My son went to Sequoia last year and will be returning this year. It was great for him. He’s in a mainstream school and gifted but has ADHD and some social issues. He hates outdoorsy camps (came home early from Catoctin the year before) so it was a good fit for him. The population seemed similar—ADHD with some social scaffolding needed (not behavioral though).

It was the right balance of structure and freedom and I like their year round activities. He’s kept in touch with some campers who are also returning. Overall it was a really good experience.

SOAR mom here. yes, many of the kids stay in touch and return again. My son is still in touch via text and honestly, gaming, with his friends from there. It is not so much "vacation camp". The setting and activities are just that - a place where friendships and social interactions happen, with gentle coaching.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I have a question for those who have done SOAR..... Given the nature of the camp, this seems more like a "camp vacation" in that I'm assuming you don't necessarily go back the next year and do the same trip? So what is the continuity like from summer-to-summer? Are there a lot of return campers? Camping traditions that carry over each year?

My adhd kid doesn't have much of a social network, and doesn't succeed in extracurriculars... so what I think he lacks is a larger community with ongoing continuity. Feeling like is a successful part of something that lasts longer than 2 weeks would be a huge benefit for him.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Have you considered Summit, in NJ? It has a lot of returning camper, or anyway, used to.

I guess it’s in PA, actually. Sorry.

Having talked to several camp experts or therapists, I was told that Summit was for kids with legit ASD1 - not the "is it ASD or is it ADHD" straddle world that Sequoia, SOAR, and other camps cater to. I was told my ADHD kid would be out of place in Summit.

It was just a suggestion. I think it depends on needs more than dx—I have visited both.

Sorry, didn't mean to come across harshly. I appreciate the extra info. Was just adding my own info on what I had heard, in case helpful to others.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a question for those who have done SOAR..... Given the nature of the camp, this seems more like a "camp vacation" in that I'm assuming you don't necessarily go back the next year and do the same trip? So what is the continuity like from summer-to-summer? Are there a lot of return campers? Camping traditions that carry over each year?

My adhd kid doesn't have much of a social network, and doesn't succeed in extracurriculars... so what I think he lacks is a larger community with ongoing continuity. Feeling like is a successful part of something that lasts longer than 2 weeks would be a huge benefit for him.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Have you considered Summit, in NJ? It has a lot of returning camper, or anyway, used to.

I guess it’s in PA, actually. Sorry.

Having talked to several camp experts or therapists, I was told that Summit was for kids with legit ASD1 - not the "is it ASD or is it ADHD" straddle world that Sequoia, SOAR, and other camps cater to. I was told my ADHD kid would be out of place in Summit.

It was just a suggestion. I think it depends on needs more than dx—I have visited both.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a question for those who have done SOAR..... Given the nature of the camp, this seems more like a "camp vacation" in that I'm assuming you don't necessarily go back the next year and do the same trip? So what is the continuity like from summer-to-summer? Are there a lot of return campers? Camping traditions that carry over each year?

My adhd kid doesn't have much of a social network, and doesn't succeed in extracurriculars... so what I think he lacks is a larger community with ongoing continuity. Feeling like is a successful part of something that lasts longer than 2 weeks would be a huge benefit for him.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Have you considered Summit, in NJ? It has a lot of returning camper, or anyway, used to.

I guess it’s in PA, actually. Sorry.

Having talked to several camp experts or therapists, I was told that Summit was for kids with legit ASD1 - not the "is it ASD or is it ADHD" straddle world that Sequoia, SOAR, and other camps cater to. I was told my ADHD kid would be out of place in Summit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a question for those who have done SOAR..... Given the nature of the camp, this seems more like a "camp vacation" in that I'm assuming you don't necessarily go back the next year and do the same trip? So what is the continuity like from summer-to-summer? Are there a lot of return campers? Camping traditions that carry over each year?

My adhd kid doesn't have much of a social network, and doesn't succeed in extracurriculars... so what I think he lacks is a larger community with ongoing continuity. Feeling like is a successful part of something that lasts longer than 2 weeks would be a huge benefit for him.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Have you considered Summit, in NJ? It has a lot of returning camper, or anyway, used to.

I guess it’s in PA, actually. Sorry.

Anonymous wrote:I have a question for those who have done SOAR..... Given the nature of the camp, this seems more like a "camp vacation" in that I'm assuming you don't necessarily go back the next year and do the same trip? So what is the continuity like from summer-to-summer? Are there a lot of return campers? Camping traditions that carry over each year?

My adhd kid doesn't have much of a social network, and doesn't succeed in extracurriculars... so what I think he lacks is a larger community with ongoing continuity. Feeling like is a successful part of something that lasts longer than 2 weeks would be a huge benefit for him.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Have you considered Summit, in NJ? It has a lot of returning camper, or anyway, used to.

I have a question for those who have done SOAR..... Given the nature of the camp, this seems more like a "camp vacation" in that I'm assuming you don't necessarily go back the next year and do the same trip? So what is the continuity like from summer-to-summer? Are there a lot of return campers? Camping traditions that carry over each year?

My adhd kid doesn't have much of a social network, and doesn't succeed in extracurriculars... so what I think he lacks is a larger community with ongoing continuity. Feeling like is a successful part of something that lasts longer than 2 weeks would be a huge benefit for him.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Anonymous wrote:My son has been to both. Both were excellent experiences for him. The counselors are well trained and provide supportive coaching. The programs are both structured to help the kids succeed together as a group and individually. I dont think there is a wrong decision between these two places. My son came home from both programs in a really good place emotionally & mentally. The Sequoia program has way more creature comforts (air conditioned dorms) and a cafeteria. The program my son did w/ SOAR was all outdoors camping and the group cooked their meals together. I'd be happy to touch base offline privately if you want to talk.

Hi, thanks for your kind offer to touch base offline. Yes, I'd love to hear more about your son's experience. Would you please try contacting me via my DCUM profile shown here? Thank you!

PP what was the age of your child when he went to those camps?

My son has been to both. Both were excellent experiences for him. The counselors are well trained and provide supportive coaching. The programs are both structured to help the kids succeed together as a group and individually. I dont think there is a wrong decision between these two places. My son came home from both programs in a really good place emotionally & mentally. The Sequoia program has way more creature comforts (air conditioned dorms) and a cafeteria. The program my son did w/ SOAR was all outdoors camping and the group cooked their meals together. I'd be happy to touch base offline privately if you want to talk.

We have signed up DC9 for SOAR this summer. I have to say I have been stalking their website for a few summers now. When we were ready to take the plunge, we called and the individual who answered the phone answered all our questions and then some. We were impressed with the depth of the conversation.

We asked who the typical camper is, and I think PP's description was quite accurate. These are kids who are in mainstream school with supports. Our DC could do okay in a mainstream camp, we think, but they actually want to spend some time with kids like them.

Soar also has so many wonderful sounding offerings that I thought it would be good to try. If it's a winner for us and our DC, we can fold it into the mix for the future.

Op we are currently exploring these camps as well, so don’t have first hand experience. But based on my research, I get the impression sequoia population is more the adhd/asd overlap, and maybe has slightly higher needs than SOAR. Sequoia is on a school campus, dorm room settings instead of cabins (so only 2-3 kids per room), indoor cafeteria, full access to electricity etc. from asking around, I got the impression these were perks for many of the population who attends, because they would have challenges in a full cabin setting and being outdoors. Versus SOAR seems more like a high energy outlet for adhd kids who may struggle socially in a mainstream camp but don’t have a ton of extra needs compared to the mainstream population. I think sequoia seems more scientifically backed (like, they’ve done their research on best programs for this population, have academic and social skills formal support etc, and a higher staff ratio). Soar seems like a lower staff ratio and incorporates the social skills piece more informally.

But as said we haven’t been to either and this is just based on my online research. Happy to hear others thoughts.

Our kid went to Sequoia. You should definitely talk to Brian or Reema about your kid’s profile. My kid has some similar challenges and they were definitely capable of dealing with them. He grew a lot while there - especially with executive function. They do a good job of weekly updates and an end of session write up, so I could tell they really knew him.

Also, search the archives. There are several threads on various camps.

Hello, We're interested in a camp for our son with ADHD, rising freshman in high school. He's in mainstream classes at school but needs help with executive functioning, appropriate humor, self-talk, and healthy interactions with peers. Anyone send their teen to Soar NC or Sequoia? If so, can you tell me about your teen's experience and whether you'd recommend it? What is the typical camper profile - ADHD, autism, a mix of both? Thank you!