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BIDDEFORD, Maine

Biddeford and UNE celebrate successful first year for “Finding the Pieces” camp

Finding the Pieces camp takes a field trip to the beach

The University of New England and City of Biddeford are celebrating the launch of Finding the Pieces, a summer camp for children with autism. Eight children from Biddeford attended the two-week camp program, working with camp counselors studying at UNE.

The idea for the camp began when Biddeford City Councilor Bob Quattrone and his wife struggled to find a nearby day camp for their seven year-old son, Bryce, who has autism spectrum disorder. Quattrone reached out to UNE for help establishing a camp.

“Finding the Pieces was a success in its first year because UNE was 100 percent onboard,” Quattrone said. “Faculty members Caryn Husman, M.S., OTR/L, Elizabeth Crampsey, M.S., OTR/L, BCPR, and Kris Winston, Ph.D., OTR/L, brought much professionalism and dedication in the development process. They offered ideas that were progressive and innovative.”

The UNE Westbrook College of Health Professions developed an academic course for undergraduate students in the Health, Wellness and Occupational Studies (HWOS) program about Autism. Students who took that course provided one-on-one care and support for the campers, giving students the chance to earn course credits and gain valuable hands-on experience. The camp concept was developed and implemented with the help of the UNE Occupational Therapy Department and Community Therapy Center.

“Working with UNE students was a fantastic experience,” said Quattrone. “They brought a ‘bring it on’ attitude that was contagious and showed great patience, something a traditional rec camp cannot maintain when there are so many campers for each staffer. We look forward to working with UNE for years to come in making Finding the Pieces grow and blossom.”

During the camp the children were each matched with a counselor and engaged in games, crafts and science activities. They also participated in field trips, traveling to May Street Fields in Biddeford to play field games and sports, Hearts and Horses to groom and ride horses, Ferry Beach and Rotary Park for swimming, a bowling alley and an animal shelter.

“This was a wonderful opportunity for the children to form positive relationships with our students, engage in community outings and participate in a summer camp experience,” said Caryn Husman, director of the UNE Health, Wellness and Occupational Studies program. “Through this camp, we were able to provide 1:1 support and accommodations are not available at typical city rec camps, giving these kids an experience that would otherwise not have been available to them. Additionally, our students learned valuable skills in working with children who have autism and experienced the importance of community engagement and fun for the health and wellness of all children.”

This experience is modeled after Camp Summit at the University of Maine Farmington (UMF), a successful program that has been working with children with ASD for 14 years. It was developed with the UMF Department of Psychology and the Autism Society of Maine.

Read more in the Portland Press Herald and Courier.

To learn more about the University of New England’s Westbrook College of Health Professions visit www.une.edu/wchp

To apply, visit www.une.edu/admissions

UNE student and camp counselor Meaghan Bessette plays with camper Kaiden Huot during a field trip to the beach.
UNE student and camp counselor Meaghan Bessette plays with camper Kaiden Huot during a field trip to the beach.

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.