Aspire Adventure Camp

“The Aspire Adventure Camp is more than just a place to send your child to in the summer. If you are looking for a fun, supportive and productive experience combined with social learning you have come to the right place.”

– quoted from Aspire’s website

Aspire is a Massachusetts General Hospital for Children autism program that has served individuals with high cognitive autism spectrum disorder or a related profile in the Boston metropolitan area for over 25 years. Aspire offers a summer camp for kids ages 5-15 and teen and young adult summer programs that serve ages 13-22.

Aspire’s Adventure Summer Camp fosters a safe and comfortable environment for campers. All activities take place in small groups with a 1:3 staff-child ratio, ensuring each child is supported with the individual care he or she needs to thrive. Whatever a camper’s developmental needs might be, Aspire has a program that will target his or her strengths so that they can learn, grow, make friends, succeed, and have fun.

If a camper is between ages 5-7, they are eligible to participate in the Adventure Camp Junior. This is a shorter day option, as Aspire appreciates that a full camp day may stretch too long for some younger campers. Adventure Camp Junior modifies its activities to meet the developmental and physical capabilities of younger children. Each fun-filled camp day is designed to encourage social interaction and focus on what it means to be part of a group.

Adventure Camp hosts ages 6-15 in a recreational 6-week therapeutically-based summer day program. Day camp activities include swimming, hiking, boating, nature exploration, field trips, art, drama, cooking, games, or yoga. While participating in these fun activities, campers also receive Aspire’s state-of-the-art curriculum, interventions, social coaching, and supports that are interwoven throughout the day.

New this summer is the Adventure Trail Blazers program, which is best suited for campers entering their teen years who are ready to take on new challenges and expand independent living skills. The Trail Blazers Program introduces campers to more advanced executive function, self regulation, social competency, and independent living skills and prepares them for the Aspire Teen Explorations Program.  Within the safety and comfort of the Aspire environment, Trail Blazers will be given the opportunity to not only participate in the many typical Adventure Camp activities but will also participate in group orienteering, go on extra camper-planned field trips, manage the new Aspire “Camp Store”, and engage in community service projects.  Trail Blazers will also have increased involvement with group and individual goal setting as well as self-reflection exercises.

Note: Not all applicants in the Adventure Trail Blazers age range will be an appropriate match for this program.  Grouping decisions are made by clinical staff based on developmental readiness, appropriate peer matching, and space availability. For those who are not a match for the Trail Blazers program, there may be a potential match in one of their other Aspire summer programs.

Aspire’s Child Programs are managed by Genna Lyons, M.S., LMFT and Assistant Program Manager, Christina Lazdowsky, CPNP-PC, MSN, RN.  Adventures camp counselors and specialists are composed of a bright, talented, and caring team that wants to help your camper succeed. Almost all staff has experience working with children on the autism spectrum – many have post-secondary education and/or training in such areas as: mental health, special education, speech and language, and occupational therapy. Additionally, all staff takes part in more than 40 hours of intensive pre-program training, orientation as well as on-going supervision throughout the summer. All programs are designed and supervised by Aspire’s year-round clinical staff.

You can learn more about Aspire on their website. Follow them on Twitter for updates.