In the Spotlight
Camp Nugget: Summer Program for Children with Disabilities
at California State University, Long Beach
by Melissa Bittner, PhD & Barry Lavay, PhD
Since its establishment in 1970, Camp Nugget, a summer program at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), is offered to children ages 5 through 12 years with disabilities. Camp activities include aquatics with swim instruction, fundamental motor skills, health-related physical fitness, dance, cooperative games, and adapted sports. Instruction (3 to 1 child/staff ratio) is provided by university students enrolled in the Kinesiology Department studying to receive an Adapted Physical Education (APE) Teaching Credential. Camp Nugget goals include (a) offering a safe and affordable high quality physical activity program to children ages 5 to 12 years with special needs (e.g., autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy), (b) teaching leadership skills in the Junior Counselor program to young adults with special needs 13 to 21 years of age, and (c) program development for future teachers enrolled in the adapted physical education added authorization (APEAA) credential option to teach children with disabilities.
The Camp Nugget staff is provided valuable training as part of their APEAA course of study and enroll in a number of courses in APE that teaches them ways to successfully accommodate children with disabilities in physical education. Attention is given to
best teaching practices including differentiation and universal design for learning.
These CSULB students will graduate with an APEAA Teaching Credential and serve children with disabilities in the public schools throughout California.
In addition, the importance of physical activity and leading a healthy lifestyle are emphasized to the families and their children who attend. For example, parents receive a list of their child’s health-related physical fitness scores based on fun, age appropriate activities to enhance cardiovascular endurance, strength and flexibility. Parents also receive a swim ability classification for their child based on mastery of swim skill competencies in the form of a detailed swim rubric.
The program also includes a Junior Counselor program that provides Camp Nugget "graduates," with opportunities to gain leadership and job skills by assisting with daily camp operations under the supervision of an experienced staff member.
After the completion of the program, the Junior Counselors will receive a letter of evaluation from their university staff member regarding learned leadership skills. Their main responsibility is to assist a staff member with many of the camp’s daily operations. The experiences and skills learned will help the Junior Counselors perform activities of daily living and skills for future employment.
The 4-week program begins the last Monday in June and continues throughout the first three weeks of July. Camp Nugget is offered Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to noon. Tuition is affordable with limited full and partial scholarships available based on need. For summer 2018, Camp Nugget was able to accommodate over 50 campers and 6 Junior Counselors.
Camp Nugget is built upon the strong conviction that movement is important and beneficial for everyone! Children with special needs should be afforded the same opportunities to enjoy and successfully participate in physical activity. The camp is under the leadership of director Dr. Barry Lavay, CSULB Kinesiology professor, who has been the coordinator of the university's APE program for the past 30 years. In addition, the program includes two other qualified faculty members as co-assistant directors who have a combined 20 years of experience teaching individuals with disabilities. Dr. Melissa Bittner, tenured track faculty member in APE, serves as Fitness Director, and Dr. Lori Reich, APE instructor, serves as Aquatics Director.
The following resources can be used to learn more about Camp Nugget and CSULB APE:
