For 41 years SOAR has kept the tradition of serving youth and young adults with ADHD and other learning disabilities, giving them a summer experience that will last a lifetime. This summer we had the privilege of having a second generation come to camp, whose father attended 15 years ago.
Alex Jones attended NC Academic Discovery in 2002, the summer between his junior and senior year of high school. He enjoyed his experience so much he wanted his son, Bryson, to experience SOAR as well.
“I wanted Bryson to realize at a young age what he was capable of and I knew from my experience that he would have a great time.”
Alex’s mom was a strong advocate for him as a child and wanted to give him in an opportunity where he could learn strategies as well as life skills at an early age. That is when she found SOAR. After Alex attended camp, he discovered he had leadership abilities, and was able to build on these leadership skills throughout his time here. He was also able to step outside of his comfort zone and wanted his son to have the same opportunities.
“Looking out over a valley after climbing 120 feet was a seminal moment for me and I wanted my son to have that same opportunity.”
Bryson joined us this summer in our Llama Trek Adventure which is for 8-10 year old campers. The highlight of this trip is the 3 day, 2 night Llama Trek Expedition where the campers learn responsibility, perseverance, and are able to set goals as well as problem solve. Bryson enjoyed his camp experience and stated, “I did things I did not know I could do, like rock climbing and going down a class 3 rapid.” Alex was also happy with the experience and stated, “12 days for him to be unplugged was a blessing, to find a world beyond the screen.”
We are grateful for the opportunity to continue passing down our traditions at SOAR and look forward to inspiring the next generation of campers!