Children with Autism Ride the Waves at Surf Camp

Children with Autism Ride the Waves at Surf Camp

The University of Miami – Nova Southeastern University Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (UM-NSU CARD) is teaming up with the Miami Beach Parks and Recreation Department to host the 9th annual Surf Camp for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) on Sunday, March 20through Friday, March 25, 2016.

Housed in the UM College of Arts & Sciences Department of Psychology, UM-NSU CARD is a state-funded resource and support program dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with autism and related disabilities including deaf-blindness and pervasive developmental disorders. 

“We are extremely excited to be co-hosting another Surf Camp with Miami Beach Parks and Recreation,” said Dr. Michael Alessandri, assistant chair of psychology in the UM College of Arts & Sciences and executive director of UM-NSU CARD. “We all love Surf Camp, not only is it a week full of smiles, but it is also a week to focus on the kids’ abilities, rather than their disabilities.”

Participating children will spend the week focusing on swimming skills, basic oceanography, meteorology, open water surfing and most importantly, their abilities. The educational component of camp will be held at South Pointe Park on Miami Beach while the surfing portion takes place on the beach adjacent to the park.

“Surf Camp is a week filled with fun and educational experiences for our surfers. They have the opportunity to connect with other peers and to build their self-confidence,” said Sara Dajer, manager of educational support services at CARD. Twelve campers, from ages 8 to 12, will participate in this year’s CARD Surf Camp, free of charge; the camp is made possible by funding from CARD donors and sponsors. This year’s sponsors include, Miami Beach Kids First, Whole Foods, jugofresh, the Autism Society of Florida - Miami, and the University of Miami crowd funding campaign supporters.

For more information on CARD, please call (800) 9-AUTISM (ext. 1) or visit www.umcard.org. On-site interviews and daily surf camp schedules are available for media upon request.  For additional information, please contact Michelle Costa at UM-NSU CARD at 305.284.5269 or mke@miami.edu.


About CARD at the University of Miami
The University of Miami’s mission is to educate and nurture students, to create knowledge, and to provide service to our community and beyond. Committed to excellence and proud of our diversity of our University family, we strive to develop future leaders of our nation and the world. www.miami.edu. CARD is a state-funded resource and support program dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with autism and related disabilities including deaf-blindness and pervasive developmental disorders. Autism is a neurological disability that affects a person’s ability to communicate, understand language, play and socially interact with others.

 

 

March 17, 2016