Graduate students in Indiana State University’s Department of Communication Disorders recently put classroom learning into practice while helping children find their voices during the annual Camp Bruce: We’ve Got Something to Say summer camp.
Hosted in the Bayh College of Education, the week-long camp serves preschool- and school-aged children with significant communication disorders who rely on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to express their wants, needs, thoughts, and ideas. While some campers communicate through sign language, most use speech-generating devices, tablets, iPads, or AAC applications.
Developed and directed by April Newton from the Bayh College of Education’s Applied Clinical and Educational Sciences Department, Camp Bruce is an integral part of the graduate students’ coursework in AAC. Students enrolled in Newton’s class serve as camp facilitators, gaining valuable real-world clinical experience while working directly with children and their families.
Throughout the week, campers participated in multisensory activities, songs, games, crafts, and shared snack times designed to encourage meaningful communication, confidence, and friendships among peers who also use AAC.
The camp welcomes children at every stage of their communication journey from those just beginning to use AAC systems to experience communicators who have relied on them for years.
Graduate students (Morgan Adams, Kaitlyn Beard, Savannah Benjamin, Celestia Bennett, Paige Childress, Ally Cline, Cheyenne Drake, Kai Engledow, Lilli Goodwin, Annily Huff, Shelby Huff, Rylie Koopman, Mars Ma, Kasey Myer, Molly Rose-Harmeyer, Ireland Watterson, Courtney Williams, Madison Williams, and Hope Zickmund) were supported throughout the week by a dedicated team of volunteers, including Indiana State faculty member Tracy Goff; Natalie Martinek, a speech-language pathologist with the Vigo County School Corporation; Morgan Strahm, a speech-language pathology assistant with the Vigo County School Corporation; and Joshua Snyder, administrative assistant, who helped coordinate planning and daily camp operations.
The week concluded with a special Family Day featuring a Silly Safaris presentation, a black-light glow room, and a scavenger hunt, giving families the opportunity to celebrate their children’s communication successes together in a fun, supportive environment.
Sponsored by the Arc of the Wabash Valley, Camp Bruce is offered free of charge to participating families and continues to expand its impact. This summer, the camp served 18 children from across the region.