I did my service project at Camp Rivendale. Camp Rivendale is a summer day camp for kids with disabilities that is part of the Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation District activities. The camp starts at 8am and the kids go home at 3pm. I worked with the Chipmunks group which is the younger kids. We mostly did activities and crafts at the camp, and went on field trips twice a week.
The day starts off with free choice time where campers get to pick if they want to play a game, read a book, or just talk. My first week I was with a camper named Anna who liked to be pulled in the wagon during this time. During my second week, I was with Nathan who liked to play checkers and sing the alphabet with me. Next, we do camp songs where everyone gathers…show more content… I started off with not really knowing what to expect. I knew that Camp Rivendale has campers of all types of disabilities so I did not know what types of disabilities my campers would have. Before I began my service, I believed that kids with disabilities would not be able to do as much kids without disabilities. I also thought that campers would struggle a lot with self esteem because they would recognize that they are different than other kids. Both of these views of kids with disabilities were very quickly disproved. During my time at camp, I saw every kid participating in activities even if it had to be modified to fit what they can do. None of the kids saw their disability as something that stopped them from having fun. When we went on field trips during my service I noticed myself being frustrated at other kids and adults that gave the campers stares and treated them differently. I then had to remind myself that just a week ago, I was like these people too. The people that stare are not intentionally being rude; they just have not had the experience of working with a kid with a disability, and are curious because they do not know what it is
