A Wizard of Oz for All

If you were fortunate enough to attend the summer camp production of The Wizard of Oz at either Wednesday or Thursday afternoon, you might not have realized some of the actors were children on the autism spectrum, campers from the township’s special needs camp that for the past two years have participated in ’s summer theater camp.

Children with special needs have never been excluded from participating in the summer theater camp. And although it’s true the camp counselors, all previous campers themselves, must sometimes speak more slowly or repeat directions more often, those seem to be the only modifications they make when working with children who may need a little extra help and direction due to AD/HD, legal blindness or physical disability. His or her “special” status is not mentioned and there is no stigma or distinction made. They're just part of the show—singing, dancing and being goofy like all the other campers.

But there is another group of special needs children that for the past two years have been pounding the footlights along with other campers: those in the special needs camp. The campers in this group are all on the autism spectrum and need the extra one-on-one help they receive in this closely supervised program, led by Ann Daskilewicz, site supervisor and special education teacher at .

Two years ago, when the special needs class moved from the to the middle school, home of the summer theater camp, Daskilewicz and Theresa Miller, head of Parks and Recreation, realized the time was ripe for blending the children, who are typically schooled in self-contained classrooms, with higher-functioning boys and girls who attend the theater camp in July.

The special needs camp was created in 2008 with a grant from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. The “Recreational Opportunities For Individuals with Disabilities” grant allows eligible Moorestown residents, ages 6 to 14, to have a typical summer camp experience.

“Whatever we do at our other sites, we do at the special needs camp,” said Miller, referring to the five other camps the Rec Department runs around town.

In addition to becoming Munchkins on stage this summer, the campers went swimming at the , bowled at the Playdrome, and had cooking, computer and arts and crafts classes. They even had the opportunity to work with Home Depot, whose professionals came in to teach the children how to build bat houses after the children learned about bats in class.

Throughout the four-week session, a well-trained staff consisting of two teachers, a nurse and two recreation assistants, as well as five students involved in the counselor-in-training program, assisted the campers.

This is not your typical counselor-in-training position for the teens working side by side with the campers. In addition to helping with the fun activities, they also help feed, dress and toilet the campers. Many of them even dressed in costume and “shadowed” their enthusiastic actors up on stage. Erin Miller and Shannon Bohling, both rising seniors at , said they were so changed by their counseling experience that they planned on majoring in special education in college.

Already majoring in special education, camp counselors Quinn Hanlon (Towson State) and Maddie Yedman (Rutgers) acted as liaisons between the traditional theater camp and the special needs camp. Their specialty? “Lunch Theater!” Every day, Hanlon and Yedman would join the smaller group of campers during their midday meal, singing and dancing and helping the campers learn their two big group numbers in the show.

Sarah Dugan, a 20-year veteran of Moorestown’s Parks and Rec summer theater camp, both as a camper and now as the show director, said although she had no preconceptions about what the special campers would or wouldn’t be able to do, she was still surprised by the enthusiasm and energy they brought to the production.

“They are just so excited to be part of the group,” Dugan said laughing. “Their energy was contagious.”

In a wonderful spirit of giving, several of Moorestown’s nonprofit groups generously participated in the success of the special needs camp.

“The whole community has come together with this program,” said Daskilewicz.  “Many families could not afford the $75 camp fee.” 

That’s when MoorKids, a relatively new nonprofit, stepped in, paying camp fees for those children who were eligible. for the campers every day. Also helping to make this camp possible were Monique Begg and the Friends Enrichment Program and .

When asked what her dream for the special needs camp was, Daskilewicz paused for a moment before replying.

“Integration,” she said thoughtfully. “I want the children of Moorestown to accept these children and welcome them. If you plant the seeds of acceptance when they’re young, kids will learn to be caring and compassionate adults."

Miller, while echoing these sentiments, would love to extend the length of camp, as well as the age of the campers.

“We really want to not only enrich the lives of these kids, but give respite to the families as well," she said. "Four weeks is good; six or more would be ideal.”

Due to health issues with several of the children, the special needs campers will not be performing at tonight’s or Saturday night’s performance. But that shouldn’t stop you from going to see The Wizard of Oz. It's a great opportunity to introduce youngsters to theater without the “shushing” that sometimes accompanies rambunctious young audience members. More importantly, in attending the show, you will become an active participant in our communal effort to include every child in many varied activities, regardless of their abilities or their finances.

And, as Dorothy Gale so famously said, “There’s no place like home.” I do believe she was talking about Moorestown.

For more information about Parks and Recreation programs, call Theresa Miller at 856-235-6344.