Summit first offered our Teen Travel program in the 1980’s. As it is today, Teen Travel was provided as an opportunity for the growing Summit teen population to continue adventuring outside of our resident camp experience, which began in 1968. Motivated by the growing number of teen travel opportunities, our first groups of Summit teens expressed a wish to participate in these type of ‘rite of passage’ experiences that their neurotypical siblings and classmates were talking about at home and in the school communities. The Summit leadership of the time saw the potential for a wonderful benefit to our unique groupings to have an experience of independence and immersion with peers- something they, too, could talk about around the cafeteria or dinner table. Thus, Summit’s tours have always focused on creating an experience that mirrors those of other teen travel offerings, while providing the appropriate support and peer groups that make our teens successful on their journey.
Today, Summit Travel serves teens both from within and new to our programs. Many youth who have never attended our resident camp will join us to participate in a travel journey. New program applications for travel are reviewed on a case by case basis- including a meeting a
nd conversation with our Travel Director, Thea Mullis and the potential traveler in addition to the traditional review by our Admissions Director, Maryann Santora, MSW.
Summit Travel features both national and international tours. Examples of recent tours include Costa Rican Adventure, The Pacific Northwest, British Isles, and Theme Parks of Orlando. Flights/transportation, meals, accommodations, and amenities are all inclusive on Summit’s tours. All tours are staffed by our most enthusiastic, motivated, and diligent counseling staff at a 5:1 ratio- and certainly our staff view it as an honor to be selected to work such a tour. In addition, each tour will be staffed with a certified Nurse (either RN or LPN) and the Travel Director.
Summit’s travel programs have grown significantly- both in number and variety- over the past five years, such that Summit now offers three tours which match the dates that our resident summer camp offers in the eight week summer season. This way campers can seamlessly become travelers without having to lose out on a camp experience with their friends should they wish to do both camp and travel in one season!
