2026 Youth/Teens TRailseekers Camp
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This is a seven-week summer day camp designed for youth and teens with special needs. The Therapeutic Summer Camp’s curriculum program includes life skills training such as handling money, teamwork, social skills, creative opportunities, exercise, swimming, and field trips. Registration opens February 2nd at the Harris Center and online. Registration ends March 20th, 2026. Campers will be evaluated on an individual basis. $100 per camper. $80 for each additional sibling.
The Medical Treatment Authorization Form and Camper Medication Authorization Form below must be turned in to the Harris Center (425 Perry Street) no later than Friday, March 20th at 5pm.
If this is your first time applying to camp, we will contact you to set up an evaluation session with our Camp Director. If it is discovered during the evaluation that your child is not a good fit for a camp setting, you will be refunded in full.
TR Program Vision:
Our vision is to support all persons through inclusive recreation opportunities that meet the needs of physical activity, socialization, engagement, friendship-building, and education. We support the combined use of the ABA model and the sensory model for emotional regulation and behavior management.
TR Program Culture:
- We will offer tools for those who are sensory-seeking and sensory-avoidant to foster internal regulation.
- We focus on supporting individuals to use their language and self-expression to share how they are feeling.
- We train staff and volunteers/guests on specific ways to present themselves so as not to seem intimidating or scary to participants, such as encouraging them to sit on the floor or dress in casual clothing
- We provide visual cues, simple instructions, modeling, extended time, and flexibility in programming to ensure everyone can participate at their level. We scale activities to meet the abilities and needs of our participants.
- We give two choices and allow time to think through and respond.
- We give eye contact as much as is feasible to participants to acknowledge their person/needs.
- We will utilize social stories when feasible to foster positive engagement and appropriate responses.
- We promote behaviors that are healthy and inclusive. We look at behaviors to communicate a want or a need. We look for this need and provide an alternative, more appropriate way for the individual to obtain what they are looking for.
- We use positive reinforcement to reinforce actions that we want to continue. We use reinforcers to reward positive behaviors, such as time with a favorite toy or a break from the program.
- We use de-escalation techniques – a calm voice, neutral body language, moving to a quiet space if possible – to communicate when times get stressful. If someone has a behavior that is increasing, we will look to call parents for support or for early release from the activity.
Contact
Elizabeth Kaufman
ekaufman@auburnalabama.org
(334)501-2939
Therapeutic Programs follow the same participation guidelines as Special Olympics International. In order to qualify for Therapeutic Programs, participants must have a medically diagnosed cognitive impairment. When you register for programs, please list all medical conditions your participant has been diagnosed with as this will help us best support them to be successful while participating in our activities.
Additional Forms and Files: