From March 8th to 10th, 2024, seventeen families came together for an inclusive adventure camp in the picturesque lands of Cebu, Philippines at the EVO Nature Camp. This event was EVO Nature Camp’s first time hosting children with disabilities and their families.
Thanks to Grace Torres, a graduate of Perkins’ Educational Leadership Program, the inclusive adventure camp created lasting memories for everyone involved.
In August 2023, Grace held a focus group to gather feedback from parents, which helped her plan the camp’s itinerary. As a mother of a strong teenage girl with low vision, Grace knew the importance of building strong family bonds. Children with disabilities need a supportive environment to unlock opportunities and define their own success.
As a result, Grace titled her final leadership project, “From Trails to Ties: Building Stronger Families.”
An inclusive amazing race
An inclusive version of the amazing race started off the weekend of family fun! Each family relied on the braille reading skills of the children to figure out the next clue.
Other events in the race included rope climbing, a balance log, and a sack race, where children paired up with a family member and raced to the finish line.
A nature respite
Another key aspect of Grace’s inclusive adventure camp was to help families and their children enjoy a fun time in nature. She planned nature walks and a relaxing tree-planting activity.
Of course, the best way to end any camping trip is with a bonfire and s’mores. Families came together around a large fire with sticks of marshmallows, told stories, and cracked jokes. Our favorite part of inclusion is that everyone gets to have fun.
Creating lasting memories
This is the first time EVO Nature Camp has hosted a group of visually impaired children and youth, and as an unexpected but welcome outcome, they became inspired to organize future camps for the visually impaired, and to make their grounds more accessible.
Thanks to the Parent Advocates of Visually Impaired Children (PAVIC) for working with Grace to make this inclusive adventure camp such an exciting and fun experience for everyone. These moments of inclusion are vital in helping children with disabilities find their place in the world.
I learned tree planting and [how to] be independent. I will never forget the bonfire and amazing race. Thank you PAVIC and Perkins School for the Blind!
Trixie Quintana, 17 year-old camper
Help children with disabilities find their place in the world.
Perkins School for the Blind teams up with partners all over the world to unlock opportunities for children with disabilities in school and life. Your support allows us to continue this transformative work.
