Programs

Camp Starfish’s core programs provide a 1 “to” 1 (also known as 1:1) direct care staff-to-camper ratio. This means that at the meal table, there are four campers and four staff members. If there are five campers living in a bunk, five staff also live in the bunk. If six campers are playing a game of soccer, six staff are playing soccer with them!

One “on” one is different. Starfish is not 1 on 1. One-on-one means that a specific child is assigned a specific adult for the duration of their experience. Examples of 1 on 1 in a school setting include a para-professional or individual aide assigned to one particular child for the entire day. This is not the model utilized at Starfish.

The staff at camp work as a team to take care of everyone. Campers often grow to prefer one counselor over another for any number of reasons, as is the case regardless of the ratio at any camp. But, unlike if they were paired 1-on-1, a camper is never “stuck” spending a majority of their experience with one adult. Starfish’s 1-to-1 instead allows camper and staff relationships to form more organically and allows campers to practice their social skills with many different individuals.

Please note that although Starfish is 1:1, campers are never alone with just one staff member.

In general, we have found that one session of camp can be of great benefit to campers, while spending the entire summer at camp can have the unintended effect of negating some of the wonderful work that campers do in the early weeks of their attendance; this is naturally due to the highly-structured nature of our 24/7 group-living environment that can become tiring and repetitive after multiple weeks of camp attendance. We consider each request for multiple session attendance on an individual basis, considering a camper’s needs, any history of previous attendance at camps (including Starfish), the needs and requests of the family/parent/guardian/agency, and balancing those needs with that of the camp community. We reserve the right not to enroll campers for more sessions than, in our professional opinion and after considering all of the above factors, we feel is appropriate.

For campers who do attend multiple sessions, we require the signing (by parents/guardians) of a Multi-Session Agreement. This helps ensure that we are all on the same page about expectations and responsibilities for multi-session attendance.

Camp Starfish welcomes campers from all across the United States and even other countries! We do require that a parent/guardian or adult responsible for your camper be accessible within a 3-4 hour distance of Starfish during the camp session. Some parents designate a friend or relative in the area as the emergency contact, while others choose to vacation nearby while their camper attends Starfish. We can help you with arrangements should you choose to stay nearby and enjoy the Monadnock region of New Hampshire during the time your camper attends Starfish.

The fee structure for our camp is determined by the costs associated with providing a high-quality programming experience. We pride ourselves on maintaining a one-to-one ratio and employing highly trained and experienced staff. For example, our supervisory staff arrive at camp four weeks prior to the arrival of campers for extensive training. These factors, along with our all-inclusive approach that covers supervision, supplies, meals, transportation, and special events, contribute to our tuition being higher than that of some other camps. There are no hidden costs outside of the tuition cost.

Camp Starfish not only provides a fun and enjoyable experience for children but also offers a therapeutic environment with a focus on social and coping skills programming. To offer this level of service to children who have not been successful in other settings, our costs may be slightly higher than those of an average “summer camp” experience.

We encourage you to compare the costs of our camp against other similar programs. However, it is important to note that there are only a limited number of programs nationally that offer a 1:1 ratio and the level of support for our particular camper population. Upon comparison, you may find that our fees are highly competitive to similar services and programs.

Ultimately, the decision to enroll your child in our program should be based on the value of a proven program, high success rates, and a supportive community. As a non-profit organization, the tuition we collect is solely used to ensure that we can continue to provide outstanding services to campers and their families.

Starfish fundraises tirelessly in order to be able to provide financial aid to reduce the cost of camp when the full tuition is out of reach. It is our goal to work compassionately and openly with each family to determine ability to pay and to provide assistance with securing camp funding. Financial Aid is determined based on family size, income, and other pertinent factors. Special considerations will be taken into account to the best of our ability. Supporting documentation is required in order for a request of Financial Aid to be processed.

You can find the Financial Aid application on the application page and on your CampMinder account. Also, please note that Financial Aid from Starfish can be combined with other sources of funding (such as agencies, grants, etc.) and in those situations, Starfish Aid is the last step of the process.

It is our expectation that families who are able to pay the full tuition amount, without financial aid, will do so. Please do not apply for financial aid unless the full cost of camp is a true hardship.

You may not receive a financial aid determination prior to learning your camper has been accepted to camp, but you will know about Starfish financial aid before you confirm registration. We accept campers into Starfish based on their need for the special programming we offer, not based on financial merits. For that reason, our enrollment department will first accept your camper into the program, then discuss aid packages and financial arrangements. In this way, we provide financially needs-blind admissions. Once you have all the information available to you, including a financial aid package to consider, you will be asked to confirm your child’s registration.