Long Island’s Premier Summer Day Camp Program for Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Campers on the Autism Spectrum With their Counselors Posing for A group SHot Smiling

About

Gersh Academy at West Hills Day Camp, the ultimate summer camp program for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders located on the grounds of West Hills Day Camp.
Owned and operated by Gersh Academy, with over 28 years of experience in special needs.

Learn More

Program Components

Featuring:

  • Small groups and appropriate ratios
  • All group leaders are certified special education teachers
  • Placement based on social, emotional and intellectual capabilities
  • Support for development of social skills, life skills, and independence
  • Weekly progress reports
  • Full time nurse

Activities

A full spectrum of activities:

  • One hour of daily swim (we have 7 heated pools) including American Red Cross Swim Instruction
  • Climbing and ropes course
  • Music and drama
  • Radio production
  • Digital photography
  • Fishing and boating
  • Athletics
  • ATV’s/Adventure
  • Playgrounds
  • Arts and crafts
  • Computers and video arcade

Benefits

Positive Social Interaction

Gersh Academy @ WHDC encourages positive social interaction with peers, mentors, and role models. Campers learn how to properly interact with others in an organic, safe, and loving environment.

Real Friendships

The friendships made at Gersh Academy @ WHDC last a lifetime. Through shared experience, struggle, and achievement, bonds are formed between campers and counselors that help shape each campers character.

Social Skills

One of the most important lessons any child can learn is how to communicate their needs to others and work as a group to achieve common goals. Campers in our program learn social skills that teach them to navigate the challenges of life through cooperation and teamwork.

Leadership Opportunities

After campers have gone through our program, Gersh Academy @ WHDC sets them up to be future leaders, role models, and managers. The counselor-in-training program teaches job and leadership skills such as time management, task execution, teamwork, and delegation.

Campers on the Autism Spectrum With their Counselors Posing for A group SHot Smiling
Camper Smiling at the Camera by the Pools
Two Campers on the Autism Spectrum and Their Counselors Posing with a Basketball on the Basketball Court
Counselor Hugging Two Young Special Needs Campers

Up next…

West Hills Academy

Grades K-8

West Hills Academy specializes in serving the ‘unique learners’, who may possess an average to above average IQ, but have struggled due to certain academic, social, emotional, and/or physical limitations.