We assist student who have just completed either the third, fourth or fifth grades and are at least one grade level behind their peers in reading and writing skills. Our campers come not only from across much of the state of Kentucky, but also from other states as well. We address their academic problems during the first three hours of each day while at camp with an individualized learning plan, taught by certified teachers. At the end of the camp week we have spent 15 hours of one-on-one time with each camper. This can be more one-on-one time than they normally would recieve in the full school year at their local elementary school. With this we hope it builds not only the camper's academic skills, but more importantly, their confidence in themselves. With confidence that they gain in areas that they may never have experienced success before, that the campers are going to change the mind set they have always been taught. They will come from what they are taught, failure, to what they now know as "SUCCESS". These campers, for the most part come from a home life that is not always ideal. Our campers have come to us from second and thrid generation welfare dependent families. They may have been beaten, starved, neglected physically or emotionally, placed in foster care, raised in non-English speaking environments, etc. Our philosophy is to turn no child away(no camper pays a penny to attend Camp Success) and not descriminate because of their background, race, religion, sex, or disability. In doing this, our whole staff grows and bonds with each camper and by the end of the week everyone is emotional.

To provide our campers with success with both their reading and writing skills, the basis for all learning in both school and life, each camper will recieve three hours of daily individualized instruction from a certified teacher. The campers move through six learning centers right after breakfast, where they work on their skills in phonics, fluency, comphension, reading strategies, creative writing and pleasure reading. Lesson plans in each center are leveled and individualized to each cammpr. Extreme care has been taken to make sure that the centers look nothing like 'school'. Our theme this year is HOLLYWOOD,so the centers are decorated with a skyline view of the Hollywood Hills, complete this the Hollywood sign, movie caramas, film reels, and of course lots of stars. Care has also been taken to direct the lesson plans to which of the six learning styles that a camper learns best in, with special care given to audio, visual and tactual styles. Campers will continue to build confidence with their nonacademic activities after center time. Campers take part in such traditional camp activities such as hiking, swimming (with private swimming lessons provided to those campers who do not swim), arts and crafts, game time, as well as others. In addition to the traditional activities students will also write and publish their own orginal 16 page picture book, design and make a puppet (based on a form designed by a former designer with the Muppets (R), doing orginal proformances with their puppets, a treasure hunt using compass skills, environmental/wildlife education, meeting and working with "real published authors", just to name a few. Time is also built into the schedule for bonding time with fellow campers and their counselors. The main camp that I work with, in my small Appalichian hometown, for the first time this year will change from a day camp to an overnight camp. The campers will have a chance to 'rough it' in primitive cabins, where they are supervised for 21 hours a day by two trained cousolors per cabin. To help bring down the campers from the excitment and various successes experienced during the day, each cabin is visited by one of the teachers or adults vounteers each evening for read aloud to the campers, by lantern light, from a read-a-loud book. With our project, we provide confidence and educational enhancement as our main goals. However, much more comes from this camp. Our campers build a stronger confidence in themselves and grow in skills that they will need to succeed in life. However, they build something much more important--that is their social networking. They have discovered not only new friends their own age, but high school and college age students who care for them and a close relationship with teachers, who may work in their schools. Every camper that attends our camp always leaves with much, much more than they arrived with. Yes, they leave with our gifts, the knowledge they have learned, and the friends; however, they also get something most kids in this community may not have and that is a person who will always care and be forever concerned about their well being. Contact is maintained with the campers at various times through out the year by camp adult volunteers. Campers recieve notes of encouragement and a book and letter at Christmas time. Every camper leaves the camp with an imprinted bag full of brand new books, an authographed copy of a book by one of our visiting authors, school supplies, art supplies, crafts they have made, their puppets and a copy of thier puppet show (we hope to provide a movie of the different show, as well as scene from throughout the camp week), a camp picture, their orginal picture book, letters of encouragement from camp volunteers and a few suprizes selected by the directors.

This camp has been in our community for more then five years. This year will be the most exciting as it has changed names and leadership. Formerly known as the Perry County Reading Camp, Camp Success will continue to uphold the high standards it has always had. We will continue to accept as many students as we can financially afford. The campers that have come through our camp are really excited when you see them out in public. They still remember you and want to talk about 'reading camp'. Former campers always ask if they can come back. Of course our response is always, "you are always welcome to our camp." We now have counselors who were campers at the very first reading camp five years ago. You really see how big a difference it has made when the same kid returns to camp for their final year and takes part in the graduation on the last day. You see the campers' eyes get wattery (as well a several of the volunteers) when the campers tell their personal stories. Many speak of how they have never had someone who cares so much for them as the volunteers at Camp Succss do. It is hard to seperate from them. However, when it comes to the goal of the camp to build confidence and educational enhancement, those returning campers is where you measure the difference you have made. Especially when teachers call and ask, "How do you do it? What magic did you work?" We know that we have made a positive difference. These are how you know you have made a difference and let me tell you it is the best feeling in the world when you cry because a camper is on their way to a more successful life.

People can help in simple or extreme ways. Donations are the biggest help. An amount as little as five dollars will buy a copy of the read-a-loud book that each campers get to take home and may help one child start apersonal library. Twenty-five dollars will provide 3 nutritious meals a day for the whole week for one camper. It keeps going up from there all the way to $10,000.00 which will fund the entire camp for all the campers and staff for the week, with all expenses paid. Also volunteering at camp is an exciting way to help because then you become the front line and get to be involved with the campers. This, in my opinion, is the most rewarding part. You get to build those connections and make a difference in a child's life. If you would like to help? Please contact me in our Success programs office at 606-226-5580 which is my direct number. I would love to hear from you! Again my name is Dwight Vires and I look forward to talking to you and seeing you at camp this summer.