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Have you even been thrown or pushed into a pool with no warning? You come up spluttering, wet, and unsure about exactly what just happened or what you are supposed to do next. For individuals with autism, that’s what transitions can feel like. Difficult. Bewildering. Even painful.

Thanks to an unusual week-long summer program on the campus of the University of Wisconsin—Eau Claire, students with Asperger Syndrome get the chance to experience just the opposite: a combination trial run/orientation for college. Says Camp Coordinator Kay Hagedorn, “It gives them a chance to see what campus life and post-secondary education are like and provides a taste of those experiences. The campers are going into their senior year of high school or will be freshmen in college. They do not have to have been accepted anywhere but have to be potential candidates for post-secondary education.”

The biggest benefit for the campers is the opportunity to find out that they are in fact capable of being on their own and navigating a college campus. “It gives them confidence,” says Emily Axelson, a camp co-director, speech-language pathologist, and University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire alumna. They also develop friendships with their fellow campers that often continue beyond the week of camp. “A student who came to camp a couple of years ago said he realized he was a social person and could talk to people.”

College 101

The camp just finished its sixth year, in which it hosted seven campers. Camp staff says the number varies from as few as seven to a maximum of 12. The first couple of days include team-building activities to give the campers a chance to get to know each other, figure out how to work together, and solve problems. Students are given a small amount of money at the beginning of the week to use for expenses and as an exercise in how to budget money. Every evening includes a social activity – anything from going to the movies to having a cookout. “The campers help plan it,” explains Amy Hilbert, camp co-director, speech-language pathologist, and another University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire alumna. “The idea is that it’s similar to what they will be doing when they get together with friends during college.”

Since the camp is set up to provide a glimpse into the college experience, the campers meet with faculty from areas of study they may want to pursue and staff from several key offices: admissions, financial aid, and services for students with disabilities. Students also have social skills and fitness sessions during the week.

The camp staff also tries to match campers up with professionals in the community doing jobs they may be interested in. If they can’t find someone in the community, they set up Skype sessions. “One of our students is interested in paleontology so we found a professor from the University of Maryland who wrote a book the student owns, a curator who works at the Smithsonian, and an artist who worked on the ‘Jurassic Park’ movie to do Skype meetings with him,” Hagedorn says. Needless to say, the student was thrilled.

The campers are guided by mentors, whose roles are to “be there to support campers, model social skills, and help them manage deal with the challenges they may face during the week,” explains Axelson. They draw mentors mostly from the communications sciences and disorders program but also from education and psychology.

Students keep a written and video portfolio during the week to record their reflections on their camp experiences. The portfolio includes their goals for the week and questions for them to answer, like “What are you worried about?”

The staff relies on anecdotal information, such as what students record in their portfolio, and pre- and post-surveys of the campers and their parents to keep tabs on the usefulness of camp sessions and what needs to be modified, changed, or added. “The surveys drive what we do at the camp the next year,” says Hagedorn.

Practical Matters

The university provides space, housing and other resources, including staff from various departments and offices. Camp Campus uses money from a special tuition program to support camp pay for staff and provide small stipends for the mentors with the goal of enriching the experience for the mentors.

The $850 fee is and has been an issue since many parents would like to send their children but can’t afford it. Some families have gotten support from local agencies or nonprofits, including local chapters of the Autism Society, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, school districts, and church groups.

Tips for the Transition

If you are a parent and can’t afford the camp or don’t live close enough, the camp staff says there are ways to give your child the support and help he or she needs to make that big transition from living at home to living on campus. Axelson offers these tips:

• Research schools and programs together. Parents should not be choosing a school, setting up meetings etc. It should be a collaborative effort that provides the young person with a sense of ownership in his or her future.
• Find the assistance you need to make those choices. The help is there to make recommendations and accommodations and provide assistance.
• Tour the school and buildings prior to starting classes to increase comfort and familiarity.
• When the school year arrives, the student should be involved in something on campus, whether it’s a support group, interest group, mentoring, or something else that will provide her or him with opportunities to interact with peers.

I Can Do This

For Hagedorn and the rest of the staff, one of the miracles of camp is the personal growth that takes place in one short week. “We can see the impact on the campers. As camp progresses, their reflections are more oriented toward ‘I can do this – be away from home and live on campus and know what to do.’ They see the possibilities at camp, and it gives them confidence that they can do what they need to do.”

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