FRUIT COVE, Fla. \u2013 Parents looking for something active and meaningful for their high-schoolers this summer may want to consider volunteering at Camp \u201cI Am Special,\u201d an immersive program run by Catholic Charities that pairs teen \u201cbuddies\u201d with kids and adults who have special needs.<\/p>\n
Organizers say teens can complete all the volunteer hours needed for Florida\u2019s Bright Futures Scholarship, in just one week \u2014 but many come back for more because of the connections they make.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m gonna be honest. I came here for the service hours\u2026 but honestly, after my first week, it\u2019s really just about the people you meet,\u201d said Jacob Colon, 16-year-old volunteer.<\/p>\n
A camp built for inclusion \u2014 with no upper age limit<\/p>\n
Camp Director Isaiah Maass said the camp is designed to be a place where people who might not be accepted elsewhere can truly belong.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome campers just don\u2019t have a place that they can go. And our camp really prides itself on the fact that we are incredibly inclusive,\u201d Maass said. \u201cOur campers are anywhere from five up, and we have no upper age limit\u2026 last week, we had one of our ladies here who turned 80 this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maass says the mission is personal for him: His sister, who has autism, attends the camp.<\/p>\n
Volunteers say they gain patience and perspective<\/p>\n
Many teen volunteers admit they were nervous walking in, unsure how they\u2019d support someone with different needs. Lucas Allegretto, 16, said his first week pushed him out of his comfort zone.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was really worried and nervous, and I ended up with a camper who was really difficult for me, because I didn\u2019t have a lot of patience,\u201d Lucas said, adding that patience is one of the biggest lessons he\u2019s taken from the camp.<\/p>\n
He said the experience helped him see campers as people first.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what you learn so much from\u2026 they\u2019re not just defined by the disabilities,\u201d Lucas said. \u201cYou really get to know them for who they are\u2026 you become their friend.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Summer Berryhill, 15, volunteering is a family tradition \u2014 but she still didn\u2019t fully understand what it was like until she experienced it herself.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt kind of runs in my family\u2026 my mom did it when she was a kid,\u201d Summer said. \u201cAt first, I didn\u2019t really know. And then I came to one of the talent shows and I was just blown away.\u201d<\/p>\n
For parents, trust can be the biggest hurdle<\/p>\n
Camp leaders know some parents and caregivers may be hesitant to leave their child with people they don\u2019t know. Michelle Geraci, whose child attends the camp and whose other children have volunteered as buddies, said she understands that fear \u2014 because she felt it too.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey offered a day program\u2026 so I thought, well, okay, I\u2019ll do the day,\u201d Geraci said. \u201cAnd he came home so happy every day\u2026 I almost felt guilty taking him home at the end of the day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Geraci said what reassured her most was the camp\u2019s structure and training for volunteers \u2014 and seeing her child become comfortable in the space.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you see how he was not wanting to be around me? This is his space!\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Campers say the experience is worth it<\/p>\n
Campers also encourage newcomers who might be nervous.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf there\u2019s somebody watching who wants to come to the camp or they\u2019re a little nervous, what would you say to them?\u201d News4Jax asked camper Nick Mueller.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou got this,\u201d Mueller said, who is excited about playing his guitar later in tonight\u2019s talent show. \u201cThis camp is amazing, and we have a lot of fun here.\u201d<\/p>\n
How to get involved<\/p>\n
High schoolers can still apply to volunteer at Camp \u201cI Am Special\u201d this summer. The camp also offers sessions near the winter holidays. Here is more information about requirements for volunteers and campers.<\/p>\n
VOLUNTEERS: ccbjax.org\/buddy<\/a><\/p>\n CAMPERS: ccbjax.org\/camp-i-am-special<\/a><\/p>\n CATHOLIC CHARITIES: ccbjax.org<\/a><\/p>\n