Twins 2: Stories from Camp

For 14-year-olds Steven and Kevin, life has been pretty safe and comfortable. They come from a loving, supportive family and they’ve thrived in this environment. They’ve always been with each other and it’s almost as if they’ve been looking in a mirror their entire lives…a funhouse mirror, that is. You might not be able to tell when they’re standing next to each other, but the boys are twins. If Hollywood ever wanted to re-make the Twins film featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito, our Jameson Camp duo might fit the bill.

Steven (left) & Kevin - Summer 2016

Besides physical appearance, Steven and Kevin also differ in their personalities. Quiet and reserved, Kevin is someone who loves to write (a writer named Kevin – he’s destined for greatness). Steven, on the other hand, plays the trombone and is the more outgoing brother. Bring up the fact that they’re twins and with a smile, Steven will be the first to say, “Identical, obviously.” The boys do share at least one thing in common though; their love of Jameson Camp and its Gaga pit.

After attending Jameson on a school field trip with the Horizons Program through Wayne Township nearly five years ago, Steven and Kevin have been coming to summer camp ever since. The welcoming environment of Jameson Camp has been beneficial for the boys; Kevin has ADHD and high-functioning Autism (formerly described as Asperger’s Syndrome) and Steven has ADHD. Their mom, Rena, was admittedly nervous about them initially staying overnight at a camp. However, her fears flew away after that successful overnight field trip. “I think if they hadn’t had the school trip with the entire class, I don’t know if they would have ever been able to make the transition to spending a week at camp,” she said.

Prior to attending Jameson Camp, Steven and Kevin were dependent on each other and their parents. Children like Kevin who have autism often have social and communication challenges which can make it difficult to develop confidence. Since attending Jameson, the boys have become more independent and much more confident in their abilities. They have gradually gained new responsibilities each year and they're currently enrolled in the Youth Leadership (YL) program. The YL program has helped them develop skills such as effective communication, planning, teamwork, leading younger children and the value of community service.

Speaking of community service, this year the boys attended the Youth Leader Spring Service Trip in Gulf Shores, Alabama where they helped local, elderly people with yardwork and various house chores. The boys had a great time volunteering and getting to know their fellow Youth Leaders. After a week’s worth of hard work, Steven said, “I’m tired but I’d like to go again because I really enjoyed helping the homeowners.”  On the trip, Program Director Tim Nowak gained the nickname ‘Fearless Leader Tim’ and Kevin was sure to call him that every chance he got. For Rena, the nickname illustrated how at ease Kevin is with Tim. “Kevin feeling comfortable with Tim lets me know that they understand each other and have developed a way to communicate,” she said. “I am very thankful for Tim, the counselors and Jameson Camp for helping Kevin work through these pervasive challenges.”

Along with Steven and Kevin, their 9-year-old sister, Patrina also attends Jameson Camp. She started in the Day Camp program and has since come to overnight camp two years in a row. What keeps the siblings coming back to camp each year? Patrina said, “Seeing my friends and having a lot of fun.” For Steven it was also about seeing his friends and ‘sharing inside jokes.’ And as a busy 8^th-grader, Kevin knows what time away from school means: “I don’t have to worry about homework for at least a week.”

Patrina @ Jameson Camp

Steven and Kevin’s parents have seen the benefits of camp and they are very appreciative of the work done by Jameson Camp staff. Their dad, Pete, is supportive of the Youth Leadership program in particular. “They’ve been with this same group of Youth Leaders at camp overnight and over and over with follow-ups,” he said. “I’m pretty confident with how they’re going to do and how well it’s going to go.” Rena sees a welcoming environment that allows every child to succeed, whether they’re a Schwarzenegger, DeVito, or someone else entirely. “I think they do a great job including all of the kids, recognizing that maybe they have struggles in a certain area and working with them to develop those skills, whether it’s shyness or being assertive or through new situations,” she said. “I think they do a great job accepting that kids can be anxious in certain situations and working through it. I think they do a spectacular job with that.”