My child has had difficulty attending other summer camps, how do I know this one will work for him/her?

 

Our camp cannot guarantee that Camp Yakety Yak is the right fit for every child, but we will make every effort to create an engaging environment for all campers where social/emotional/behavioral/communication learning is embedded in fun! We can do this because of our high staff to camper ratio of highly-trained and enthusiastic Speech-Language & Occupational Therapy graduate students, College Interns, and Camp Counselors.  There is always an adult who is looking out for each child, making sure that their needs are being met and they are enjoying the learning process. We believe if a child is not having fun, they are not learning! It is the responsibility of staff to 1) assure the safety of all campers; 2) assure that all campers are content so they are emotionally and cognitively "available" to learn; and 3) support campers in participating in all camp activities and target their goals throughout each day. 

 

Why does the camp cost more than a typical summer camp?

There are a lot of differences between our camp and a typical summer camp. We are not a recreational camp and exist just for fun. We are a therapeutic camp where goals are being worked on by specially-trained college-level staff with the supervision of multi-disciplinary panel of Masters level professionals. We believe that "behavior is communication" and teach our staff strategies to coach children through social conflicts or emotional reactions instead of telling the child how to behave. Our goal is to build skills to take back to school in the fall, so our camp closely resembles a middle school-type schedule where the instructors stay in the classroom and teams of campers rotate through the classrooms throughout the day. We also specifically work on Lunch, Recess, PE, and Classroom skills. Recreational or activity-based summer camps cost approximately $10 per hour with a 8-to-1 staff to camper ratio and no one-to-one assistant support provided. If one compares the services a child with special needs is receiving at camp (approximately $20 per hour) with the cost of private speech therapy (approximately $85-$100 per hour), we think that our fee is reasonable for 25 hours/week of intensive social-emotional instruction with our high staff-to-camper ratio and many 1:1 assistants.

 

Who will be working with my child at Camp Yakety Yak?

Campers work with a variety of staff throughout each day. The camp is administered by a Camp Director with a Masters in speech-language pathology, a Director of Operations with a background in education, and two Coordinators for our Special Programs with Masters in special education and speech-language pathology. Masters and bachelors level clinicians and teachers instruct classes with the support of graduate students. College and high school students serve as one-to-one assistants and small group leaders. Our mission is for Camp Yakety Yak to be a learning experience for all participants. If your child is assigned a one-to-one assistant or a team leader, that person will ideally remain the same throughout the week of camp, barring sickness or unexpected absence. Our graduate/college and high school students are with us on weekly, or biweekly basis and we are not always able to assign the same person as a one-to-one for multiple weeks. In rare cases, staff has been moved to other duties at camp if their original assignment was not a good fit.  The main staff who will be working with your child are college student interns, graduate students, and college-age and high school volunteers under the supervision of professionals. This is why we can offer the camp at approximately $20 per hour instead of a professional rate of $65-$125 per hour.

 

Are there any kinds of needs you do not serve at Camp Yakety Yak?

Because we are primarily a communication and social skills camp, we are careful not to step outside of our scope of practice. Our camp would not be a good fit for children with severe emotional or behavioral disorders that relate to a mental illness or conduct disorder. Children who are physically aggressive when upset or who run from staff (and do not return when called) are probably not a good fit due to safety concerns. Children with generalized anxiety disorder (i.e., anxiety that is not a result of another disability) may also not be a good fit for camp. If you have a question about whether camp may/may not be a good fit for your child please contact the director at Heather@CampYaketyYak.org to set up a time for a phone call.  

 

What is the training like for the staff?

Our graduate students are from local universities. This is similar to a “student teaching” experience where the students practice concepts they have learned in school with actual children at camp, with helpful supervision. Interns receive at least 15 hours of training (in person and online training modules) before camp begins. Weekly Camp Counselor/Volunteers receive at least 10 hours of training before interacting with campers. During camp, Interns and Camp Counselors meet daily with supervisors to discuss their performance, develop curriculum and implement new strategies to support campers. College students from other therapeutic and educational fields, and mature middle and high school students volunteer as Camp Counselors to ensure the safety and enjoyment of campers and help us achieve our impressive high staff-to-camper ratio and 1:1 assignments. We have the best, hardest-working, and most enthusiastic staff around!

 

What is a typical day like at Camp Yakety Yak?

After arriving and settling in at camp, campers go to an assembly, then get in small groups and rotate to different classes throughout the building. Our classes include: ChitChat/Friendship (Social Skills), Mindfulness (Regulating Emotions), Games/Play (PE/Recess Skills), Yak Academy/Projects (Classroom Skills and Teamwork) and Discovery (Hands-On, Sensory, and Art/Science Projects). Campers bring their own sack lunches and and a snack and practice having conversations with others while eating. Many days throughout the session, some campers will participate in a Cooking class, where they get to follow picture recipes. Recess breaks are added throughout the day and the day ends with an All Camp Assembly. Each activity in the day is meant to teach and reinforce friendship skills in an environment that resembles a child's “school” experience. 
 

Do you do activities throughout the year?
Our staff are busy with their school-based job or college coursework during the school year, so we do not have regularly scheduled activities throughout the school year. We are considering some special events in the future depending on the availability of space and staff. Our Facebook page will have the most recent event information.

How is Camp Yakety Yak funded?
At this time, our camp is almost entirely funded by camper tuition, donations, and fundraising efforts. Camp Yakety Yak became a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization in 2013 and is now actively seeking grant funding for our camp season to help lower camper tuition. After building a strong infrastructure, our goal is to receive enough support through grants and other fundraising efforts to reduce the cost of camp for families while continuing to enhance the programs we offer. Stay tuned!

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How do I apply to volunteer at Camp Yakety Yak?

Please see the Camp Counselor/Volunteer page.
 

My child has a one-to-one assistant at school, will they have one at Camp Yakety Yak?

In all likelihood, a child who needs a one-to-one assistant at school will also need one at Camp Yakety Yak. An assistant will be assigned to each camper who has a demonstrated need (even if they do not have an assistant at school) for the entire camp session and will be trained in the specific strategies that support the child. Assistants are provided to any child who needs this level of support for no additional charge. Most 1:1s are high school age and most of our graduate and college students are assigned in our Buddies, Explorers Blue, and Yak Apprentice programs. 
 

​Are there scholarships available?
We have a limited number of needs-based partial scholarships available. Parents are encouraged to apply for a scholarship and will be contacted if one should be awarded to their child. Please see our Scholarship Application Form on the Parent Dashboard when you register. More about CYY's scholarship process: The scholarship committee looks at multiple factors in determining the scholarship calculations. We do not have a maximum income policy at this time rather we look at all of the other factors that the family shares to get a total picture of a need. When in doubt if you will qualify or not, just apply for a scholarship anyway and the committee will review all applications and available scholarship funds to make a determination.  We ask that families who are interested in scholarships register their child for the amount of camp weeks they want online and pay all of the registration deposits. And then complete a scholarship application with the supplementary documentation required. We review each application for scholarships and then contact the families by email about the award. It is important to note that providing written thank you’s to the donor is required for scholarships and is excellent social skill practice for campers. Our office handles tracking and distribution of thank you notes to donors or written testimonials to foundations providing scholarship funds.  If a family registers for camp and pays the registration fee, then applies for the scholarship and is not allocated enough/is not able to raise the remaining tuition cost, we will refund all tuition paid, including the registration fee. SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS ARE DUE ON OR BEFORE MAY 1. Scholarship announcements will be on/before JUNE 1. Families waiting on notification of a scholarship have an extension to the tuition due date. 

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Does Camp Yakety Yak bill medical insurance?

No. Camp Yakety Yak is not on the panel of any insurance provider. The services we provide at Camp Yakety Yak are different than typical speech therapy. We do not provide one-to-one therapy with one child and one adult. We have large group or classroom sessions working with a variety of staff, many of whom are not speech pathologists or are still in college and do not have the credentials to bill medical insurance. We do not take the kind of documentation that is required for reimbursement. We are too busy interacting with children and planning fun lessons! Sorry, we do not provide medical receipts for you to submit to your insurance company, as well. 

 

My child has a special diet. How are special diets accommodated for at Camp Yakety Yak?
 

We can accommodate special diets at Camp Yakety Yak. Each day, parents provide a sack lunch for their child along with a snack and a water bottle. All campers have a name tag showing them where to sit at camp and dietary needs are provided to all staff that works and interacts with your child. It is our policy that no child is given food or drinks that have not been pre-approved by the parent. In the event of a forgotten lunch or snack, the child's allergy list will be checked before providing a snack (i.e., turkey lunchable, crackers, cheese sticks, fruit) if there are no allergies. Our Kitchen Supervisor will work with you to assure any food activities are safe for your child.  Additionally, no peanut products are allowed at Camp Yakety Yak.  
 

How do you keep parents informed of how their child is doing at Camp Yakety Yak?
Parents receive daily emails about camp activities and announcements from camp administration. The Blog will be updated daily with general camp happenings so you can discuss with your camper what they did that day. Campers complete a "My Day at Camp" form each day with the help of their team leaders. These are provided to parents when they pick up their child. Comments are meant to be positive and "general", with a goal of sharing what the camper did that day, what they enjoyed, and who they played with. If there is any feedback that is related to  problem behaviors, safety concerns, physical aggression towards staff or another camper, you will receive a call from a Director or Behavior Support Team member that evening after camp.  In August, parents will receive a "Progress Note" that describes the social/emotional/communication goal that was chosen for their child, the strategies that helped, and the child’s progress on the goal by the end of the session/s.

I want to support my child in making new friendships that last beyond the summer. Will there be other children like my child at camp?

Our campers are pretty evenly divided between boys and girls and have many children at each age level from 5 to 15 of all skill levels and interests. We place children in camper teams to attend classes and pay particular attention pairing children to facilitate friendship. If your child expresses interest in being friends with someone, you can let us know and we can ask the other parent of we can share their contact information with you. We may also let you know about friendships developing in th event you are interested in reaching out to set up playdates or get-togethers

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We would like our child to attend camp, but the location is not convenient. Do you help connect families for carpooling?
We would love to help families connect with each other for carpooling support! If that is something you would like, please email us at office@campyaketyyak.org. We can do a search in our registration system for fmilies with matching zip codes, and schools.

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Why does Camp Yakety Yak require my child's IEP before attending camp?

Our staff wants to design a successful camp experience for every child. The IEP contains valuable information on how a child learns, what skills are lagging and what accommodations he/she needs to be successful. Our staff is trained on confidentiality and only those staff who "need to know" the information contained in the documents have access. Learn more about the benefits & services to campers with special needs on our Our Campers page.

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Why do neurotypical siblings/peer role models gain from attending camp?

Neurotypical siblings of campers with special needs and peers, gain a unique experience in which they learn leadership skills, empathy, and flexibility with others while having fun and creating new friendships. All campers receive a camp t-shirt, all supplies needed for camp, hours of engaging group activities and projects.  Many siblings and peers return to camp year after year and often become Camp Counselor/Volunteers at age 13. Learn more about the benefits & services to campers for neurotypical siblings/peer role models on our Our Campers page.

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What if my child has a medical diagnosis, or no diagnosis, but one is suspected, but does not have an IEP or 504 at school? Can they still attend Camp Yakety Yak as a "camper with special needs?"

 

Yes, a child does not need an IEP or 504 to attend our camp as Camper with Special Needs. The camp asks for an IEP, 504 or medical reports for two reasons 1) so the staff can learn as much as possible to prepare for each individual camper; and 2) so our mostly college-levels volunteer staff can gain experience reviewing these forms (i.e., what kind of information they provide, what further questions do they have etc.) CYY is as much of a learning experience for children as it is for our Camp Counselors. Many children who attend private schools do not have IEPs or 504s. 

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Additionally, since there is such a big difference in price for children with special needs and neurotypical siblings/peers, we have had parents say that because the child doesn’t have an IEP (perhaps they go to a private school or are home schooled and no IEP is written) the child is not technically “special needs” but has required our staff to do a lot of individual planning and support for the child. If a child is being sent to benefit from our curriculum, and not just enjoy the activities, they have special needs and our staff will work on a goal, track progress and report it to you. See each program's page for services and benefits.

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Typical campers just come to enjoy the activities and help us create an inclusive setting. They receive no individual programming, require no specialist supervision by our Professional Faculty or written progress reports. 

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On the online registration, we try to ask parents many questions that might also be on an IEP in order to get the clearest and most up to date picture of their child. The answers parents provide should prepare our staff well, but if they have any follow up questions, they will be trained on how to ask in a professional manner.