Summer is the time to Journey and SOAR

The Floating Hospital’s intensive health education camp program had an early start this year with our Journey day camp for 10-11 year olds, which ran from June 30 to July 2. SOAR, our special day camp for Spanish-speaking tweens and teens, was held last week.

In its second year, Journey is an introduction to the classroom material and overall format of Camp Rise Up (CRU), our weeklong sleepaway camp in the Hudson Valley. Mornings are for classes, and afternoons for fun, with field trips around the city to challenge the mind and body. Activities have included a flying trapeze lesson in Manhattan, a ninja course in Brooklyn, and the beach in Queens. Campers said they made new friends and grew in ways they didn't expect. As one wrote in our post-camp survey: "It helps you understand more of life and things to do."

SOAR, now in year three, is a day camp designed for teens still building English fluency. The entire first-year CRU curriculum is taught in Spanish. Once the teens gain the necessary proficiency in English to ensure their safety at camp, they can transition into CRU's second year upstate. New afternoon activities this year included roller skating at Brooklyn Bridge Park, miniature golf and the arcade at Shipwrecked in Brooklyn, aerial silks in Manhattan, a visit to Sky Farm LIC, and a beach trip to Jacob Riis Park.

Health educators led the classes with the help of interns from Columbia University’s Teachers College. According to Health Education Specialist Leah DeFusco, the department amassed basketballs, soccer balls, sketchbooks, candy, speakers, headphones, board games, and more for the SOAR store, where campers exchange tickets they earn from class participation for those prizes.

Even in just a few days, these camps forge bonds we hope will carry into CRU, which runs for six days this year beginning August 30. CRU has a different focus for each year of attendance. For year one, it’s life skills and sexual health. In year two, it’s social-emotional learning. Third-year campers build leadership and professional skills: empathy, critical thinking, and behavior management. All of it happens on a 250-acre property with a lake, pool, zip lines, and hiking trails.

We are grateful for our sponsors and donors, present and past, as well as our volunteers, whose efforts every year make this undertaking possible. In August, we will need volunteers in the city and in Rhinebeck to help us prepare student manuals; sort, organize, and distribute supplies; offer assistance and enthusiasm onsite, and more. Contact volunteers@thefloatinghospital.org for more information. Our wishlist for camp supplies is active on Amazon and cash donations of any amount are always appreciated.