Okanagan Cool Communicators
June 2009
On May 27, 2009 Okanagan Cool Communicators had their third annual visit to the BC Lions’ Easter Seal Camp @ Camp Winfield. Twenty-one students who use communication devices and their education assistants, parents, teachers and/or SLPs attended this event coordinated by Kathy Ryan of SET-BC and Sue Rampone and Heather MacNaughton, Speech Language Pathologists from School District 23 in Kelowna. Participants came from 7 school districts across the region. We were pleased to welcome seven new cool communicators to our group.
These events are wonderful opportunities for students to meet with peers with similar needs as some are the only ones in their schools and sometimes in their communities with these types of technology. Now that this group meets regularly, the kids are making some lasting friendships. Parents, SLPs and educational support workers and teachers always are amazed how well the kids do at these events.
A Lotto game got the kids asking questions and sharing information with each other to complete the squares (e.g. I’m a boy who lives in Merritt or I like Hannah Montana.) There was an opportunity to share a picnic lunch and have some free time around the camp. Once again, the weather was amazing! The day wrapped up with a scavenger hunt. In pairs, using a camp map, the students were required to find the numbered locations, ask what you did in that location and provide a comment. A symbol sticker representing the activity was then affixed to the map to show that they had found the location. Prizes were provided for all upon completion.
Many of these students will return to the Camp Winfield this summer for the Cool Communicators’ week with the support of an SLP team coordinated and sponsored by SET-BC. A few saw the camp for the first time at this event and now are very interested in attending in the summer. For many it’s an opportunity to get away from home for the first time and try out some new and exciting activities such as the giant swing (like a zipline), climbing wall, canoeing, a low ropes course, swim in the pool or lake and just have a wonderful time in a supported environment. With SLPs participating in this camp, the week focuses on encouraging communication during all these fun activities. For more information about these fun weeks that now happen at all three BC Lions Easter Seals Camps across the province, refer to this link: www.eastersealscamps.ca/cool-communicators-camp