Bay Buddies summer camp
The Bay Buddies summer camp program is a unique end-of-summer fun and educational program that meets the specialized needs of children who are medically fragile or who have disabilities that require a high level of attention.
-
- Abdul Little, 11, gets excited as he and other students from the William S. Baer School in Baltimore enjoy a ride aboard the skipjack Sigsbee, which is part of the Living Classrooms Foundation. The children are participating in the Bay Buddies summer camp program. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
-
- Madison Williams, 6, and several other students from the William S. Baer School in Baltimore enjoyed a ride aboard the skipjack Sigsbee, which is part of the Living Classrooms Foundation. The children are participating in the Bay Buddies summer camp program. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
-
- Ty’Jay House, 9, left, high-fives Peter Bolster, captain of the skipjack Sigsbee, after he and other students enjoyed a ride aboard the ship. The children are participating in the Bay Buddies summer camp. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
-
- Devonte Evans, 7, is a student from the William S. Baer School in Baltimore. He and several other students enjoyed a ride aboard the skipjack Sigsbee, which is part of the Living Classrooms Foundation. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
-
- Taylan Bonds, 7, a student from the William S. Baer School in Baltimore smiles as he steers the skipjack Sigsbee on a cruise around the Inner Harbor. The ship is part of the Living Classrooms Foundation. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
-
- Sharon Maddox, left, a paraeducator, holds Taylan Bonds, 7. He is one of several students from the William S. Baer School in Baltimore who enjoyed a ride aboard the skipjack Sigsbee, which is part of the Living Clasrooms Foundation. The children are participating in the Bay Buddies summer camp program, which is sponsored by The Arc Baltimore. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
-
- Calrod Smith, a nine-year-old student at the William S. Baer School who is participating in the Arc’s Bay Buddies summer camp smiles after having a picnic lunch at the Druid Hill Park pool. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
-
- Taylan Bonds, 7, a student from the William S. Baer School who is participating in The Arc’s Bay Buddies summer camp, splashes in the Druid Hill Park pool. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
-
- Ty’Jay House, 9, a student from the William S. Baer School, talks to Diane Mick, left, an occupational therapist from the school, as they visit Druid Hill Park pool for the day. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
-
- Terrence Ridley, 13, floats in a raft in Druid Hill Park pool. He and other students from the William S. Baer School are participating in The Arc Baltimore’s Bay Buddies summer camp, where they enjoyed a day at the Druid Hill Park pool. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
-
- Cheikh Seck, 7, smiles at Druid Hill Park pool. He and other students from the William S. Baer School are participating in The Arc Baltimore’s Bay Buddies summer camp. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
-
- A teacher helps a student learn to tie his shoe. Students from the William S. Baer School who are participating in The Arc Baltimore’s Bay Buddies summer camp enjoy a day at the Druid Hill Park pool. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
-
- Arlene Dorsey, left, lead teacher, dances with Chanell Burrow, one of her students from the William S. Baer School who is participating in The Arc Baltimore Bay Buddies summer camp. The campers participated in a drum circle at the Living Classrooms, where the camp is based. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
-
- Rachael Dickey, left, an educator with the Living Classrooms Foundation, plays a drum with Ty’Jay House, 9, a student from the William S. Baer School who is participating in The Arc Baltimore’s Bay Buddies summer camp program. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
-
- Abdul Little, 11, looks at a photo of himself taken by Beth Lenker, right, an educator at the Living Classrooms Foundation. Diane Mick, an occupational therapist, is standing behind Little. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience for a lot of the students,” says Arlene Dorsey, the lead teacher from William S. Baer who has worked at the camp since its inception 12 years ago. “Most of our families would not be able to afford something like this. All of the children get something out of it, even if they can’t verbalize it.”
Founded by Dianna Morgan, a specialist with The Arc of Baltimore, the program serves children with a broad range of disabilities including Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
Eighty children from four area schools can attend the camp. Students from the William S. Baer and George W.F. McMechen schools in Baltimore City and Battle Monument and Maiden Choice schools in Baltimore County are eligible, along with some of their teachers and assistants.
Campers had a week of fun including a Skipjack cruise, a day at the Druid Hill Park pool, horseback riding, arts and crafts and trips to the Aquarium and Science Center. They capped off their week with a drum circle and graduation ceremony.
Baltimore neighborhoods
Baltimore street photographers
Year in review
Freddie Gray: protests, aftermath
24 hours with...
A. Aubrey Bodine
Viewing Baltimore from above