Where Summer Fun Meets Social Learning For one week in July every summer, campers make their way up to Camp For All in Burton, Texas to Camp SOCIAL – a camp that blends fun with personal growth, giving kids a chance to unplug, make friends and explore the outdoors. “Camp SOCIAL is a place where our kids can be themselves without fear of judgment or bullying,” said Carruth Center Clinic Director Mimi Branham. The Social Learning overnight summer camps began in 2010, after former Parish School Head of School Margaret Noecker and Social Learning Program Director Renee Attaway Storer discussed the need for an immersive experience for children struggling with social learning. That idea became both Camp Social Superheroes and Camp Connect. In 2020, The Carruth Center took over administrative duties for both camps from Parish. Carruth, working alongside Renee, merged the two camps into Camp SOCIAL in 2023. Camp SOCIAL takes place at Camp For All, a 206-acre camp site that hosts a wide range of activities, from archery and horseback riding to challenge courses and talent shows. At the heart of camp is learning and practicing Social Thinking®, as social concepts are woven into, discussed and reinforced throughout the camp day. By encouraging campers to actively think through social situations, rather than depending on cues or external changes, Camp SOCIAL fosters true understanding and lasting confidence. “All of our campers have some level of struggle with social competencies. Each day the campers participate in a Social Thinking® lesson and these concepts and lessons are reinforced throughout the day by camp counselors,” Mimi said. “From sun up to toes up, we are always looking for opportunities to teach our campers social concepts in a way that matters to them.” Margaret and Renee’s dream of a camp focused only on social learning for students who needed more support came true and continues to benefit campers every summer. Camp SOCIAL allows children to not only have fun during the summer, but continue their development in a safe, nurturing environment. “We want each camper to leave camp with a new sense of independence, confidence and belonging,” Mimi said. “We want them to go home exhausted and with great camp memories.”
If you’d like to learn more about Camp SOCIAL, visit parishschool.org/camp-social. Registration for Camp SOCIAL 2026 will open in January 2026.
22 | THE PARISH SCHOOL POST
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