Summer Camp for Youth With Special Needs Enters Seventh Year, Continues Training New Professionals

LAKE OSWEGO, OR, April 12, 2016 (Newswire.com) - LAKE OSWEGO, OR, April 8, 2016 (Newswire) -Camp YaketyYak, an inclusive social skills day camp located in Lake Oswego, Oregon that supports friendship development in children with special needs, is kicking off its seventh summer session with a greater commitment to professional training than ever before. In partnership with Portland State University, Pacific University, and others, Camp YaketyYak provides a unique service to children in need while also offering a training and mentorship opportunity to new professionals.

Says past Camp staffer Erikkson Baird: "Throughout my undergraduate speech-language pathology degree, I had the opportunity to both volunteer and work for Camp Yakety Yak. At camp I collaborated within a team of graduate  students with mentors in the field of special education, speech therapy and occupational therapy. Our team went the extra mile in order to provide individualized and engaging experiences for all the campers. Working within this supportive team has been influential in my personal and professional development. Collaboration is a skill I will continue to apply as a speech-language pathologist."

Each student CYY counselor gains a multitude of practical clinical skills that cannot be replicated in a textbook or classroom. From scheduling sensory breaks for a specific student, to planning and directing a lesson that is differentiated for all campers, CYY counselors take on-the-job-training to a new level of clinical experience.

Lucinda Bowman, MS CCC-SLP, Clinical Supervisor, 2015

With two sessions this year, running July 11-22, 2016 and August 8-19, 2016, Camp YaketyYak is expected to serve over 200 students ages 5-15 this year. Created in 2010 by Speech-Language Pathologist Angela Arterberry, The camp's educational mission is twofold: To provide instruction in social and emotional skills to children with special needs and to provide an opportunity for future professionals in educational and therapeutic fields to gain knowledge and hands-on experience. Eighty percent of Camp YaketyYak staffers are students from local universities and high schools who receive 10-30 hours of training and ongoing supervision by our professional faculty.

Says past staff assistant Mollie Krieger: "What I love about Camp Yakety Yak is that campers are not limited by their disabilities, but encouraged to be their best selves in a space that is safe and supportive. Through differentiated instruction, I could adapt activities to meet the campers’ needs and enhance their engagement and educational learning. I have no doubt that this type of problem solving and flexibility in planning will be an essential skill for me in my future career as a speech language pathologist."

Source: Camp YaketyYak