ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
From left, Jahlani Ciprian, Spencer Scully and Morgan McGanvey play Bingo at Camp Friendship at Lynn Tech.
BY MICHELE DURGIN
LYNN — Camp Friendship is not your average summer program.
The camp serves youngsters through grade five who struggle with social skills and are often impaired by autism, a developmental disorder.
The four-week program, celebrating its 10th anniversary, includes 10 volunteer Counselors in Training (CIT), as well as eight peer models.
Camp Friendship is a city program based at Lynn Vocational Technical Institute.
Miki DiVirgilio, program specialist, praised the counselors and said she is impressed with the teens’ maturity and work ethic.
“This program is wonderful for the campers and counselors,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity for the CITs to practice social skills, and the campers love the attention they are getting while they are spending time participating in camp activities. It is a win-win for all.”
The campers enjoy arts and crafts, cooking classes and field trips.The staff is preparing to take the campers on a field trip to Wendy’s.
“Activities like this seem so simple to most of us, but it is a great opportunity for them to gain important social skills experience through ordering and paying for a lunch, as well as saying thank you and spending time in a public setting,” said Gary Conn.
The physical education teacher at Connery Elementary School said he returns to work at the camp every summer because he sees positive results.
“This is the best summer program for kids with needs,” he said. “They don’t want to leave when the four weeks is over. It is wonderful to see the relationships between the campers and counselors develop during the four weeks we are together. Children often arrive here shy and withdrawn. But just about every one of them leaves here with improved social skills and they are eager to interact with others.”
Teacher Cindy Donovan is celebrating six years with the program and said she looks forward to it all winter long.
“I love this program because we see kids learn and practice important social skills that are necessary for a productive and successful life,” she said. “They acquire problem solving abilities, and even though the focus isn’t technically academic, there are still many things that prepare them for their return to school in the fall.”
Another important component of Camp Friendship, teachers say, is the attention and guidance offered to the volunteer teen counselors during their time with the program.
Devon O’Connor, a career resource specialist from Work Opportunities Unlimited in Beverly, works with the CITs on the importance of polished social skills and the value in volunteering.
“We spend an hour together each day and so much of the emphasis is focused on the importance of volunteering and the value of teamwork and leadership in the world today,” she said. “Everyone leaves here a little better off and ready to face a new school year.”
Volunteer counselor Matthew Leonard, 14, who is beginning his eighth summer at the camp, summed up the importance of the program.
“I just like helping kids, it feels good to see them have fun,” he said. “I meet new friends every year and you can always use a good friend or two in your life.”
