*** Program 1) – Children on the Autism Spectrum with their Families ***

Ages: 5 and up
Price: $1000 per child on the spectrum and $500 per adult or other child age 7 and older (one adult minimum per child).
Eight Days – (July 15-23)

Name: "Discovering the Self through Nature"

An opportunity for children with autism and an adult caretaker to experience the wonders of Costa Rica and our 200 acre farm. We have horses, cows, goats, chickens, dogs, a cat---even a monkey! Our farm and the magnificence of Costa Rica's varied and beautiful habitat will furnish healing for the special sensory processing challenges children on the Spectrum face. Participants who are willing and able will have the option to learn how to horse-whisper to gentle young horses, approach and sooth a horse to prepare for riding, and experience the joy and responsibility of caring for a particular animal. Through a program oriented to each individual and their adult caretaker, we will provide opportunities to relax and re-create, experience and interact with the farm animals, and take part in art, music, and game activities.


We are aware of the needs of children with autism and provide one staff member for each participant. This will enable participants, staff, and caretakers to work together efficiently to ensure a positive, interesting, and restful time during our program.

Unless otherwise requested all food will be gluten-free and dairy free, without preservatives or chemicals or bleached.

*** Program 2) Changing Ourselves, Changing the Planet ****

Older Teens ages 16-19
One Month: July 31 – August 28, 2010
$1000 per week

During this time slot we will run three separate programs:
Reforestation, Theater, and Horse-Whispering

The Reforestation Program will run for four weeks. The Theater and Horse-Whispering Programs will run for three weeks starting August 7th. All programs will contain a Community Service Element. The groups will come together for most meals and some recreational activities and dialogs. If you want to start the first week with the Reforestation Project and decide to switch to one of the other two Projects in the second week, that is permissible.

PROJECT I: The Reforestation Project for Global and Community Service

We will:

Learn about our land, food and healing herbs from the earth to the table
Engage in helping heal our earth and increase animal habitats through reforestation
Build a campsite
Learn organic or biodynamic gardening method
Get to know the people of Costa Rica by reaching out to them with helping hands in a community service project

In addition, we will celebrate with nature, agricultural and adventure tours, camping at the beach,and kayaking or boating to Islands in the Gulf, plus a three-day trip to Monteverde Rainforest National Park.

For this program, you are not required to stay a full four weeks. For those who do, we will avoid redundancy and you will have a chance to take the experience to deeper levels.

PROJECT II: The Theater Project

You are welcome to come for the first week with no commitment to continue if you choose to transfer into one of the other two programs. After the first week, those who stay for the final two will be required, for the full experience, to build a production which will be performed for our local town. You may sample different classes and choose a specialty if you are staying on.
Classes will include: Writing, Acting, Spanish, Dance, Music, Set Design and Building, Sculpture/Painting/Carving, Community Service (taking younger children from the area, teaching them and involving them in the production)

In addition we will celebrate with day trips and a camping trip to the beach and kayaking or boating to Islands in the Gulf.

PROJECT III: Horse-Whispering

A Horse Whisperer trains horses while adopting a sympathetic view of the motives, needs, and desires of the horse being trained, based on an understanding of behavior patterns that closely resemble the relationships that exist among wild horses. The term originated in the early nineteenth century when an Irish horseman, Daniel Sullivan, became famous by rehabilitating horses that had become unmanageable due to trauma. A related practice is horse gentling, a method of training that doesn’t use “breaking” to render a horse ride-able.
We will be working with unridden young horses to earn their trust, create bonding, and, if totally successful, ready them to willingly take a human on their back. This process increases both our understanding of horses and ourselves: developing patience; learning the ability to wait and listen; giving our full presence and attention; and experiencing the extraordinary sensation of communicating with another species.
In addition to our time working with the young horses, we will focus on community service work: creating a small park for the town. We will also enjoy a series of horseback tours. During our last week we will ride to the beach (a two-day’s ride each way) and spend a couple of days there.
You are welcome to come for the first week with no commitment to continue, choosing instead to transfer into one of the other two programs.

Inspire a passion for science in your child! New activities every year, over 40 locations and four different kinds of Camp Invention programs in Minnesota!

Kids participate in each of these activities every day:

I Can Invent: Fantasy Inventions and Complicated Machines III - Use real tools to take apart old appliances and see how they work, then create a model of your own invention. Older campers participate in a Rube Goldberg team challenge that starts a (safe) explosion.
Hatched! – Help save a virtual world and become an entrepreneur in the avatar marketplace.
SMArt: Science, Math, and Art – Explore "cool math" like tessellations, fractals, and more!
Power'd – Discover how to use natural energy sources and build your own motorized pet.
Global Games - Children explore cultures from across the world as they play games from far away lands, recreate history and are challenged to work together.

Directed and taught by qualified local educators, Camp Invention is a national, non-profit STEM enrichment program from Invent Now Kids in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Dates: June 14-18, 2010
Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
For children entering grades 1-6

Registration fee of $230 includes a camp T-shirt
Discounts of up to $35 off; check our current offer.

Inspire a passion for science in your child! New activities every year, over 50 locations and three different kinds of Camp Invention programs in PA and DE!

Kids participate in each of these activities every day:

I Can Invent: Fantasy Inventions and Complicated Machines II - Use real tools to take apart old appliances and see how they work, then create a model of your own invention. Older campers participate in a Rube Goldberg team challenge.
Viking Treasure Trek: The Quest Begins – Navigate the oceans and investigate clues to locate long-lost Viking treasure!
Comic Book Science: FlyJack and Jill – Discover the science behind super powers, such as flight and DNA coding!
Land Sled X-Treme – Be a part of the winning team that engineers the ultimate land sled in an X-treme obstacle course!
Recess Remix - Creative outdoor games

Directed and taught by qualified local educators, Camp Invention is a national, non-profit science enrichment program from the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Dates: June 22-26, 2009
Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
For children entering grades 1-6

Registration fee of $225 includes snacks and a camp T-shirt
Discounts of up to $30 off; check our current offer. Register online for extra savings!

Inspire a passion for science in your child! New activities every year, over 50 locations and three different kinds of Camp Invention programs in PA and DE!

Kids participate in each of these activities every day:

I Can Invent: Fantasy Inventions and Complicated Machines II - Use real tools to take apart old appliances and see how they work, then create a model of your own invention. Older campers participate in a Rube Goldberg team challenge.
Viking Treasure Trek: The Quest Begins – Navigate the oceans and investigate clues to locate long-lost Viking treasure!
Comic Book Science: FlyJack and Jill – Discover the science behind super powers, such as flight and DNA coding!
Land Sled X-Treme – Be a part of the winning team that engineers the ultimate land sled in an X-treme obstacle course!
Recess Remix - Creative outdoor games

Directed and taught by qualified local educators, Camp Invention is a national, non-profit science enrichment program from the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Dates: June 22-26, 2009
Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
For children entering grades 1-6

Registration fee of $205 includes snacks and a camp T-shirt
Discounts of up to $30 off; check our current offer. Register online for extra savings!