An 8-year-old boy arrived at Camp O, quiet and unsure. He had struggled to make friends and avoided attention in the past. But before long, he started opening up about his favorite thing.
Two weeks later, he stood on stage at the camp talent show, delivering a wrestling expert act — his counselor beside him, asking questions as dramatic intro music played. The crowd cheered.
“He left that stage feeling like the king of the world,” says Ellie Badesch, Director of Camp O. “For some of these kids, this is the first place they’ve ever felt safe enough to be themselves.”
Run by the Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School in Chicago, Camp O is designed for kids ages 6-14 with autism, ADHD, anxiety and other social-emotional challenges.
“Our campers have not always been a part of communities that recognize all of their strengths,” Badesch says. “Here, we create a camp where they feel accepted — where they can take healthy risks, make friends and build confidence.”
Parents feel that impact, too. In a 2024 survey of the families of 25 campers:
- 100% said their child felt safe, supported and included.
- 95% said their child became more confident and improved social skills.
Now in its fourth year (Aug. 4-15, 2025), here’s how Camp O continues making an impact.
1. A safe haven where kids are understood
At Camp O, everything is designed to reduce anxiety and set campers up for success, Badesch says.
- Morning meet-ups introduce the day’s activities and reinforce social-emotional skills like flexible thinking and conflict resolution.
- Activities are structured to support different needs — like replacing ultimate frisbee with frisbee golf, which keeps competition fun without pressure.
- Counselors, typically with backgrounds in psychology, social work or special education, work closely with campers in small groups — six counselors for 30 kids, with a 1:5 ratio.
Camp O keeps activities engaging without pressure.
“Success leads to success,” Badesch says. “Even if a kid messes up on the obstacle course, if they get through it with support and their team still cheers them on, they start to think, ‘Oh, maybe I can do this again.’”
And when conflicts happen? Counselors mediate conversations to help kids work through disagreements instead of shutting down.
“For many campers, a blow-up has always meant the friendship is over,” Badesch says. “Here, they learn that relationships can be hard, but part of friendship is working through challenges.”
2. Opportunities to build lasting friendships
Many campers struggle socially, but Camp O carefully builds connections, grouping kids by shared interests — whether it’s video games, fashion, anime or STEM.
- Counselors track friendships, creating more chances for kids to bond.
- Downtime activities like extended lunch breaks help kids connect naturally.
- Parents connect at the end of camp to help friendships last.
For one group of girls, fashion and dance sparked an instant friendship.
“They enthusiastically introduced their parents on the last day at the talent show,” Badesch shares. “They have been at each other’s birthday parties. They have a supervised group text. Some of them have outgrown our camp, but they’re still friends.”
3. Learning about themselves and building confidence
In just two weeks, campers take risks, try new things and step into leadership roles.
- Animal-based activities like therapy dogs and a petting zoo help kids practice leadership in a low-pressure way.
- The talent show, open mic and camp-wide activities provide structured opportunities to step into the spotlight.
- Camp Olympics includes both physical and non-physical challenges — so every camper has a way to shine.
That talent show, in particular, is a defining moment.
“It’s not a typical school talent show, where only the best singers and dancers feel comfortable,” Badesch says. “At Camp O, campers get to be themselves. We had a group of four kids who loved puppets. One performed to the song Rainbow Connection and asked, ‘Raise your hand if you were actually crying,’” Badesch says. “Every parent and staff member did.”
The transformations are remarkable — even in just two weeks, she adds.
“Anyone who’s been to summer camp knows that time moves differently there,” Badesch says. “Two weeks can feel like two years. Camp is so powerful.”
This content is sponsored by the Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School, which runs Camp O, a day camp for kids with therapeutic needs, in mid-August. Learn more at the Camp O website.
