Launching Neurodivergent Teens Into Successful College Transitions
Family Handbook
Welcome to Beyond Akeela! We are excited that you have chosen to (re)join our camp community. This handbook will help you prepare for the coming summer. It’s updated each year; families of new and returning teens are encouraged to read it carefully.
Beyond Akeela is a very intentional program, with a robust itinerary and lofty goals. The experiences our teens have during these three weeks will help them develop confidence and independence in all areas of their young adult lives. Our staff will encourage them to push themselves and try new things in order to grow and develop as young adults. They foster a sense of community based on kindness, friendship, participation and acceptance.
One of the ways you can help support our goals is by adhering to our rules and policies — and ensuring that your teen understands them as well.
As the summer approaches, questions are sure to arise, please don’t hesitate to contact us at any time with questions or concerns.
We’re excited to introduce you to Campanion, the new mobile app we’re using to share your teen’s experience at Beyond Akeela with you this summer. With a personalized stream of content featuring photos and news from camp, our hope is that Campanion makes you feel closer to your teen’s experience than ever before. It’s also the easiest way to complete your camp forms.
Login to the app using your CampMinder Account login and password
Per the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, parents/guardians have the right to request a copy of our background checks, health care and discipline policies, as well as procedures for filing grievances. Please reach out to Kevin if you would like to request or discuss any of the above.
We want you to have an individualized experience at camp, in which you work toward and get support for goals you’re interested in pursuing. You’ll establish these goals with a staff member you trust and do a couple self-assessments and check-ins on your progress over the time you’re at camp.
Hike Day!
We believe in challenge by choice at Beyond Akeela, and you’ll always have the option for a summit hike or nature walk when we have a hike day. Challenging yourself in nature with your friends can be a powerful and bonding experience, and we love hearing the conversations that spark during the walks.
Connect with us!
Curriculum Sessions
These sessions are geared toward topics that are important for you to reflect on and think critically about for a successful college transition. They are not “classes.” Rather, they are engaging activities or discussions led by either Beyond Akeela staff or experts in the field. Topics range from maintaining healthy relationships to Q&A’s with Beyond Akeela about college social life, and resume building workshops to college application conversations with admissions faculty. The best part about it? You choose your own path!
College Visit
You’ll get a chance to visit a few different colleges during the session. We want to give you chances to explore different college environments, large vs. small, public vs. private, and “traditional” vs. “specialized.” We know you may not apply to these schools, but our hope is that you get a better feel for what you’re looking for in an ideal college environment for you!
Evening Activity
Evening activities are a fun way to wind down the day. Sometimes we’ll stay on campus and do something low-key like a trivia night, games night, or movie night. Other nights we head off campus for an evening or mini-golf or bowling. They’re designed to be social opportunities for you to spend time with the great friends you’re making at camp.
Adventure Trip Day!
One of everyone’s favorite days at camp is the Adventure Trip Day! You’ll get to choose between a trip to a self-guided ropes course, river kayaking trip, or amusement park. It’s a great day to spend with your friends from camp.
Community Service & Internships
This has long been a popular element of Beyond Akeela, and we can’t wait to share it with you. You’ll select between a few options to do your community service or internship. You’ll return to the same site six times throughout the session, giving you ample opportunity to gain volunteer hours, experience to put on your resume, and some experience in a job-like environment. Past options have included local farms, community gardens, libraries, youth day camps, campus dining services, and more!
Health & Wellness
We believe in helping you practice ways to stay active and promote a healthy lifestyle. Health & Wellness time is an opportunity for you to be active in a way that works for you. Teens typically choose between walking around campus, swimming at the lake, exercising in the “Bubble”, or playing a sport.
Camp Activity Choice
Camp is all about fun AND choice. You’ll pre-select the camp activities you’d like to participate in during Beyond Akeela. Typically we offer activities like art, creative writing, drama, Dungeons & Dragons, music, sports, and yoga/mindfulness during these periods. These are a great opportunity for you to get to know people who share your interests! Below you’ll find some images of other camp activities.
Group Curriculum Session
We occasionally meet as a larger community to have a group discussion about topics we feel are important for everyone at camp to be a part of. Past topics include Professionalism in the Workplace which helps you prepare for the community service and internship opportunities, Nutrition to help you plan out the couple meals you’ll prep for dinner, and Budgeting so you can budget out how you plan to spend your monies while at camp!
We’re excited to introduce you to Campanion, the new mobile app we’re using to share your teen’s experience at Beyond Akeela with you this summer. With a personalized stream of content featuring photos and news from camp, our hope is that Campanion makes you feel closer to your teen’s experience than ever before. It’s also the easiest way to complete your camp forms.
