Groton's Camp Button Finds A Niche And Fills A Need

“He had this big box filled with all sorts of different buttons, which he used for crafts,” Eileen Cicchese, program supervisor at Groton Parks and Recreation, explained of the origins for the name of Camp Button. “And if I remember it totally correctly, he thought that Camp Button was like this box of buttons. They [the children] all were unique and different; and they all were beautiful.”

The name, coined by former director Andy Plasse, stuck.

For nearly a decade, Camp Button has embodied a philosophy of inclusion, by providing a recreational and socially-safe outlet for children with special needs.

 “What we found is that as we became more inclusive [at summer camp], we were getting more children with challenging behaviors,” Cicchese explained. “Essentially, they were not safe in the environment our regular campers provided. What we did is we made a specialized camp for the children who couldn’t tolerate an inclusive experience.”  

Participants at Camp Button belong to a well-oiled machine of communication between parents, camp supervisors, and teachers.

“The more information we have,” Cicchese explained, “the better success your child’s going to have at camp.”

Though Buttoneers attend camp in a self-contained classroom, they enjoy many of the same experiences as their inclusive camp counterparts. The children participate in arts and crafts, attend field trips, and are mainstreamed into the regular playground for a number of different activities.

“They’re not secluded,” Cicchese said. “They’re part of Claude Chester’s overall camp program. [We] try to make it ‘structured’ not ‘different.’”

In its founding years, the camp was run by a special education teacher and attended by a small number of registered participants. It has since grown to accommodate 10 or more children. Current enrollment stands at 11.

“I think this is our biggest number,” said Cicchese. “We generally don’t turn anyone away.” (Parents should note that campers go through a screening before entry.)

“We’re hoping that kids have fun,” she said. “For most of the kids that are in summer school, the goal is to make sure that they don’t regress, and that they stay social, and that they learn and continue friendships.”

Camp Button runs from June 21 to August 11 at Claude Chester Elementary School. The program operates from 12-3pm Monday through Friday. Kids ages 5-12 are welcome. Session registration is $110 per child and open to Groton residents only. For more information on Camp Button visit www.grotonrec.com or call 860-536-5680.