Summer Camps & Programs

Program Description

The Gow School Summer Program

Camping, Academics, and Weekend Overnight Trips
South Wales, New York

		Program Description Program Overview Visit Web Site Get Free Info See Photos

For More Information, Contact
David Mendlewski, Director
The Gow Summer Programs
South Wales, New York 14139
716-652-3450
Fax: 716-687-2003
http://www.gow.org
E-mail: summer@gow.org

Type of Program: Academics, traditional camping activities, and weekend trips
Participants: Coeducational, ages 8–16
Enrollment: 125
Program Dates: June 28 to August 1, 2009
Head of Program: David Mendlewski, Director

Location

South Wales is a rural community in the western part of New York State, approximately 25 miles southeast of Buffalo and a short drive from Niagara Falls and Toronto.

Background and Philosophy

The Gow School Summer Program was created for girls and boys who are experiencing academic difficulties and have learning differences but possess the potential for success. The programs are composed of a carefully considered balance between academics, traditional camp activities, and weekend overnight trips. At summer’s end, camper-students go home confident, relaxed, and prepared for the coming school year.
    The academic program provides young people with an opportunity to improve their academic skills and achieve personal victories over those things that stand in the way of their success. A summer at Gow not only provides remediation and enrichment in the academic program but also allows for a fun and engaging summer full of new experiences, opportunities, and friendships. The Gow School is dedicated to providing camper-students with a balance between academics and traditional camp activities.

Program Offerings

The program is one of balance—solid academics and strong athletic, social, cultural, and recreational activities. The weekly program combines structure and focus with flexibility and choice. Gow strives to develop the skills and natural abilities of each person while encouraging a sense of enthusiasm and positive self-image.
Academic program Since all the students have experienced past academic difficulties or learning differences, the democracy of common problems begins to erase self-consciousness, and self-esteem increases. Classes have an average enrollment of 3 to 6 students and meet five days per week. An optional postlunch tutorial supervised by faculty members, many focus programs, a word processing/computer literacy course, and a comprehensive language course are offered.
    Daily drills and written work are stressed, and all classes focus on motivation, positive mental attitude, organization, study skills, social growth, confidence, and self-esteem.
Traditional camp and weekend trips Camping can contribute to a young person’s life in a way that few other experiences can. The program goals are for each camper to have a pleasant, fun-filled summer; improve skills; and develop confidence, self-control, inner discipline, good sportsmanship, and self-esteem. Campers unskilled in particular activities are channeled into special instruction so that they may become more proficient and develop a feeling of adequacy. As they continue to grow in confidence, they are able to take their place with their peers and contribute successfully. Character development and citizenship are stressed at all times.
    Activity Instruction Clinics (AICs) are one-week individually chosen options that offer more focus, skill, and individual attention. Optional Period activities include creative arts and individual and team sports, with an emphasis on playing sports over instruction in the sport.
    In addition to daily activities, campers take advantage of the rich geographical setting with overnight trips on weekends, including educational, cultural, pioneering, and canoe trips.

Enrollment

Campers come from all over the United States and the world and are generally language disabled, underachieving, and/or experiencing academic difficulty.

Daily Schedule

	7:30 8:00 8:30–12:45 12:45 2:00–5:00 6:00 6:10 7:15 8:30 8:45–9:45 10:00–11:00 Wake-up Breakfast Four academic periods Lunch and rest period Three camp activity periods Group meetings and camp lineup Dinner Evening activity In dorms Late-night activity Lights-out

Extra Opportunities and Activities

Special events include a carnival, Icky Olympics, a softball league World Series, casino night, big/little-brother and big/little-sister activities, campfires, talent shows, and the last-night banquet and rock ceremony. There is also a counselor-in-training (CIT) program for older campers.

Facilities

The buildings include the Main Building (1926), which houses classrooms, the Health Center, and the Govian Book Store. The library contains a reading room, book stacks capable of storing 10,000 volumes, and classrooms. Orton Hall contains classrooms, a science laboratory, a spacious study hall, and a state-of-the-art computer resource center. There are six comfortable dormitories on campus. The recently renovated Thompson Building (1980 and 2005) contains the Simms Family Theater, a painting and drawing studio, a ceramics and 3-D art studio, a digital lab, and a metal shop for the applied technology class. In 2002, the Gow Center opened. It contains three squash courts, a basketball court, an indoor tennis/lacrosse facility, a 3,000-square-foot weight room, locker rooms, and a social/recreation area. The physical plant is valued at more than $7 million. The school has facilities for tennis, basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, soccer, lacrosse, weight lifting, archery, golf, wrestling, floor hockey, ceramics, painting, arts and crafts, trail hiking, a ropes course, and fishing. The swimming program makes use of a nearby natatorium. The equestrian program makes use of a local riding stable.

Staff

Most of the camp’s academic instructors come from the Gow School’s regular faculty. The dorm counselors and coaches are college students, graduate students, and teachers, some of whom are alumni of the Gow School and Summer Programs. The staff members are selected on the basis of character, stability, interest in working with young people, warmth, personality, education, and the ability to teach a skill. An extensive orientation period is held. Emphasis is given to the development of friendships, regard for others, and a sense of community.

Medical Care

The resident camp nurse works with the local physician. There is a 24-hour ambulatory center about 15 minutes away, and Buffalo hospitals are about 30 minutes away.

Costs

Tuition for the 2008 program was $6300 (for those who registered before May 1, the cost was $6100). This charge is comprehensive and includes the cost of instruction, lodging in dormitories, all meals, course materials, and transportation to and from the airport. It also includes day trips and all weekend excursions and tours. The tuition should be paid in full by May 15.

Financial Aid

Scholarships are available on a limited basis, according to need and are granted on a first come, first served timetable.

Transportation

Campers are met by counselors at the Buffalo International Airport, the Greyhound station, or the Amtrak station on opening day and dropped off accordingly on the final day.

Application Timetable

The Summer Program has a rolling admission policy. Students should submit their application with two school recommendations, a current grade report, and a handwritten letter from the camper. Personal interviews and tours of the campus are encouraged and available year-round. The application form should be completed and returned as soon as possible.