Nicole Myers and Sharon Teabo

Associate Professors of Education

This summer, education professors Nicole Myers and Sharon Teabo went to camp. They made rain sticks, shared stories, tested musical instruments, took nature walks, and played with bugs. They also made new friends—28 of them to be exact.

At Camp Soaring Eagle, Drs. Myers and Teabo as well as an all-volunteer team of student counselors and UMW professors worked with 28 children with physical, intellectual and learning disabilities, including autism.

The six professors and 48 student counselors came from the master of education, special education and autism certificate programs at UMW’s College of Graduate and Professional Studies. Held for the third consecutive year at nearby Quantico Marine Corps base, Camp Soaring Eagle is operated in collaboration with the Exceptional Family Member Program at Quantico.

This year’s camp featured changes to allow children with serious physical and intellectual disabilities to go to camp for the first time. Among the additions were an animal therapist, an occupational therapist training campers in sensory strategies, and a nurse on hand to deal with any medical issues.

Many of these children cannot participate in traditional summer camps, yet Dr. Myers said the youngsters were very successful at Camp Soaring Eagle due to the high counselor-to-child ratio, the ability to adapt as needed, and the focus on play as the teaching method that serves these children well.

The campers made sun prints and the sticky, rubbery substance called gak. They explored more than 30 musical instruments that UMW student Jenny McMichael brought in each day. The campers and counselors sang the official camp song penned by McMichael.

Activities were designed to encourage learning in an environment that was fun and supportive for children with disabilities, said Dr. Teabo. “It’s a great combination of structured support in an engaging setting where children can learn social skills and acquire knowledge on a broad range of topics,” said Dr. Teabo.

Parents identified improvements in social skills and behavior, although the children appeared to be unaware of how much they were learning because they thought it was all play, Dr. Teabo said.

“We wish we could find a way to share the smiles and growth of each camper,” added Dr. Myers. “The effect is very rewarding for campers and counselors alike.”

For UMW students, it is difficult to learn special education or assistive technology concepts only in the classroom—without actually trying out some of the strategies and seeing disability characteristics first hand, Dr. Myers said. But as camp counselors, the UMW students can volunteer, learn in a safe environment, and have an enjoyable time working with kids with disabilities. Lectures, videos, or case studies cannot take the place of this experience, Dr. Myers said.

For example, students in Dr. Teabo’s emerging and assistive technology course took projects
they designed to camp and assessed their value in a learning environment.

Heather DeCou, a student and three-year camp veteran, said camp provides students with a wonderful opportunity to work collaboratively with each other while gaining exposure to different disability characteristics. “With faculty supervision, UMW students can gain one-on-one experience with a student or take on a leadership role within a group,” DeCou said.

Drs. Myers and Teabo, with the help of student feedback, are planning the fourth Camp Soaring Eagle for the summer of 2010.