Kate ’25, looks to inspire and bring joy to the campers at SFAH through art and science.
For the past two summers I have volunteered at The Southampton Fresh Air Home (SFAH) which is a summer sleepaway camp for kids with special needs. The program is meant to serve as a home away from home for these kids and I’ve found that SFAH is a special place that all of the campers look forward to being a part of every summer.
Usually when I am there I spend the time with the kids in the pool, which is an amazing opportunity for them to get out of their wheelchairs. This summer I’ll still be in the pool with them, but I also wanted to get them more involved in arts and crafts. Art therapy, like arts and crafts, is an awesome way for these kids with disabilities to have a voice and express themselves in order to improve self-esteem and self-expression. I plan to use all kinds of supplies that the camp and I purchased with the grant money to paint, draw, and really do anything creative with the campers.
An additional idea I had that is also included in the supplies is some easy science experiments (like Coke and Mentos). I think the campers will find this super fun and hopefully it will leave a lasting mark on their summer experience at the SFAH.
My hope and goal for this project is to bring joy to the campers through art and science and to provide them with a way to express themselves. In the end, I want to be a part of a memorable summer for the campers.