Camp Boost @ ECU!

Camp Boost Team, 2025

In August 2025, East Carolina University proudly launched Camp Boost, a week-long program designed to support children with organizational, academic, and/or social needs.

ECU's Camp Boost was modeled after the program at Ohio University, where the Center for Intervention Research in Schools (CIRS) runs a two- to three-week summer day camp for children aged 6–12. Like ECU’s version, Ohio University’s Camp Boost gives preference to children with ADHD, combining fun activities—outdoor sports, art, swimming, games, and academic enrichment—with structured support to build social, organizational, athletic, and coping skills.

The roots of Camp Boost trace back to Dr. William E. Pelham’s Summer Treatment Program (STP). Crafted over decades of research, the STP is an intensive, behavioral intervention for youth with ADHD, distinguished by its structured token economy systems, social-skills training, parent management training, and systematic behavioral feedback. Dr. Pelham’s pioneering work established STP as a clear exemplar of ADHD treatment—evaluated in dozens of studies and confirmed by multiple systematic reviews.

In its successful debut, ECU’s Camp Boost welcomed 11 campers for sports, swimming, art, dancing, academic skills training, social skills training, and educational gaming. The camp featured ATHEMOS, an educational video game designed to teach organizational, note-taking, and planning skills. Our hope is to continue to develop ATHEMOS to extend the intervention elements used in Camp Boost directly to school settings.

ECU graduate students from the doctoral programs in pediatric school psychology and clinical health psychology gained valuable clinical experience. Under faculty supervision, they practiced behavior monitoring, positive reinforcement techniques, and structured intervention strategies—reflecting the dynamic approach established by the predecessor programs.

The camp also extends the reach and impact of the Department of Psychology and its growing PASS clinic. The camp brings effective, evidence-based programming to eastern North Carolina; enhancing continuity of care; and strengthening pathways from camp to longer-term interventions.

Following a strong first year, Camp Boost at ECU is poised for continued growth. We look forward to expanding camp size and perhaps duration (up to two weeks) in 2026. Additional information will be provided in Spring 2026.