Resiliency Center of Newtown (RCN) helps adults and children impacted by the tragedy at Sandy Hook School by offering a variety of individual and community-based services. RCN focuses on providing a healthy, safe space to assist in the healing process, many times with creative art therapies.

This summer, one of the programs offered for children is called Camp Creativity, which is a licensed day camp.

Stephanie Cinque, RCN founder and director, said, "We started Camp Creativity the first summer that we opened. We wanted to have a trauma-informed camp for the children who were impacted by the tragedy."

Ms Cinque acknowledges that when there is a transition - whether it be at the end of the school year going into the summer or going from the summertime back to a school environment - it can sometimes be difficult for children, especially ones who have experienced trauma.

Camp Creativity offers structure where children can focus on being present and enjoying their time. The camp takes place at Cullens Youth Association on Taunton Lake Road, making it an ideal setting for a real old-fashioned camp in the woods.

To ensure there are not outside distractions, electronic devices are not permitted. Instead of being on their phone, campers will get to do a variety of physical activity and creative outlets.

Ms Cinque explained, "In the morning there are structured small groups led by the therapist at the Resiliency Center. Then we provide the children with free lunch, donated from My Place. Then the afternoon is more fun camp activities; some activities we have are karate, yoga, and tie-dying."

In addition to those camp activities, Camp Creativity also nurtures mindfulness and purposeful acts towards healing. Campers have the opportunity to complete this by doing what Ms Cinque calls "a virtue" every morning.

"After we do our morning opening ceremony, they go down to the rock garden and mentally pick out which word virtue they are going to practice for the day - whether it is kindness, honesty, truth, brave, strong [written on the rock]- and take a meditative walk to their first group," said Ms Cinque. The children are asked to practice the word they have chosen throughout the day.

Special Camp Counselors

One of the features that makes Camp Creativity stand out is its specially chosen camp counselors.

"The counselors are high school and college kids from Newtown, as well as children who lost a loved one on 9/11. This year we will have counselors who survived the Boston Marathon bombing," said Ms Cinque.

Resiliency Center of Newtown has built a close relationship with the 9/11 and Boston Marathon survivors, having found tragedy within each community to be a unifying bond. Having the young campers interact with those that have a similar shared experience has been helpful to their healing.

Camp Creativity will take place the last two weeks in June, divided into one-week sessions, from 9 am to 3 pm. Each weekly session can accommodate up to 60 children, and this year it is open to Newtown children entering fourth through eighth grade.

Online registration opens on Friday, April 7, at 8 am. There will be a link on the RCN website, resiliencycenterofnewtown.org, and Facebook page. Last year, Camp Creativity filled up within the first 46 minutes of registration being available, according to Ms Cinque, proving to be a true testament to the programs success.

"The idea is really to be trauma informed, building relationships and resilience among the kids in the community," said Ms Cinque. "I really believe the community relationships foster healing."

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