration, according to his mother, Mary Goodman. She said Evan had difficultly attending a local summer camp one year.

“He couldn’t follow group instructions. I am not sure he stayed on track. He felt lonely; I think he spent a lot of time by himself,” Mary Goodman said.

On the contrary, Evan has flourished at the JCCNS Camp Simchah, which offers entering first- through seventh-graders nine one-week specialty camps like cooking, art, soccer and baseball; and an option for a traditional camp experience. With a young man helping him, Evan has participated successfully in the engineering session, and will be taking cartooning later on in the summer. His mother said he has made friends at camp.

“We don’t want him to stay at home with a babysitter. We want him to be out swimming, doing activities, and being with other kids. It would not have been possible without this,” Goodman said.

Caplan, a longtime special education teacher, works alongside Corcoran, KinderCamp (for preschoolers through children entering Kindergarten) Director Heather Greenberg and Camp Director Josh Ackman to ensure all of the supports are in place. Caplan remains flexible, for instance, allowing campers with special needs to arrive in the early afternoon after attending their school-sponsored summer programs.

But it’s not only those enrolled in the inclusion camp who are benefiting from the program.

Camper Stella Puzzo of Swampscott with her friends at a Dance enrichment program at KinderCamp.

Caplan said [typical] campers have been accepting. For example, kids in the drama group encouraged a boy with autism [which is often associated with difficulty socializing] to create his own character and perform it in a play. Youngsters in the Kindercamp Dance Enrichment Program practice alongside Stella Puzzo, 5, of Swampscott, a participant who uses a wheelchair.

Ava Grable, 8, of Swampscott has befriended a couple of children with special needs. “They are very sweet kids. If I was a kid [with disabilities], they would be nice to me,” Grable said.

Corcoran said camp staff were “setting a tone” for kids to learn acceptance. Caplan said staff members teach this through modeling appropriate behavior so everyone feels welcome and respected.

Caplan spoke to “Summer on the Hill” JTI (Jewish Teen Internship) tenth- and eleventh-grade counselors-in-training about demonstrating empathy towards individuals with special needs. One girl was so moved that she recommended holding a party purposely including peers with disabilities.

Inclusion has come full-circle this summer for KinderCamp counselor Sam Paster, 17, of Swampscott. A student at the Cotting School in Lexington, Paster has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. Working once a week, he takes attendance of the children of his group, distributes art supplies and guides campers through projects, in addition to other responsibilities.

“He’s thrilled about it. He likes being a leader and a role model for the kids,” Paster’s mother, Hilory Paster said.

Hilory Paster said that like teenagers his age, Sam wants to follow his passion, set goals, learn job skills, and earn some pocket money. She said he had an “amazing experience” this past year volunteering by distributing meals and helping people with disabilities. However, earning his own money has meant a lot to him.

“Payment gives validation to your work. Sam is recognized as an employee,” Hilory Paster said. She said the “behind the scenes” support provided by JCCNS enables Sam to participate. He hopes to take on more days next month.

Hilory Paster noted that often when a kid has a disability, “they are one people volunteer to help.” She said that through the inclusion efforts of JCCNS, “Sam has become a giver… It shows that people with disabilities can be givers, while also being receivers.”

Those interested in more information about the Inclusion Camp at JCCNS and other JCCNS inclusion programs should contact Youth Director Ashley Corcoran at 781-476-9907; acorcoran@jccns.com.

This article was written by Nicole Levy, a staff writer from Wicked Local: Swampscott. View the original article here.