Service Projects at Firefly Teen Camp

By Sydney Glass, Camp Firefly Unit Head

One aspect of Firefly Teen Camp is the service project which gives teen campers an opportunity to mentor future campers and give back to the Camp Chi grounds. The teens love being able to work with the younger Firefly campers to make an impact on their campgrounds. 

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Social Thinking® at Camp Firefly

As the prevalence and understanding of Autism Spectrum and Social Communication Disorders has grown, families have become inundated with treatment models and approaches that are being touted as the next best thing.  Camp Firefly recognizes that many evidence-based, effective approaches do exist, and appreciates the benefits that each has to offer.  However, in order to meet the needs of our campers, we have found that the Social Thinking ® approach developed by Michelle Garcia Winner has proven to be the most appropriate for our recreative camp therapy model.

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Jewish Summer Camp Welcomes Everyone

Jewish summer camp welcomes everyone - and I mean everyone. Our son Danny, who is now 23 years old, has attended Jewish summer camp for nearly 20 years. His journey began at the Mayer Kaplan JCC in Skokie. And since Danny was headed to Jewish camp, I signed up his younger sister as well. At three and five years of age, Debbie and Danny were eager and enthusiastic to follow in the footsteps of their older siblings as campers. However, for Danny there was a difference.

Danny is on the autism spectrum, and the secular day camp that his older sisters attended did not offer the services and supports Danny needed. Fortunately, an inclusion program jointly sponsored by Keshet and the JCCs did, and off we went.

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