Every year camp directors receive letters from campers parents describing growth experiences that began at camp and have continued to impact their son s or daughter s life in the home and community.
Counselors often note similar descriptions of growth in the same campers during program sessions.
Most likely, though, camp administrators do not include these testimonials and descriptions of change in evaluations of their camp program. In other words, the data are available, are recognized as important, but probably aren t being effectively utilized. Take a closer look at the importance of such rich information in your evaluation efforts, and look specifically at the potential use of case studies in providing qualitative data for evaluation efforts. These studies have incorporated qualitative data and comparative case analysis to explore the impact of camp programs on individuals with and without disabilities. This method can potentially be used as a component of overall program evaluation.