A Camp for Youth & Young Adults with Asperger Syndrome Ages 10 to 21

Session I:  June 27 - July 2 (Boys & Girls 10-21)

Session II:  July 5 - 10 (Boys 10-21)

Situated near Itasca State Park and the Headwaters of the Mississippi River, Camp Discovery is located at Camp Courage North in beautiful Lake George, MN. This camp is designed for youth with Asperger Syndrome who are looking for a summer camp experience but would benefit from a high degree of structure and small group activities.

Recreation programs are offered in a beautiful woodland setting which includes modern cabins and bathrooms.  Nutritious meals are served cafeteria style and campers eat outside on a beautiful pine deck.  Campers will be divided into sleeping cabins with 8 campers per cabin.  The cabins will be grouped by age, gender and interest areas.  Activity choices will include swimming, fishing, biking, boating, sailing, crafts, nature lessons, digital photography, games, and special events.

Campers participate in small group discussions focusing on social skill development, self-awareness and self-advocacy.  This camp employs adults with ASD.  Campers should be able to positively participate with small groups of peers while remaining safe as this camp does not provide 1:1 attention. 

Camp Discovery Extreme Adventure

July 5 - 13 (Boys 10-21)

Following the Discovery II camp session, five fortunate Camp Discovery II campers and four staff members will leave Courage North in the early morning hours of July 10.  They will travel to Ely, Minnesota where they will enter the BWCA for three days and two nights of camping and canoeing.

These "extreme canoeists" will enjoy the beauty of the lakes and forest in this pristine wilderness.   Participants will challenge themselves by canoeing for long hours and portaging the canoes and equipment between lakes.  They will sleep in two-person tents and prepare meals around a campfire.  The days will end with stories around the campfire, awesome stargazing, a few mosquitoes and listening to the call of the loons.  On the third day, they will paddle back to their landing where they will pack up the camp van and head back to the Camp Discovery site.  The adventure will end with a final evening of celebration at Camp Discovery.  Parents will pick up their camper on the morning of July 13.  There will be no bus transportation option for the return to the Twin Cities.

Additonal training at Camp Discovery will be given to the five adventurers before they leave on their trip.  Total cost for Camp Discovery plus the Extreme Adventure canoe trip is $1250.  Interested people can apply on the registration form.  Kari Dunn-Buron will make the final selection.  Extreme adventurers must be able to:

›Tolerate a 3-hour canoe ride

›Sleep in a tent in any weather

›Use a portable toilet outdoors (there are no indoor bathrooms)

›Tolerate insects/mosquitoes

Kari Dunn Buron, Director of Camp Discovery, developed Camp Discovery.  She is an Autism Specialist who has worked with students with ASD in the Twin Cities for more than 25 years.  Her professional work with autism includes the development of the ASD Certificate Program for educators at Hamline University in St. Paul and service as a licensed Special Educator with the greater St. Paul schools.  She is also the author of two books on the topic of ASD.

Related Links
visit Courage North's web site
download a map to Courage North Camp (PDF)

link to Courage North on mapquest.com