News-Events

The latest Camp Akeela newsletter is here! Check Out The Spring 2026 Newsletter As we finish up with the camp forms for our younger daughter,…

Why a buzzword of 2026 actually describes what great overnight camps have been doing for kids – especially neurodivergent ones – all along. Earlier this…

Parents of kids with ADHD or ASD are very familiar with the phrase executive function. It refers to a cluster of cognitive skills — working…

The latest Camp Akeela newsletter is here! Check Out The Winter 2026 Newsletter March has arrived and with it some signs of spring, which are…

Every June, something remarkable happens at camps like ours. A kid who has spent the entire school year masking — carefully performing a version of…

Earlier today, we hosted a virtual information session for parents who are considering Camp Akeela for their children. We recorded the conversation, including the accompanying…

The latest Camp Akeela newsletter is here! Fall 2025 Newsletter In this addition, you’ll find: A note from Akeela’s directors, Debbie and Eric Two Spotify…

With Memorial Day almost upon us, the camp season is just around the corner! That also means it’s time for the latest Camp Akeela newsletters:…

We asked a couple of our current staff members to talk about how Akeela has fit into their careers as educators. Here’s what they said…

If you’re the parent of a neurodivergent child, planning for the summer is more than just picking a camp. Your child’s specific strengths, preferences and…

Read The October 2024 Newsletter Here A brief excerpt: Dear Akeela Campers, We can’t believe how quickly time has passed since the end of the…

After another summer at camp where I am able to completely unplug from social media and the news and the mindless scrolling that comes along…

Last spring, I was contacted by the producer of Dan Heath’s excellent podcast, “What It’s Like To Be …” Dan and his brother, Chip, are…

One minute it was cold and snowing at Akeela, and the next minute everything was in bloom! Spring is finally here and we’re getting excited…

Now that it’s March, the camp season is just around the corner, and our latest newsletter is all about how to start preparing for the summer!…

It’s widely understood that neurodivergent individuals, including those with autism, NLD or ADHD, often face unique challenges in navigating social interactions. It also goes without…

Read the Holiday 2023 Newsletter Here Happy New Year! While we still haven’t gotten any “real” snow here in Philadelphia, up at camp, it’s a…

Read The October 2023 Newsletter Here Despite a very rainy first session, 2023 was an absolutely wonderful summer at Camp Akeela! It was filled with…

With summer right around the corner, we have prepared not one but TWO newsletters for our camp community: Parent Newsletter, April 2023 and Camper Newsletter,…

I accomplished two things last week. First, I finished reading one of the most insightful and helpful books I’ve read in a long time.  It’s…

An important note before moving on to the rest of this post: Akeela is a community that prides itself, above all else, on being welcoming…

Read The Entire Newsletter Here Akeela will be celebrating our Sweet 16 this summer! A lot has changed since our first summer together on Miller…

As the parent of a child with Asperger’s, we know that you want to find the right camp that will help your child develop social…

Read the October 2022 Newsletter Here The newest edition of the Camp Akeela newsletter is here! In it, you will find: A quick recap of…

I was made aware of a program at the Yale Child Study Center last year and since hearing about it from a clinical colleague, it…

Read The Akeela Newsletter Here The May 2022 edition of the Camp Akeela newsletter has arrived! In this issue: Eric and Debbie outline the upcoming…

Read The Akeela Newsletter Here The March 2022 edition of the Camp Akeela newsletter has arrived! In this issue: Eric and Debbie share a few…

Read The Akeela Newsletter Here Dear Akeela Friends, Thanksgiving is the perfect time to publish this newsletter because when we think about Akeela (which, let’s…

Popular and news media tend to focus on the challenges that neurodiverse individuals face, but here at Camp Akeela we help campers with Aspergers Syndrome…

Read The Camper Newsletter Here It’s spring and that means that the camp season is just around the corner. We’ll be moving up to Akeela…

The February edition of our Akeela newsletter is here! With cold weather and more snow than we’ve had in a number of years here in…

It’s time for our December 2020 Newsletter! This edition includes an excerpt from our blog post about setting limits and expectations at home, along with…

Last month, we had the pleasure of presenting a webinar with our colleague Elise Wulff from MGH Aspire in Boston. This was part of a…

It’s time for the latest issue of Camp Akeela’s monthly newsletter! In this edition, we announce two exciting — and FREE — upcoming webinars for…

As most people have already heard, comedian Chris Rock shared that he was diagnosed with NVLD (Non-Verbal Learning Disorder) in September. All of the entertainment…

Late this spring, we were planning our Akeela Family Camp and I was so thrilled to be a part of the fun and excitement. Much…

We hope you’ll check out the latest issue of Camp Akeela’s monthly newsletter ! In this edition, we highlight a couple of recent blog posts….

It’s hard to believe that summer has come and gone. When we started hearing about the coronavirus, we were confident that “they” would have it…

I’m pretty sure we can all say that summer 2020 did not go as planned. Everyone was scrambling to shift gears and make alternate plans….

Being a camp director is probably one of the most fulfilling careers a person can ask for. We work for nine months every year hiring…

Hi! I’m Taylor Whitchurch, a student teacher from the UK! The 2019 season was my 4th summer at Akeela, where I’ve been a swimming specialist,…

Why work at Akeela ? It quite literally will change your life. For me, I was a soon-to-graduate Psychology major from LA when I applied…

The past week and a half has been A LOT. (And has it only been a week and a half?) Like so many others, I’m…

Hello, my name is Katerina, and I’m currently 24 years old. I can proudly say I was camper at Akeela for many years (until I…

These are extremely hard times for everyone. With so much uncertainty, many of us feel more anxious than usual. No doubt, this is true for…

As someone whose passion is working with children with different abilities and having done so since high school, I knew that I wanted to continue…

Hello! My name is Rachel, and currently I’m a 23-year-old medical student at the University of Minnesota . The two summers that I’ve spent working…

The latest edition of the Akeela VT Circular is here! In this edition of our newsletter: Planners for parents/guardians and campers to help you get…

The latest edition of the Akeela WI Circular is here! In this edition of our newsletter: Family planner for parents/guardians and campers to help you…

When I talk to new families about Camp Akeela, I’m often asked, “How do you teach social skills ”? I think what they want to…

The holiday season is a great time to be together with family and to reflect on the past year. As we do so, we are…

The latest edition of the Akeela WI Circular is here! In this edition of our newsletter: Notes from Mike and Kristin Program updates for 10th…

The Akeela Vermont Fall Circular is here! In this edition of our newsletter: An update from our program director about exciting things to look forward…

After we move our family home from camp and get our daughters settled back into their school routines, I spend most of the fall talking…

The newest edition of the Akeela circular for our Wisconsin families is here! See what’s inside: Letter from the directors What to expect on the…

The Akeela Spring Circular for our Vermont campers and their families is here! In this issue of our camp newsletter: A letter from Eric and…

The Akeela Winter Circular for our Vermont campers and their families is here! In this issue of our camp newsletter: A letter from Eric and…

The Akeela Winter Circular for our Wisconsin campers and their families! In this issue of our camp newsletter: Letters from Mike and Kevin. It’s not…

We had a great time at our FIFTH annual Winter Weekend reunion for our Vermont campers. Winter Storm Harper couldn’t stop the Akeela magic over…

Happy holidays from your friends at Camp Akeela! We’re thinking of all our camp friends during this season, and can’t wait to be back at…

Why Camp is still Important for High School Students I recently had a conversation with a long-time Camp Akeela parent.  She was wondering whether or…

Social Skills Camp Boston: Staying connected to your camper! One of the most important outcomes of a summer session at Camp Akeela is that our…

The 2018 Fall Akeela Circular for our Wisconsin campers and their families! In this issue of our camp newsletter: Letters from your new directors, Kevin…

The 2018 Fall Akeela Circular is here for our Vermont campers and their families! In this issue of our camp newsletter: Exciting news about new…

Asperger’s teens Summer Trips The fall is always a bitter-sweet time for us as camp directors.  On the one hand, there is a sense of…

Help Sleepless kids Special Needs Besides being a camp director, I also have my doctorate in Clinical Psychology.  During my studies in NY, I became…

The latest Camp Akeela (WI) newsletter, the Akeela Circular, is here! This jam-packed newsletter includes a lot of important information for camp parents, introductions to…

The latest Camp Akeela (VT) newsletter, the Akeela Circular, is here! This jam-packed newsletter includes a lot of important information for camp parents, introductions to…

Parents sometimes worry that their child is “too young” for sleepover camp. Sometimes, that’s true. Parents know their children best and usually sense when their…

Social Skills Summer Camps & Critical Life Skills For generations of campers, summer camp has been teaching critical life skills. Camp has always been so…

The latest Camp Akeela (WI) newsletter, the Akeela Circular, is here! In this edition: A letter from Dave and Katie, looking back on the foundation…

The latest Camp Akeela (VT) newsletter, the Akeela Circular, is here! In this edition: A letter from Debbie and Eric, looking back on the Winter…

This article was originally written by Nicole Joseph an attorney who practices special education law in Maryland. As any parent whose child has a 504…

Our fourth annual Winter Weekend was a big hit! All of us are incredibly proud of how our campers represented Akeela throughout the weekend. It…

Happy holidays from all of us here at Camp Akeela! We’re thinking of all our camp friends during this season, and can’t wait to be…

We speak with parents who have girls every day and they often tell us that people just “don’t get it”. Girls who are struggling socially…

This blog was written by guest blogger and Camp Akeela alumna, Lara Lewis. We are so grateful to Lara for contributing this article!   You…

I just finished reading two articles about the impact of smartphones on our emotional wellbeing and our intelligence. Neither article was uplifting. The bottom line…

The latest newsletter, the Akeela Circular, is here! Here’s an excerpt, in which Debbie and Eric reflect about the camp’s 10 year anniversary: In late…

This blog was written by guest blogger and Camp Akeela alumna, Lara Lewis. We are so grateful to Lara for contributing this article, and look…

Autism Spectrum Disorders and Mental Health Diagnoses NPR published an article this week about the prevalence of Mental Health diagnoses in those with an Autism…

The Wisconsin version of our spring newsletter is here! Here’s an excerpt from the newsletter: Happy spring, friends! This has always been the most exciting…

The latest newsletter, The Akeela Circular, is here! Here is an excerpt from the newsletter, in which we describe what campers can expect from the…

As we approach the start of another camp season, we’ve been reflecting on what an exciting year this has been for us. Opening a second…

Each summer at camp, we consistently push our campers with Asperger’s Syndrome and High Function Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to try new things and to…

The Winter 2017 edition of our newsletter, The Camp Akeela Circular, is here! Check it out for advice about how to prepare for camp, an…

Our third annual Winter Weekend was a big hit! All of us are incredibly proud of how our campers represented Akeela throughout the weekend. It…

Welcome Back and a Happy New Year to all!! Part 2 of Autism Spectrum Camp Staff : Click to read part 1  Most recently, we joined…

Happy Holidays from all of us at Akeela! We’ve put together our annual camper slideshows and hope you enjoy watching them. We enjoyed a walk…

Is It Really “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?” Eric and I took our girls to see the “holiday spectacular” at the Comcast Center…

Autism Spectrum Camp Directors: When we tell people that we’re summer camp directors, one of the most common responses is to ask us, “What do…

Utilizing Modern Technology to Improve Self-Awareness and Self-Advocacy I recently had the pleasure of attending a conference at Adelphi University on Long Island at which…

From The Directors Dear Camp Friends, Throughout our nine unforgettable summers on Miller Pond we have seen so much growth, not only in our campers but in…

Fall is here and that means that it’s time for our fall newsletter! This jam-packed edition of the Akeela Circular includes: News from the Directors…

As we look back on another amazing summer at Camp Akeela, we can’t help but think of the many success stories our campers gave us,…

We recently had the chance to attend the Center for Autism Research (CAR) conference called “Stepping into Adolescence” in Philadelphia. CAR is a leader in…

Camp is just around the corner! We’re excited to make our way up to camp in just one month to start prepping camp and our…

It seems that MINDFULNESS is the new “buzz word” these days. Even our first-grade daughter is learning mindfulness in school! As a therapist, I had…

In early January, Camp Akeela hosted two events in the beautiful Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts. One was our second annual Winter Weekend reunion for…

The latest edition of our camp newsletter, The Akeela Circular, has arrived! This edition included recaps of Winter Weekend and Family Stay & Play. It…

Happy New Year everyone! We’ve put together our annual slideshows from our 2015 summer sessions to remember the great moments we shared with each other…

The most recent issue of the American Camp Association’s Camping Magazine included a news item titled, “Five Soft Skills Needed for Job Success”. It referred…

After the amazing time our campers had last year during the first Winter Weekend, we’re excited to announce our second Winter Weekend will be taking…

This is an email we recently sent to parents of a few Akeela campers: Hi! We hope you are well and enjoying fall. We wanted…

Akeela 2015 is behind us and it was our best summer ever! This addition of the Akeela Circular, our camp newsletter, looks back on some…

The May 2015 version of our newsletter, the Akeela Circular, is available for your reading pleasure! It contains important information for new camp families and…

We just found this great article about the important role camp plays in developing resilience, grit, and other essential life skills in our campers! The author…

The latest edition of the camp newsletter, The Akeela Circular, is here! It includes photos of the new Lodge, more details on our horseback riding…

With the holiday season upon us, we find ourselves missing all our campers and the warm summers at Camp. These slideshows help us remember all…

If you live in the New York area and would like to learn more about Camp Akeela, we invite you to join us at our…

We are thrilled to announce two new and exciting winter program offerings. Both events will take place in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts on the…

Our assistant director, Kevin Trimble, will be representing Camp Akeela at these two upcoming conferences: On October 25, in Boston, is AANE’s Asperger Syndrome Connections…

The latest Camp Akeela Circular is ready for your reading pleasure. It announces several exciting changes being planned for Summer 2015, a collection of Summer…

The new Camp Akeela Circular is here! This newsletter includes important information and should be read carefully by all enrolled camp families. Click here to…

Our Summer 2014 tour dates have been set! If you’re thinking about sending your child to camp in 2015, we strongly recommend taking a road…

Beyond Akeela is all new this summer and it’s going to rock! These newsletters include more detailed itineraries, introductions to Beyond Akeela’s senior staff members…

Hot off the presses: the most recent edition of The Akeela Circular, our camp newsletter. This edition includes a note from Debbie and Eric about…

We invite you to join us at one of our upcoming information sessions: Saturday, January 25 in White Plains, NY Saturday, February 1 in Dedham,…

A mom from Akeela Family Camp recently posted a research study about individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome and empathy. (The 2009 study by Henry and Kamila…

We had so much fun putting together these slideshows from last summer. Camp really is the greatest place in the world! Summer 2013, Session 1…

Check out this newsletter from October 2013. Contents include a letter from Debbie and Eric, camper and staff updates, a photo from Akeela’s first wedding,…

I have begun reading the book Homesick and Happy by Michael Thompson, PhD, and just twenty pages in, the book has resonated with my life…

John Elder Robison made some waves this week when he publicly resigned from his position on the Science and Treatment Board of Autism Speaks.  (See…

After our campers (grades 4-12) leave camp, a different type camper arrives….families!  It’s a bit of a shift for us!  It’s strange having so many…

It’s hard to believe that the summer has passed already – There’s an old saying in the world of camping that a day feels like…

I used to do a lot of theater when I was younger – mostly musicals – and I find myself humming “Another Opening, Another Show”…

Dear Akeela Campers & Parents, Akeela’s fifth summer is now behind us as we prepare for summer 2013 and our second half-decade. We hope everyone…

It’s never to early to start planning for camp! Get all the details you need from our newest newsletter. The Akeela Circular—February 2013

Like the rest of the country, we watched in horror as details emerged from Sandy Hook Elementary School last Friday. As parents and childcare professionals,…

The holidays are a stressful time for everyone. There are gifts to buy, meals to cook and family members to visit. The joy that we…

A mother of a Camp Akeela camper recently sent us the link to a New York Times article about school bullying: “School Bullies Prey on…

Find out about the Akeela Reunion, and more, in our most recent Akeela Circular! The Akeela Circular—October 2012  

Camp is just around the corner! Get the details you need from our newest newsletter, and get ready for summer! The Akeela Circular—May 2012

As reported recently in the Wall Street Journal (and elsewhere), autism diagnoses have risen sharply in recent years. The CDC announced a 23% increase in…

When I was asked to be a “guest blogger” I started thinking about the start of the summer and in particular, arriving at camp. Arrival…

Eric, Jaynie and I just returned from 3 days with 5,000 other camp professionals. When you spend your entire year getting ready for the summer,…

I was in the gym the other day and I noticed something incredible.  The person next to me on the stationary bike had his blackberry…

In the world of Asperger’s, there has been a lot of buzz for the past two weeks. The NY Times published an article, “New Definition…

A recent article in Psychology Today ( here is the link ) by Michael Unger highlights how meaningful camp is for children. The author states…

As an avid and unapologetic reader of novels, I very rarely get excited about the publication of a non-fiction book. (Compared, for example, to the…

In our last post, we talked about why camp is such a unique and valuable experience for kids with special needs. We also outlined a…

Overnight summer camp teaches skills in a variety of disciplines – sports, arts, nature and the like. However, the enduring value of summer camp is…

People often ask us why we do what we do. They wonder why we’ve chosen to spend our summers with kids on the spectrum. They…

Many of you probably saw this article on the front page of last Monday’s New York Times. It’s great to see any story about Asperger’s…

In addition to being the camp director of Camp Akeela and having a doctorate in clinical psychology, I’m also training to become a certified sleep…

We absolutely love the NBC drama ‘Parenthood’, particularly for it’s portrayal of Max, a young teenager with Asperger’s. Max – with all of his endearing…

We’re so excited to share this blog with you.  We will mostly be writing about what we know best: Asperger’s (and NLD, PDD-NOS, …) and…