CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11
starting point for kids who are going back to school.”
These students can now confi dently answer the age-old question,
“What did you do this summer?”
Campers can be anyone with or without a cognitive, social or physical
disability, ages 12 to 21. Both morning and afternoon sessions are
available, but campers can also stay all day. They have had campers
with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and many campers are on the
Autism spectrum, said Rosenthal. Campers who have aged out,
are invited to join their work-study program as a volunteer junior
counselor, like Toby Doremus.

“To have non-disabled students just want to come and interact with
their peers, to assist them and encourage them is a very neat thing to
see,” said Rosenthal. “The selfl essness that all these students exhibit
is truly incredible.”
Campers gain a sense of independence and empowerment, said
camp co-founder Dallas Wiles. They are able to choose what activities
they’d like to participate in a given day.

“When they’re given the freedom and the choice to really enjoy
themselves in the summertime, there’s a diff erence you see in the
behaviors,” Wiles said. Like Rosenthal, she too is a teacher in Howard
On Wednesdays, a local Zumba instructor comes and teaches a high-
intensity dance class. On Thursdays, lunch is catered from a local
eatery and every Friday there’s a fi eld trip. The campers have visited
the Baltimore Zoo, gone bowling, learned crossfi t and even enjoyed a
movie at the local theater.

The local community has also been imperative to the camp’s growth
and success, said both Wiles and Rosenthal. The buses needed for the
Friday trip are provided to the camp free of charge. And many local
restaurants are happy to provide meals.

What’s been the most fulfi lling for the founders is seeing how the
camp experiences transition into the classroom and everyday life.

County, and she’s seen positive changes in all of her campers. “The
“The students are more talkative. They open up more,” said Ashcraft.

appreciate a rigid schedule of activities, other campers have more
Alumni camper Toby Doremus is looking forward to his seventh
activities are very much camper-initiated.” While some campers
fl exibility.

Most days start with a nature walk. Then, there is usually some kind
of sports drill like perfecting the spiral throw or working on soccer
dribbling. There are also team games, which promote camaraderie
and friendly competition. For the creative, there are fun crafts, or
campers can select to play a board game.

12 April 2017
washingtonFAMILY.com summer at Camp Inclusion, and his third as junior counselor. He
loves helping the campers with their crafts or the diff erent sporting
activities. But, what he loves most about camp is the confi dence it
inspires in everyone.

“Just because you have a disability, doesn’t mean you can’t do
something in life.”



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