By Lauren Lieberman. One of the best aspects of Camp Abilities is the encouragement and validation we are able to give our campers. Each of the counselors believes – firmly believes – in the ability of each child. We know that sometimes a child needs a dose of encouragement, a validation of our belief and … Read more
By June Converse. Assume People Can “Be conscious of your bias and try to correct them before they become judgments.” ~ Raveena, age 14 Recently we posted an article about Universal Design. As we always like to do, this article takes Universal Design off the page and into the classroom. While interviewing Jessica, Stacy and … Read more
By June Converse. When I was in middle and high school, I did not enjoy volleyball. I used to find excuses to get out of playing. But I assure you, if someone had told me I wasn’t allowed to play, I would have been outraged. While I know there are obstacles to letting everyone participate, … Read more
By June Converse. My Blindness is a Valuable Asset Camp Abilities is an amazing camp for amazing kids. But Lauren Lieberman did not create Camp Abilities in a vacuum. She was privileged to have important mentors walk beside her and before her. Two of these important people are Paul Ponchillia and his late wife, Susan. … Read more
By June Converse. “It’s my favorite week of the year. Hands down. My favorite week. Yes, it’s worth it. ~ Jennifer Stelmach, Director, Camp Abilities Florida Whether in NY, Alaska or Africa, Camp Abilities is a gathering of champions. The kids. The parents. The volunteers. The counselors. The directors. Today, I’d like to introduce you … Read more
By June Converse. If you know Camp Abilities, you know the founder and directors are committed to introducing physical fitness and sport to children who are visually impaired. It’s a camp of inclusion and acceptance, participation and accomplishment. But Camp Abilities is also dedicated to training and developing future educators and leaders in the field … Read more
By June Converse. Just Say Yes “When opportunity arises – without details, without logistics – just say yes.” ~ Matt Mescall A Journey to Alaska. A Journey to a Forever Impact. Camp Abilities is about asking children who are visually impaired to take a risk, to try something new. Camp Abilities asks kids to step … Read more
By June Converse. What is the riskiest thing you’ve ever done? Scuba diving? Skydiving? Driving on the highway in a large city? Choosing one job over another? In the Universal Design blog, I used the term “dignity of risk”. While intuitively I knew what the term meant, I wanted to gain a deeper understanding. The … Read more
By June Converse. In last week’s post, we introduced you to Eddie Martinez. Eddie’s desire and willingness to learn the unicycle was one of the first steps in Lauren’s journey to develop Camp Abilities. Eddie represented everything Camp Abilities would eventually encompass — ability not disability; challenging ourselves and our children; finding a way instead … Read more
By Lauren Lieberman. Can a Student Who Is Deafblind Learn to Ride a Unicycle? When I started to tell my story, I began, as we all would, at the beginning. I was born in East Goshen, PA. I was the second oldest of four. A nice home in a nice community with a nice family. … Read more