Camp for Kids Who Stutter

Stuttering camp participant, graduate student and Goldy

The Sioris Family University of Minnesota Kids Who Stutter summer camp has been in existence since 2009. One of the main goals of our camp is to invite children who stutter to meet one another in a fun and supportive environment. Many of our campers have never before met anyone else who stutters, which can be a very isolating experience.

Because stuttering is multi-factorial and affects much more than speech fluency, the focus of our camp is on the social, emotional, and attitudinal aspects of stuttering. Our goal is to help campers increase their confidence, independence, spontaneity, and joy in communication.

Camp Dates

Camp will be held on the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus from June 24th - 28th, 2024. 

We offer a full-day program from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM for children who are entering 5th to 9th grades. Lunch and transportation to and from camp are not provided. 

Camp Activities

Throughout the week, campers participate in fun camp activities and field trips around the U of M-Twin Cities campus. 

Past camp field trips and activities have included: 

  • Bowling at Coffman Union
  • Visiting the Bell Museum
  • Touring UMN sports stadiums
  • Therapy Dog Agility Training

Campers also have the opportunity to participate in group discussions about a variety of social and emotional issues related to being a child who stutters.

At the end of the week, we invite family and friends to a reception where we can connect with one another, and the campers share information about stuttering and ways others can support them.
 

Spotlight on Camp Staff: Joel Korte

Joel Korte holding an electric guitar standing near a desk with a computer on it
Joel Korte in his studio

As part of Boyd Huppert's Land of 10,000 Stories, KARE11 focused on UMN master's of speech-language pathology program graduate Joel Korte, who has played a big part in our camp. The story was then picked up by USA Today and featured on their website. Watch the video about Joel for a quick glimpse into his life and the great things he has done for our camp.
To see a quick glimpse of some of our campers talking about stuttering and how it has affected them, watch this short teaser from KARE11. 
 

Registration

A generous donor has covered most of the costs of the camp. There is a $100 fee to participate, and scholarships are available based on need. 

Registration Form

Additional Information

Contact us for more information

If you (or someone you know) are interested in more information about camp, contact Camp Director Erin Bodner at bodne004@umn.edu.

As part of HIPAA compliance regulations, please note that if you would like to communicate via email, you must submit an electronic consent form.