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5/15/19 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
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I went to camp seven years ago the director of the camp is a liar and when I was sick he did not have the decency to tell my parents this so-called camp says it is great for kids with disabilities when they won't even hirer a person has a disability to work there.
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6/25/18 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
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So I was personally never made aware before I was shipped here (no, I did not attend of my own volition) that it was for children with emotional or nearly insignificant mental problems. (I say "insignificant" because these types of problems always ought be dealt with by showing children ways to use them to their own advantage instead of programs that don't lessen the child's awkwardness about having this or that problem). Anyhow, Northwood sure ACTED like children with these problems had no chance at all to come out of them. Basically, behavioral problems weren't taken care of at the source like they SHOULD HAVE BEEN (if anyone knows anything at all about behavior psychology, with which no one at Northwood had any familiarity) and the dietary restrictions had neither scientific nor neurological/psychological reliability. And what's up with no horseback riding, archery, camp pool (oh, and its dock system is likewise arbitrary at best), and campfire?? Parents, stick to YMCA camps.
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5/24/17 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
Great Camp . It was run by Jim Rein at the time as i loved it. The staff was great the activities were mostly great as well and I loved my bunk. The good was mostly good with a few exceptions great summer Memories of 1987-88.
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9/13/16 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
My 14 yr. old son attended Northwood for the first time this summer. It was his first time away from home. He is somewhat uncomfortable socially at times and can be very shy in new situations. He is very intelligent and able to take care of himself.. I cannot say enough wonderful things about this camp.. The director Gordon is an amazing person. He meets all prospective campers and their parents to ensure the camp is a good match. He and the staff do everything they can to involve the campers and insure they get what they need . My son explained that although there are kids at different levels of independence, etc the staff know how to integrate everyone..He made a lot of new friends and chose to stay an extra 2 weeks. There is a 2 to 1 counselor to camper ratio.. We were thrilled with my sons experience.
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9/15/13 |
2 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
My first summer there I felt really lowysy, had really loud wheezing coughs at night with constant mucus and longest globs of green snot coming out of my nose. The nurse told me it was probably a sinus infection. I come home and my pediatrician said I walking pneumonia and did a test for strep throat. It came out positive. The following summer the assistant director told me that "my walking pneumonia and strep throat was debatable last summer". Is it debatable that my best friend from school had a really bad cough, the nurse told her it was a cold, and she came home with a cough that required her to be hospitalized and her mother refused to send her back to that camp. Also, every time I unintentionally chewed with my mouth open my second summer there, the counselor threw out my food. I told the assistant director and she got me another ice cream from the fridge. There needs to be more then one nurse there, a doctor on-site (who visits weekly) and stricter counselor criterion. Bad camp.
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8/13/12 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
My son is on the high functioning end of autism spectrum. I feel that the camp has worked wonders for him over the years. He is now finishing is 5th summer. The only drawback is that on visiting day they should run more than one normal activity period. Other than that quibble, I feel that the camp does productive work with the children, and do not agree with the some of the negative comments.
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12/19/11 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
i've gone to this camp for nine years and i feel like you don't get any freedom. i've liked it up to a certain point. I go to washington dc By myself. Also too the food is disgusting even some of there music is not so good. you almost feel like your in prison. also some of the staff is horrible.
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4/17/11 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
5 |
Ok so camp northwood is a great camp. but the bad thing about the camp was that you were with the same people for almost 24 hours a day. seven days a week for the whole summer. how can you make friends if ur with the same people all the time. i honestly got sick of it cuz every year i was put in a bunk with kids that were extremely slow and in my third year some of the staff members would put me with other kids from other bunks periodcally during activities just so i could get away for an hour or so
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SYSTEM: 3 positive duplicate or disallowed ratings automatically removed |
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7/9/10 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
parents, I don't want to be offensive but what is your source that your kids are happy? Because from what I found as a high-functioning camper there (higher functioning than pretty much everybody else), the staff tried to put on a charade that the campers were having so much fun and having such a great time, and forced them to play along. And most of the parents fell for it. In fact, I had a miserable time there. I was constantly bullied and harassed, and the staff did nothing about it. Also, one of the alleged goals of the camp is to promote independence. This is a load of baloney. For the higher functioning kids (i.e. those with Asperger's) they pretty much had what seemed to be a brute dictatorship. We had no freedom or independence. And from what I can gather, I believe that they gave the campers who were far more lowerfunctioning than us the exact same level of independence which for them was far too little structure. Bottom line - bad, lying, camp. Don't send your kids there.
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5/23/10 |
3 |
5 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
Every time I go back to this camp I feel like im accepted by everyone and I am able to be who I am
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SYSTEM: 3 positive duplicate or disallowed ratings automatically removed |
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9/3/08 |
5 |
5 |
3 |
5 |
4 |
My 13-yr-old son's opinion: "I was a camper there for the first time this summer. The activities were good; it's a great camp for kids who need one-on-one help. Fantastic counselors who do stuff with the kids, like play catch. I liked making my counselors laugh. There were many kids there who weren't as [verbal/social] as me, but every kid at the camp has something." My view: Overall, a positive experience for my child. Lovely facilities and campus, top-notch counselors with a sense of fun and humor. However, Gordie needs to be more upfront with new parents of high-functioning children: Your child will be in the minority. This may or may not be a bad thing, but it could be more difficult for your child to find peers there at his/her level, at least initially. My son had to rely on counselors for most of his interaction because his bunkmates were very limited in their social skills. We'll investigate other camps for next summer and keep Camp Northwood as a fallback.
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8/4/08 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
This is a special camp for special kids. The director knows the kids and finds AMAZING STAFF - they are very engaged with the campers and really try to bring out the best in each. There is a wonderful sense of comraderie among the staff and they seem really happy to be there. Many do not have an education backround but come with a strong desire to make a difference for kids who generally don't fit in and don't make friends easily. The activities are not as high impact or high tech as you might find at other camps but the focus here is developing social skills. That they do and they do it well.
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12/31/07 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
My son loved going to Camp Northwood, and is eager to return next summer. After attending camp he has become more independent, tries new foods, and enjoys sending letters to his bunkmates.
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12/8/07 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
5 |
5 |
An amazing successful for summer for my son. Social skills worked into every activity. Excellent camper/councilor ratio. Gordie is amazing as is his supporting staff. A perfect place for a child that doesn't quite fit into the mainstream.
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12/7/07 |
4 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
I had a great summer here. True, I hated the academics and the food (especially the hot pockets), but most of the staff was great and I loved trying new things, such as aquaplaning and banana boating. I made a lot of friends, especially the people at my bunk. they gave me a lot of personal attention and it was expensive but worth the money. i became a lot more independent. The bottom line is: there were a few flaws, but I had a great time.
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6/17/07 |
2 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
Where do I start? I went here and was continually harassed by bunkmates. The staff recognized this but refused to take action. The bunk itself wa snice, but that's the only good thing.
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4/30/07 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
Fantastic camp- brings out the best in children with social needs. Top notch staff- director seems to hire the best- haven't met a counselor that wasn't 100% dedicated to making the summer a wonderful one for each child. Well worth the cost. If your child has Aspergers or LD, I strongly urge you to consider Northwood. It will be the most fun, friend-filled summer of their lives.
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1/13/07 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
At this camp:
-The facilities are clean, and the cabins have showers. You have your own single bed instead of sleeping in bunk beds.
-The food is actually good!
-The counselors are mature, experienced and caring. Some of the counselors are even teachers or therapists. They aren't afraid to help you when you're homesick, or let the younger kids sit on their laps. And everyone always gets a hug at bedtime, when the counselors come around and spend a little time with each individual camper.
-They really won't force you to get into a sailboat or dive into the lake if you are fearful.
-The directors are great people who make camp fun!
-You'll have lots of different activities, including one "Choice" period each day. This camp even has a radio station!
-The counselors really make sure everyone treats each other with respect. Hitting others can get you sent home!
-Counselors make "Merit Announcements" at dinner when you accomplish something, like finally getting up on water s
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11/30/06 |
2 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
My son has been at this camp for 5 years. He has always had a great time but there was an incident where the nurse did not give the medication although it was recorded accurately. My son had some problems as a result. I wouldn't go back because of this incident.
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7/24/06 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
This is my son's first year at Northwood after three disastrous years at three different day camps. If you're a parent of a special needs child, you've probably had a similar experience. He is so happy at Northwood. There he feels valued, he is making diverse friends and trying new things and he is able to be himself. It is such a gift to have a camp like this where a child who is different can be accepted and honored, and learn the skills to succeed in the world.
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