Summer Program

Camp CHOC - 2011

Carnival in our gym!

Summer Camp is scheduled from July 5th to August 19th, Monday through Friday.  Eight weeks of fun activities on-grounds and off-grounds are planned for our campers.  One of the main attractions of the camp was Amazing Race where campers participated in search of Connecticut’s historical land marks (Dinosaur State Park, Mark Twain Home, Webber Home, State Capitol, Goodspeed Opera House, and many more).  Participants attended many off-grounds trips to State Parks and beaches, Basketball Hall of Fame, Mystic Aquarium and Olde Mystic Village, Discovery Museum and Planetarium, CT Science Museum,   Beardsley Zoo,  Pequot Museum, Gillette Castle.  New York trips to Bronx Zoo and New York Stadium to watch Yankees vs. Mariners was a big highlight of this summer’s camp.  We have also hosted a Game2U/mobile video game theater on-ground which participants enjoyed and highly recommended for next year.  Campers have gone on many active and interactive trips like Berlin Batting Cages filled with games of mini golf, batting cages, bumper boats and go carts; Nomad’s Adventure Quest, Bowl-O-Rama, Sports Center.  Summer camp participants including ESY students also attended big finale trip to Six Flags.  Summer Camp is a fun and interactive way of spending summer at The Children’s Home.

The goal of our summer program is to give our residents the opportunity to experience "summer camp" like many other kids do.

Run on a schedule like a camp, the program provides the opportunity for residents to participate in a variety of indoor and outdoor events. While individual and group treatment continues, the objective of this endeavor is to continue to teach respect and responsibility through, social, cultural, educational, athletic and individualized activities either on grounds or in the community. We also make extensive use of our swimming pool, fishing pond, Ropes course and trails.

One aspect of the program for older teens is vocational training. This occurs both on and off-grounds. Work sites may include Covenant Village, Parks & Recreation programs and the local Soup Kitchen. Some sites may allow for two residents to work together with one staff member supervising them. Each resident who participates will have constant supervision by either a teacher support counselor or a job coach. Workers are taught to save a major portion of their earnings for the special items they may want.

Several of our youngsters will have the opportunity to attend Camp Squanto, an overnight camp in southern New Hampshire, during each of its summer sessions. The kids are assigned to their age appropriate cabins and we provide a liaison counselor. They have a great time!

The Summer Program teaches our residents about teamwork as they work together with staff to develop daily events and accomplish longer term goals.

We could not do any of this without the financial support we receive from several Foundations and many individual donors. To learn how you can help, contact Cindy Bartholomew or call 860-635- 6010 x312.