HOWELL — Howell is home to a unique summer camp for gifted children ages 10-14 that draws interest both locally and across the country.
Hosted at the Howell Nature Center, Camp Yunasa is provided once a year. It’s run by The Institute for Educational Advancement, a national nonprofit that supports gifted children. Camp Yunasa was meant to focus on students’ social, physical and spiritual needs, and their mental abilities.
The IEA defines “gifted” students not by their academic achievements but by other factors such as creative problem solving, curiosity, sense of humor, artistic and musical talents, and more, said Senior Program Manager Nicole Endacott.
She added the IEA believes giftedness exists in all corners of the world but, contrary to popular belief, gifted children have a unique set of needs that’s often overlooked.
For example, they often don’t feel like they belong.
“At Yunasa, they are surrounded by kids just like them,” Endacott said. “Some of our students struggle with anxiety. We’re focused on providing mindfulness activities that allow them to experience new things like nature. It’s a great opportunity for these students to spend a little time away from home, especially before they (start) high school.”
The weeklong camp runs July 13-20, with a few spots remaining. The cost is $1,750 and includes all fees besides transportation to and from the camp. Campers benefit from interacting with counselors and mentors. Needs-based scholarships are available to those who qualify.
There’s only room for about 50 campers at the one-week Howell camp and another 80 at the IEA’s Camp Yunasa site near Colorado Springs, Endacott said.
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Howell is an attractive location for the camp because of the prevalence of wildlife, a highly preferred feature, Endacott said. “We have many campers who are empathetic animal lovers,” she said.
Learn more at educationaladvancement.org.
— M. Alan Scott is a freelance writer for The Livingston Daily. Contact the newsroom at newsroom@livingstondaily.com.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Camp Yunasa in Howell draws gifted children from across the country