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NORTH SHORE DAY CAMP TESTIMONIALS
"The spirit and friendship are what they love!"
Jackie Melinger
"I love the general feel and enthusiasm of the counselors."
Wendy Gimbel
"It was an all around great experience. She felt safe, comfortable, excited and challenged."
Laurie Axelrod
"My kids came home in the afternoon with bigger smiles than when they left, happily exhausted and raving about the things they learned and the activities they participated in. What mother could a mother want?"
Julie Keywell
NSDC SPORTS TESTIMONIAL
"We love NSDC sports camp. Sam had such a great summer and asks me all the time when camp starts again. He can't wait!!"
Leslie Kleinmuntz
GEORGE W LUTZ FAMILY CENTER TESTIMONIALS
"Thanks for all your wonderful support. You helped our family get through a very difficult time."
Leslie
"Your enrichment classes are the best! My daughter especially loves Spanish with Mrs. Rosales."
Vicki Frazer
"I've been at Lutz for over fourteen years with all four of my children. The staff is wonderful and the facility, expecially the "new" playground and renovated rooms, is great. Some of our best family friends were made through Lutz. We'll miss you!"
Sheri Bartelstein
"Your full day child care has been a life saver for us. We looked forward to Kindergarten enrichment and the after school club."
Linda Robbins
"Wonderful, warm, nuturing program. The staff seems to "love" each child as if they were their own. I wouldn't send my children anywhere else." -
Liz Agins
"Once again, we are so lucky to have a wonderful, warm, supportive place to (have called and) continue to call my children's second home. Thanks for making us "part of the family". May you all receive as much as you give and more. Much love and Appreciation."
Laurie Axelrod
"The communication between families and Lutz is outstanding."
Amy
"One of the best things about JCYS Lutz Sunflower Camp is swimming twice a week at the Max Davison Center. Our daughter Elise learned so much over the past two summers, and she loves the water! The teachers spend alot of time with the kids in the pool teaching water safety, but also making sure the kids have a great time and learn to love swimming. She looked forward to it every week!"
The Lipezkers (Sunflower Camp '06, '07, and '08!)
"Our son is an only child and had a full-time nanny for his first 2 1/2 years. Consequently, we were concerned about how he would take to being in preschool. Sunflower camp turned out to be the perfect transition. He had a great experience and now loves going to preschool. In fact, he enjoys it so much that is sometimes a challenge to get him to leave at the end of the day!
Many thanks to the terrific staff at Lutz."
Joel and Deborah Lamm
LAKEVIEW FAMILY CENTER TESTIMONIALS
Lakeview Preschool testimonials (letters from Parents)
"We want you to know how happy we are with Jordan's experience at JCYS. He has grown leaps and bounds since September. It is an amazing feeling to walk into the school and watch Jordan being greeted by all of the teachers. Everyone has taken time to get to know our baby. That is so cool! Jordan feels safe, he comes home singing songs and he even throws his plate out after dinner... even if it's glass!"
Love, Hillary & Jay
"Thank you so much for allowing our children to attend JCYS and for the wonderful memories we have all shared in watching our families grow these past 7 years. We feel lucky to have been part of the JCYS family. We will always cherish these memories!"
Love, Ada
"What prompted me to write is simply to tell how incredibly attentive, warm, loving, professional, and committed your whole staff is. This is certainly not a new perception, but it has been pronounced by seeing JCYS also work well for Lily, a much younger and different child, at the same time we transitioned Jake (to his new school). I honestly don't know how you do it - hiring, training, and keeping all these really wonderful people."
Very sincerely, Julie
"We had a great year at JCYS. I can't tell you how grateful Mike and I are to you that Naomi started school with such a wonderful experience. You ladies are the greatest teachers! At first I was more worried than Naomi. I guess she new from the very beginning how much fun you were to be with. Soon I started envying her for Tuesday and Thursday mornings. She came home with stories about her day, Stretch 'n' Grow moves, new songs and rhymes that we're still figuring out, special art projects, and I could tell she was in good hands. You helped her tremendously to become the accomplished little girl she is now. Thank You!"
Edith
NORTHWEST FAMILY CENTER TESTIMONIALS
"My children feel like they are at home when they are at the Northwest Family Center." - Lara Kunz
"When I come to pick up my children, they refuse to leave. This is why JCYS is special to everyone."
Karen Lopez
"The staff at JCYS truly care about my family and my children."
Sherie Lippman
"JCYS has absolutely helped raise our children. We have been with the Center since 2000."
Sylvia and Mark Oriatti
"Our experience at JCYS the last three years with both our girls has been wonderful. The teachers and office staff are very warm and friendly. Everyone is accommodating to our busy schedules, and always try to meet the needs of my children. My girls love school and feel very safe here."
Traci & Andy Bergman
"Our daughter has been attending the JCYS full time preschool program since she was 15 months old. She enjoys interacting with her teachers and the other children in her classroom. We love seeing her learn and grow everyday and we attribute this to JCYS's structured curriculum, warm and friendly environment, and great teaching staff."
Eva Steingold
CAMP HENRY HORNER
"The staff and campers at Henry Horner are true "mentshes." My children had a great time and wonderful experiences."
Jodi from New Orleans - whose children attended Horner Overnight camp the summer after Hurricane Katrina.
"I wish I could stay at camp forever. It is heavenly."
An 8th grade camper from Long Grove.
"Thank you for the outstanding experience the boys had at camp this summer! As their first sleep-away experience, we could not have had better results."
Gail from Northbrook.
"Your program has so many positive benefits. I am glad Laura had the opportunity to attend so many years. I was truly touched by the mitzvah of having an 8th grader become a bar mitzvah during camp and having the celebration there. It truly touched Laura and us."
Mom of 9th grade camper from Buffalo Grove
"My son has not stopped talking about camp and all the friends he made."
Janet from Buffalo Grove.
CAMP STAR
"I have noticed a big improvement in my son, as he is using the behavior "rules" and "homework time" techniques that he's learned at CampSTAR, at our home. This camp has been great for all of us, and it validates what I'm trying to do with him as a concerned parent and future special ed. teacher. I think the kids are having a great "normal" summer camp experience, that they can feel like a success at, rather than getting picked on or yelled at because of their differences, for once. Philip wants to come back next year--even though, for us, it's a two-hour drive each way! Thanks, CampSTAR, to all your concerned and caring counselors, staff nurse, and Dr. Fran and Dr. Stein!"
Linda Weaver (parent)
"I am getting better"
Warren Tyson (camper)
"Last week at the parent meeting, Dr. Fran asked us to institute 'independent play' everyday at home. We were to ask our child to do a task while we were busy in the other room doing something else. Every 2-3 minutes we were to check on our child to encourage and praise their efforts. As they were able to do the task more independently, we were to let them work independently for 5 minutes before we went in, and then 10, etc. At the time I thought that this was crazy. The first night I came home and tried it. It was a disaster because my younger daughter was up. The next night I put my daughter to sleep first. The next couple of nights were great. I was able to clean dinner which I never get to do. Sammy sat at the table and colored by himself. This ended up being great for our family."
Devorah Turk (parent)
"Camp Star has been amazing. Last year our son, who has ADHD left his camp 3 weeks early because the camp couldn't address his needs. He told us he never wanted to go to camp again. Now, he's excited to go every morning. The staff at Camp Star have been great in handling our son's dietary needs (I can expand on this if you like.) The parent training is one of the best parts of the camp. Not only is our son in an amazing camp where he gets to engage in sports and academic learning, but we parents are given tools to help us manage his ADHD at home."
Shayna Sheinfeld (parent)
About Camp STAR
My head was in my hands. It was the first time I felt I may not successfully meet the challenge as my 12-year-okd's mom, caretaker and advocate. I'd always been able to keep myself a few steps ahead of what he needed, and had been able to deliver--until now.
Summer break was rapidly approaching and with it a precipice for my son. He was about to complete 6th grade, his toughest by far, academically and socially. His ADHD-related issues showed up more painfully than ever before; he felt bullied, teased, laughed at, 'different.' He thought his peers didn't like him, made fun of him thought he was stupid. (He is quite bright!) He had no friends among peers. No invitations. No play dates. He began sitting alone at lunch, staying in with his resource teacher during recess. He protested that he is HAPPY without friends, and claimed not to want any. The isolation was becoming a big concern, so was the plummeting self-esteem.
I thought this summer might be his last chance to successfully connect with peers rather than completely retreat into isolation. And my last chance to do what was necessary buoy and solidify his self esteem before entering the social and academic challenges of (gulp) seventh grade.
He cried at the idea of attending camp. He'd tried it in past summers and hated it. He 'didn't fit in.' His father and I thought a particular private therapeutic school would offer a safe nurturing environment for the summer, where he could work on academics (it had been recommended that he take remedial math and language arts in summer school), have fun and 'fit in.' An orientation visit left our son quite frightened and upset. He didn't want to go there. He just wanted to have a tutor or summer school and 'stay home with mom.' I knew this would be a terrible choice.
That evening, I got a phone message from our dr. about a summer program 'designed for your son.' Miraculous timing. I couldn't believe it. Cautiously, I wanted to believe it. Could Camp STAR turn out to be the answer to my prayers? In a word: YES.
Camp STAR isn't easy, for either of us. The critical parent/ at home component is hard for me, but not having it, in the long run, would be more difficult. And, it gives me hope and courage for the future. The camp accommodates my son's specific issues and needs, including the academics.
I can honestly say Camp STAR is giving us the opportunity to change our life, my son's life, for the better, We are learning to intergrate the behaviors we are learning, And the support I feel as the parent is lifechanging too. No longer do I feel so isolated in living with ADHD and it's related challenges.
The main goal is for him to come away with a more solid sense of himself, higher self-esteem. And, to have FUN. So far, mission accomplished.
Lorra Rudman (parent - July 17 2008)
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