First Steps Camp Helps Kids and Parents with Communication Skills
by Vernon B. Ingraham, 33˚, Executive Secretary, Scottish Rite Foundation of Colorado.

In 2006 The Children’s Hospital initiated a program called First Steps designed to better address the need of families whose young child (age two to six years) may benefit from a computerized device for non-verbal users to “speak” in an electronic or synthesized voice. This program provides an intensive, five-day program of communication skills development, technology training, and mentored support for children, their parents, and one or two siblings.

Six families participated in the inaugural program in April. First Steps is conducted by staff from The Children’s Hospital at Easter Seals Rocky Mountain Village, an accessible, over-night lodge setting in Empire, Colorado. This relaxed environment helps families share experiences with staff as well as with other families.

The Rollie R. Kelley Family Foundation generously supported First Steps with a grant to the Scottish Rite Foundation of Colorado. One of the parents, Laura, who attended the camp with her son, said “The First Steps camp was like a semester college course packed into five days. It was intensive training which enabled us as parents to more effectively use day to day activities as communication opportunities and to become an important resource to our children in teaching and encouraging them to communicate. Thank you for supporting us with a scholarship to the First Steps camp.” This mother’s testimony bears witness to the outstanding work being done by The Children’s Hospital in the RiteCare Childhood Language Program.

This summer you will be receiving a special mailing from the Scottish Rite Foundation which will elaborate on the special partnership between the Scottish Rite and The Children’s Hospital in serving children with speech-language disorders. We hope this proves to be informative for better understanding our role, as Masons, in serving the community.