Summit Weekender represents the logical extension of our camping and travel program. It is for youngsters (ages 11+) who have an interest or need for a guided short term experience with peers, and benefit from opportunities for structured and supervised social experiences. The Weekender Program extends our concept of therapeutic recreation and social skills support to youth group weekend excursions.

 

 

WHAT: A getaway weekend designed for teenagers to make a few new friends, enjoy a guided and supervised recreational weekend break and to have youth workers who understand them.

 

WHO: Young people, ages 11 - 19, who are kids with issues of Aspergers syndrome, NVLD, mild learning disabilities, and/or ADHD/ADD who would benefit from a directed weekend experience designed to foster socialization and independence.

 

WHERE: Our Weekender program will be held in two locations. The metropolitan New York – New Jersey and Philadelphia Weekender programs will be located at the winterized campus of Camp Vacamas in West Milford, NJ (http://www.vacamas.org).  Our Washington DC – Baltimore – Northern Virginia Weekender programs will be held at Camp Letts in Edgewater, MD (http://www.campletts.org), approximately 50 minutes from the Capital Beltway. Our group will have our own lodge, complete with a central lounge area with comfortable seating and a wood burning fireplace.

 

WHY: An opportunity for a guided weekend filled with fun, recreation, and time for new and old friends. It also provides respite for the young person and their family.

 

HOW: Weekenders will have a schedule similar to that of camp. A range of activities will be offered as well as meals together and general guided teenage time for chatting, music listening, s'mores and even a campfire. The weekend will start with a brief meeting once arrived to get to know everyone, ask input, and generally set the tone for the weekend. Another brief meeting will be held just before departure to evaluate the experience and make suggestions for the next weekender event.

 

ACCOMODATIONS: Our group will stay in a lovely and modern mountain lodge. Fully winterized, it contains a number of rooms for group housings, several larger bathrooms and showers, as well as a large and comfortable lounge, complete with Fireplace and comfortable seating.

 

MEALS: Our meals will be prepared and served by our facility's chefs in their gorgeous dining hall. Eating cafeteria style, our weekenders will have several choices at each meal. Special diet concerns can also be met. We will have our own dining area to maintain our sense of group and community while dining. There will also be snacks each evening.

 

FACILITIES: Our facility has a full range of activity areas - both inside and outdoors. There are numerous hiking trails, sports courts, a lake for boating, high and low ropes course in addition to indoor areas for crafts, creative theater, an evening movie, and group games.

 

COST: Fee includes cost of lodging and meals. Bed linens, towels, and pillows are provided. Weekenders should bring personal toiletries. A small amount of money would only be used for vending machine snacks. There will be a format for medication administration similar to our tours where Weekenders will have a monitoring staff member overseeing the process. Transportation will be provided from centralized locations.

 

Please note: To view a full list of our Tuition and Fees for Weekender or any other of our other programs, please visit the "Dates & Fees" section of our website by clicking here.

 

 

(Subject to change/revision - activity modules will change based on time of year, weather, and available staff and facility resources)

 

5:30PM - 7:00PM - Departures (Weekenders should have a light supper before departing)
9:00PM - Arrive to lodge; Settle in, Room Assignments
9:30PM - Group Meeting and Pizza Party
11:00PM - Move to rooms for bedtime
 

7:30AM - Wake Up
8:00AM - Breakfast
9:00AM - 10:30AM (Period One)
Activity Choice: Climbing Tower, Hiking, Arts and Crafts
10:45AM - 12:15PM (Period Two)
Activity Choice: Soccer, Archery, Boating
12:30PM - Lunch
1:30PM - 3:00PM (Period Three)
Activity Choice: Candlemaking, Mountain Boarding, Hiking
3:15PM - 4:45PM (Period Four)
Activity Choice: Low Ropes, Climbing Tower, Cable Bridge Hike
5:30PM - Dinner
6:30PM - 7:30PM - Quiet Lounge Time
7:30PM (Evening Program) - Crazy Bingo/Paper Bag Dramatics
9:00PM - Snack
9:20PM - Evening Movie
11:00PM - Move to rooms for bedtime

 

7:30AM - Wake Up
8:00AM - Breakfast
9:00AM - 10:30AM (Period One)
Activity Choice: Making Dream Catchers, Climbing Tower, Outdoor Living Skills, Boating
10:45AM - 11:00AM - Personal Packing and Lodge Cleaning
11:15AM - Group Meeting: Evaluations, goodbyes, plans for the next Weekender
12:00PM - Lunch
1:00PM - Departure

 

 

 

Our Weekender Coordinator, Christine Tarbox, earned her MSW at the State University of NY at Stony Brook. She has worked as a medical social worker and since 2000 as a school social worker at New Beginnings School, Fairfield, NJ. Since September, 2002, she has been on staff at the Social Skills Training Project located in Maplewood, NJ, providing groups for preadolescent and adolescent children. She has also been involved in numerous weekend and after school recreation programs.

Weekender staff are skilled professionals drawn from special education schools and programs. They join us to manage, supervise, and coach our weekenders during their weekend event. Our ratio of one staff for each five weekend participants supports our plan for success, fun, and safety. A Weekender nurse will also be with us to manage and dispense regular medications as well as provide immediate help for any illness or emergency situation.