Special Needs Summer Camp “Dream Team” – Why Ari, Lynsey and Laura are Camp Lee Mar’s “Dream Team!”
Between the three of them Ari, Lynsey and Laura have about 90 years of experience working at a special needs camp. What is so amazing is that all 90 years have been exclusively at Camp Lee Mar.
Having all this experience, and working together as a team, is one of the reasons Camp Lee Mar is such a special program for children with special needs. Ari, Lynsey and Laura each bring a unique perspective and skillset to Camp Lee Mar’s unique program.
Each “Dream Team” member’s Unique Contribution to Camp Lee Mar:
- Ari Segal, Director
Ari grew up going to overnight camp where he was a camper, counselor and supervisor. Ari earned his undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Maryland and his Master’s in Social Work from Temple University. Ari has been at Lee Mar for 29 years. He was fortunate enough to work with one of the pioneers in the field of special needs, his father, Irv Segal. Irv started the first supervised vacation program for adults with developmental challenges in the United States called The Guided Tour, almost 50 years ago. Ari grew up traveling with his dad on Guided Tour trips, and renting out summer camps for The Guided Tour’s Adult Encampments, and today Ari is the director of The Guided Tour, as well as Camp Lee Mar.
- Lynsey Trohoske
Lynsey has spent her adult life working at Camp Lee Mar and The Guided Tour. Lynsey came over to the United States from Great Britain over 23 years ago as a counselor and never left.Lynsey received a degree in Music Therapy from the University of Wales, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from the University of Manchester. Today Lynsey is the assistant director of Camp Lee Mar and the admissions director as well. Lynsey works year-round with the program, interviewing new campers and families, hiring staff, and planning each exciting summer! Lynsey works hard to ensure each camper’s program is tailored to their individual needs, and is in close contact with parents throughout the summer.
- Laura Leibowitz
Laura has been at Camp Lee Mar since 1982. Laura received both a Special Education degree and a Master’s in Education from Rutgers University. Laura is the assistant director and the Academic Coordinator of Camp Lee Mar. She also leads Camp Lee Mar’s well known Camper Worker Program that provides career training and job preparation for our older campers. Laura has been a special education teacher in New Jersey for more than 30 years and is certified in school administration (Principal and Supervisor Certification).
- Special Needs Summer Camp’s Dream Team!
Ari, Lynsey and Laura have worked together for almost 23 years. They are truly a “Dream Team” in the field of special needs. They work so well together, each complementing the others’ skills. For example, Ari will do the food ordering, and Lynsey and Laura share with him their menu suggestions based on the campers likes and dislikes. Laura sets up our academic program with Lynsey and Ari’s feedback from interviewing campers. Lynsey sets up the special events throughout the summer (Carnival Day, Western Night, etc.) with Ari and Laura’s input. At this point Ari, Lynsey and Laura can finish each other’s sentences after working so closely together. This is because they are a united front for the health, safety and well-being of our campers with special needs.
Any camp would be lucky to have any one of the members of Camp Lee Mar’s “Dream Team”, but Camp Lee Mar has all three, and it is the families and campers with special needs that are the beneficiaries of this.
Written by Ari Segal
My name is Ari Segal, I am the director at Camp Lee Mar. I am married, and we have three incredible children. My oldest child happens to be developmentally challenged and was a camper at Lee Mar (He aged out at 21 and is now 23.) I have been with Camp Lee Mar since 1993. I also direct a year-round, supervised, vacation program for adults, 18 & up, with developmental challenges called The Guided Tour.
