WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Summer Camp-Green Mountain Lions Camp

Brattleboro, Vermont - July 27, 2011

There is summer fun to be had at the Green Mountain Lions Camp for deaf and hard of hearing kids. Kids live in cabins in the woods on the campus of the Austine School for the Deaf and they have a lot of friends there.

There are traditional activities like arts and crafts, swimming and games, and they go on many field trips.

I asked Zander Morina why he came to camp this year for the first time. He said simply, "To have fun!" And is he having fun? "Yes!"

But there is much more to this camp than just summer fun. There are team building and trust activities, and it gives them the opportunity to be with other deaf kids and learn new communication skills.

Janet Dickerson, the director of the Austine School for the Deaf, says, "The main purpose of camp is about communication; it reduces isolation. But I don't want to leave out fun!"

At home, many of these kids are the only ones who are deaf. They can feel isolated. Here at camp, in many ways, it opens a whole new world to them. Kris Lemere was a camper here for years and is now the assistant director of the camp. She remembers well how much she gained as a camper.

"It exposed me to deaf culture, it helped me with my sign language and I got to meet a lot of deaf and hard of hearing friends, and I might not have had that opportunity if it wasn't for summer camp."

Kids here are deaf or hard of hearing, but their siblings are welcome, too. Patrick LeBeau's hearing brother came to camp last week to learn sign language and be better able to communicate with his deaf brother.

"I hear your brother came to this camp last week. Why do you think he came to this camp?"

"Because... he came here because I'm deaf. He came here to learn sign. American Sign Language."

"Are you looking forward to being able to talk with him when you get home?"

"Oh, yeah!"

Morgan is a counselor in training here at camp, and she taught me how to say a few things in sign language.

"I'm very happy to meet you."

"I'm very happy to meet you."

"How do you say thank you?"

"Thank you!"

And at the end of a session at camp here, campers go home with better communications skills, a better understanding of who they are, and better ways to interact with the world.

Sharon Meyer - WCAX News