After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Camp Achieve returned this summer. Camp Achieve is Ball State’s annual five-week summer social skills autism day camp for children 6-12 years of age. Offered free of charge, the camp provides a distinctive and exceptional learning experience in contrast to typical, high-cost summer camps that focus more on childcare rather than education.

Faculty from Ball State’s Center for Autism Spectrum Disorder organized and hosted the camp, designed to support positive behavior and social skills. It also helps maintain the academic skills of the campers throughout the summer by providing innovative programming and therapeutic recreational activities.

Campers participated in various activities involving embedded academics such as math relays, science integrated with outdoor skills, and collaborative theatrical performances. They also practiced social skills in groups each day, and worked to incorporate the skills throughout the summer.

Camp Achieve also provides Ball State students with a unique summer work opportunity, as well as immersive learning to those pursuing a career in education, as they work directly with campers.

This year’s Camp Achieve was held June 20-July 26, on Ball State’s campus. The location provided access to a number of activities such as swimming at Ball Gym, playing at an exceptional playground at Burris Laboratory School, and hiking in Christy Woods. Additionally, campers went on field trips to the Duck Pond to fish, the Glick Center for Glass, and the Charles W. Brown Planetarium.