My name is Kaylin Paugh and I am a graduate of Southern Garrett High School and recently graduated from Garrett College with my AAT in secondary education. I was enrolled in the childcare program at Southern High School which discontinued during my junior year.

In order for me to complete the requirements to be a childcare completer, I needed to acquire two more credits my senior year. In the past, I volunteered at a camp called Camp Mountain Magic, which was a parent-led summer camp for students with significant cognitive disabilities. As a student with a physical disability with cerebral palsy, I felt that camp was a very important and rewarding opportunity for the students.

In 2017, since that camp was no longer being offered, I was presented with the opportunity to build and direct a similar summer camp as a senior project for my childcare class. The name of the project was Camp Caring. I was responsible for a variety of aspects of the summer program including inviting eligible students, creating a budget, fundraising, establishing a daily schedule, and arranging community activities.

I asked for the help of our local community to help make Camp Caring a success and was able to raise all the funds to go forward with camp. I have continued to hold camp within the local school system for the last five years, but only students at Garrett County Public Schools were eligible. I feel there are many more individuals in our community that would benefit from camp, and I am expanding Camp Caring to meet those needs.

My goal is to involve individuals with significant cognitive and physical disabilities in all aspects of our community, promoting awareness and inclusion. The objective of CAMP CARING, Inc., is to provide individuals with significant cognitive and physical disabilities a free day-camp to learn, grow, and thrive as independently as possible within our community.