Prairie View camp utilizes HES facilities
STAR-JOURNAL STAFF
For almost seven weeks this summer, the Hillsboro Elementary School will be transformed into a day camp and charged with positive comments and positive activities.
Summer Expedition 2002, a day camp sponsored by Prairie View, is for young people between the ages of 4 and 14 who are already receiving Prairie View services. The camp runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from June 11 through July 25 in the elementary school facilities.
There are 60 campers enrolled and approximately 30 staff members. Other day camps sponsored by Prairie View will be held in Newton with 60 campers and McPherson with 30 to 35 campers.
"The Hillsboro school system has been very generous to allow us to use their facilities," said camp facilitator Matt Krebs. "The willingness of the school district to work with us has allowed us to provide many opportunities to our campers."
Prairie View has contracted with USD 410 to use the facilities of the elementary school, kitchen and custodial services, and three buses and bus drivers. The day camp will use six classrooms, the gym, cafeteria, kitchen, and art room.
Matt Krebs and Rachel Boden, both case managers at Prairie View in Marion, are the camp facilitators. They will be assisted by four other Prairie View case managers and other staff members who trained from May 29 through June 7.
Staff members were hired from throughout the area. The state policy and Prairie View policy is that the ratio can be no more than four campers to one staff member. Staff members will work four, 10-hour days each week.
"Staff members have to be flexible," Krebs said. "We will be dealing with 60 young people with various backgrounds and personalities."
Campers are from towns in Marion County, including Florence, Marion, Burns, Peabody, Ramona, Lincolnville, Durham, Lehigh, and Hillsboro. Out-of-town campers will be bussed to the elementary school.
This is the third year for the summer camp, which was the brain child of Amy Jones from the Prairie View Newton campus. Jones' vision, which began with winter camps during Christmas vacation, eventually led to the summer camp idea. Spring break camps are in the offing. The Prairie View model has received statewide recognition, as well as recognition throughout the Midwest.
According to Jones, the camp is known statewide because it provides six hours of care for three days a week for eight weeks. The camps were built from after school groups held at Prairie View.
"The camps are outreach programs to provide services for families who need more help than the basic outpatient help," Jones said. "The camps are the biggest outpatient programs at Prairie View."
The camp provides social and emotional activities for children and structure to help maintain and improve behavior. The campers will be on a structured schedule and work on group skills and educational skills. Some activities included at the camp are swimming, field trips, games, crafts, and music.
"The kids enjoy the camp. Each year camp roster numbers have doubled and so has the staff," Krebs said.
The purpose of the summer day camp is to enhance social skills and help build self-esteem of the campers.
"We work on positive peer interaction and ways of enhancing community involvement," said Krebs. "Our camp staffers have chosen camp T-shirts that have 'No Ridicule' written on them. We want this to be a positive environment."
Mondays are "one-on-one" (attendant care services) days. Each staff member is assigned three campers to work with individually. One-on-one meetings might include family members of the campers. At the end of the day camp on July 25, staff members have the option of continuing to see campers on a one-on-one basis or in psycho-social groups of three to four campers.
"We are providing services and special needs to families in Marion County," said Cheri Ochs Wheeler, of Prairie View in Marion. "We want to provide services to support families and family structure."
According to Wheeler, other mental health centers around the state are providing day camp services for their clientele.
"The day camp is a part of community-based services for children which are a part of a treatment plan," Wheeler said. "Campers have to meet a structured criteria to attend."
In the past, the camp has had a good attendance record. According to directors and facilitators, the camp is a good thing for the campers and a good thing for Marion County.
The camp provides needed services to families while helping develop a sense of community and boosting the economy in the county. It is a win-win situation for everyone, they said, and it is just fun.
