JULY 23, 2024 — There are many ways to conduct academic research, but not many researchers find projects in the joy of a weeklong summer camp. Camp Durango is a summer day camp for children and youth with autism and for their siblings. The goal of the program is to have campers participate in research while they take part in fun camp activities.
“Camp Durango is a grant-funded research project,” said Haley Tapia, Camp Durango co-director. “Our motto is ‘Making research fun.’”
The camp is entering its fourth year under the direction of the UTSA Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) team. Counselors include Texas classroom teachers, graduate students, experts in behavior analysis and community volunteers.
Each year researchers conduct a new set of projects during the camp. This year, two projects focused on teaching social communication skills and gameplay skills using board games and video games, like Mario Kart.
“Our purpose is three-fold: conduct fun and meaningful research-focused on social communication skills and play, provide training and supervision for our counselors, and offer a meaningful and free service to the community,” said Marie Kirkpatrick, UTSA assistant professor.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Autism Grant Program funding makes this camp financially accessible for families or for caretakers of the 150 campers each summer. With an opportunity this good, it explains why it took UTSA less than 24 hours to fully book the camp this year.
“There are limited opportunities for children with autism, particularly those with behavioral concerns, since many camps are not always equipped with how best to support these needs,” said Humberto Peña, UTSA associate professor of research.
As the camp enters its final week, the ABA team at Camp Durango is already noticing positive outcomes during its research sessions, including more successful interactions for the students while playing games and more interactions beyond the research environment.
“Success for us is best defined by the stories we hear from the families and the kids,” said Sierra Stegemann, Camp Durango co-director. “We do aim for and love when our research gets published, but it’s definitely also about the smiles on everyone’s faces.”
UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.
Join us for Coffee with Vets, a casual social event where veterans can come together, connect, and share camaraderie over a cup of coffee. This is a perfect opportunity to unwind, meet fellow veterans, and build community in a welcoming and relaxed environment.
Veteran Lounge (JPL 4.03.04,) John Peace Library, Main CampusStop by to ask questions or learn about how you can become involved in Wellbeing Services events and programs.
Window Lounge (SU1.02.00C,) Student Union, Main CampusArt of Wellbeing is a weekly workshop provided by Wellbeing Services! Join us as we use different art mediums each week as a way to improve our overall wellbeing!
Magnolia Room (SU2.01.30,) Student Union, Main CampusNeed a Job/Internship? Connect with employers from different industries looking to fill their opportunities. This event is the perfect chance to start building your career path!
H-E-B BallroomsIn this Intro to Python workshop, attendees will be introduced to digital humanities projects that use Python. Participants will explore how Python can support digital projects by its versatility.
Group Spot B, John Peace LibraryDon’t mind the writing but hate formatting citations and bibliographies? Working on your thesis or dissertation, or even a long paper this semester? Citation managers such as Zotero® can help you store and organize the citations you find during your research.
Virtual Event (Zoom)Join UTSA Libraries and Museums to learn more about the publishing discounts available for UTSA researchers. Current agreements include Elsevier, Cambridge University Press, Wiley, and more. Bring your questions and feedback for the library as we continue to pursue partnerships with publishers to reduce costs for our researchers.
Virtual Event (Zoom)The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.