Welcome to the online press kit for SOAR

SOAR focuses on turning learning disabilities into learning challenges through opportunities for success. SOAR stands for “Success Oriented, Achievements Realized,” a philosophy that is the organization's key tenet in its dedication to fostering growth within neurodiverse communities. This is a press briefing on the specialized program SOAR offers through their camps, GAP (Gateway Adventure Program), and The Academy at SOAR initiatives. SOAR's mission focuses on empowering individuals, nurturing resilience, and fostering social connections among those with unique abilities.

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, SOAR was founded in 1977 by an adult with learning disabilities who believed that focusing on an individual’s strengths, rather than deficits, was critical in ensuring success. Throughout the past 45 years, SOAR programs including summer camp, boarding school, and GAP have been adapted around the specific needs of youth diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder) and other learning disabilities. SOAR's understanding of the neurodiverse youth and young adults they serve is reflected in everything they do — in the way they approach challenges and adventures, structure each day, handle conflicts, and celebrate each participant’s abilities.

Camp: Igniting Success Through Outdoor Adventures

SOAR's ADHD camp programs for youth 8 to 25 years old include over 20 course options for 2024. Participants will find themselves in a supportive environment where they can embark on outdoor adventures, cultivate resilience, forge friendships, and uncover strengths. Emphasizing movement, responsibility, and a positive culture, these programs are offered in California, Florida, North Carolina, Wyoming, and internationally, including in Belize and Costa Rica. They are designed to nurture holistic development and success-oriented achievements by creating a structured environment which supports campers during camp and provides feedback to continue growth at home with the family.

SOAR is an authorized permittee of the US Forest Service and its US-based programs are ACA accredited. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in its programs based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status.

GAP: Nurturing Strengths, Fostering Achievement

Through the GAP (Gateway Adventure Program), SOAR focuses on nurturing strengths and fostering achievement in individuals with unique talents. By promoting positive accountability, quality mentoring practices, and pro-social behavior, the program guides participants toward realizing their potential. Emphasis on a growth mindset, grit, and meaningful relationships within the community facilitates personal growth and success.

Based in the beautiful Balsam Mountain Range where the organization is headquartered, SOAR GAP participants experience real-life responsibilities in a real-life setting — interacting with peers, cooking meals, doing laundry, organizing their space, and planning for their next trip. GAP operates out of The Stables, a lodge built of antique barn logs. At an elevation of about 4,900 feet, the wraparound porch looks out over Smoky Mountain National Park — specifically, the Cataloochee Divide Trail. There are also extended expeditions to Dubois, WY, located near the Wind River Range and Yellowstone National Park.

Participants focus on life skills including:

• Menu planning, purchasing, and preparation
• Budgeting / fiscal responsibility
• Organization / responsibility of personal items
• Expedition planning / travel expertise
• Laundry / personal hygiene
• Social skills
• Community involvement
• Goal setting and orientation
• Time management

Academy: Adventure Beyond Classroom Walls

The Academy at SOAR merges adventure and education, giving students an unparalleled opportunity to have fun, socialize, and learn amid a natural landscape. Accredited courses, differentiated instruction (tailoring instruction to meet individual needs), and small class sizes make the difference.

Many of the Academy at SOAR students have struggled in traditional educational settings, stemming from a variety of factors including but not limited to ADHD, anxiety, ASD, bullying, dysgraphia, dyslexia, executive functioning challenges, inability to self-advocate, poor impulse control resulting in negative feedback from peers and/or teachers, and poor academic performance. Many neurodiverse students are kinesthetic or experiential learners and benefit from a hands-on approach to learning.

The Academy at SOAR is accredited by Cognia (formerly SACS), the accrediting body for charter schools, independent schools, and public school systems. Through the North Carolina Department of Non-Public Education (NCDNPE), the Academy at SOAR is a fully certified non-public private school. Once children finish one or multiple semesters, they receive full academic credit for the courses they complete.

The Academy at SOAR operates on a four-week cycle where students rotate time between two-week focused academic study periods on campus in Western NC and two-week expeditionary study adventures off campus throughout the United States. Each expedition provides students with opportunities to develop new skills while at the same time continuing their academic progress. Unlike traditional school settings, the outdoor setting removes distractions while providing opportunities for students to practice and demonstrate growth in a variety of ways.

Each expedition provides students with opportunities to discover their world and to uncover abilities in themselves they may not have realized. The outdoor adventure school setting is rich in opportunities to push past perceived limits, utilize teamwork and communication skills, and practice problem-solving skills with real-world applications.

"I would never have expected a 10 day camping experience to change the trajectory of my son's life, but it did." – Lisa Grossman, parent who invested in SOAR Florida Keys Camp Experience

Celebrating Success and Growth

A true measure of success for SOAR lies in its expertise and leadership in neurodiverse communities. By fostering a culture of success-oriented growth, nurturing strengths, and promoting outdoor experiences, SOAR empowers individuals to thrive and achieve their aspirations. The organization's teachings emphasize success orientation, achievement realization, and the importance of holistic development.

These experiences set the stage for families and communities to soar toward a more inclusive and empowered future.

Download one sheet for John Willson
Download one sheet for J.D. Jones.
Rublic website: soarnc.org