Rising Treetops Helps: Shanequa
This month’s story is about 32 year old Shanequa, who lives in Brooklyn with her family, and is diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Shanequa first came to Rising Treetops in 2014, and except for 2020, has attended two or three camp and respite sessions a year every year, including the General Session 1 in summer 2023, when she participated in the inaugural PLuS Program session. The program structure helped Shanequa develop leadership skills and really shine this summer.
Shanequa is independent in her personal care and likes to help others and guide them on their choices and options at the camp. Shanequa’s counselor this summer reported that she developed skills to lead a group and bring people together. Shanequa likes to give campers and counselors nicknames and walk around the camp independently. She especially likes filming with an iPad in the media arts therapeutic activity, playing games in sports activities and making food in the cooking classroom. She is a great communicator and has grown tremendously the last couple of years.
We look forward to seeing campers like Shanequa continue to grow and become more independent. We hope to see Shanequa and all of our amazing campers back in Oakhurst next summer, if not at a respite session sooner!
Our most recent newsletter highlights Shanequa as well as a few of our other campers and their experiences at Rising Treetops. If you have not received our Fall/Winter newsletter in the mail, you can read it online here. If you would like to learn more about our respite and camp services for people with special needs, please email us or call 732-531-0215 or 212-533-4020.
About Rising Treetops at Oakhurst
Just a mile from the Atlantic Ocean is a beautiful 15-acre wooded environment where people with special needs can have fun, be cared for, and learn new ways to grow and become more independent. At Rising Treetops at Oakhurst, we have trained, attentive staff that provide full personal care and reside in our modern cabins with clients. Our team knows how to meet the needs of every client that come to Rising Treetops, both children and adults, with a broad range of special needs, including autism.