Camp-goers display powers of creativity at National Abilities Center superhero project


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PARK CITY — Park City's National Ability Center played host to dozens of superheroes last week. It was a unique experience for young campers of all abilities from across the country.

The National Ability Center provides programs to individuals of all abilities by building confidence and life skills through recreation and educational programs.

"A really important part of this superhero project is that you have to focus on yourself," said Kimball Art Center teacher Jenny Dierson, who joined other teachers and counselors at a camp for children with disabilities.

After testing their strength at archery, the campers moved inside a cool green yurt to relax their bodies, not their minds.

"It's fun to come up here with everyone," said 11-year-old Zach Inskeep, who is attending the camp with his older sister Lizzie. "I enjoy being able to do stuff with her and help her."

Andrea Thompson, a camps supervisor at the National Ability Center, emphasized the benefits of teaming up with the Kimball Art Center for camp activities.

"It's been really wonderful to offer the campers a time for self-expression, a time to be creative, and it really balances out our activities," she said.

"We are going to use a lot of superpowers today, and we're going to make some really cool abstract, mixed media pieces," Dierson told the group. "We're going to get to use paint and markers and crayons and pastels and glitter in the very end."

Dierson's words got camper Taylor Wagner excited for what was to come. "I love doing art because it is fun, and I like doing the pompoms," she said.

Amy McDonald is the education director at Kimball Art Center and loves the camp art projects.

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"The intent is to inspire, to educate, to inform and hopefully transform," McDonald said said.

Courage and trust are two of the superpowers campers use to transform squiggly lines and crazy shapes into works of art.

"You're going to come up with designs to go inside all of these cool little shapes that you've made," Dierson said.

No matter their artistic choices or abilities, these campers get lots of positive feedback.

"You guys are terrific, you don't need any help. They've just taken off," said Patti Pepelnjak, a volunteer at the National Ability Center camps.

In fact, self-expression has taken these artists in a variety of directions.

"I work hard on this and I didn't just scribble, I really worked hard and it took me a long while to finish it," said camper Jaron Wunder

As the mixed media pieces come into focus, Dierson said, "They're all different because, guess what? We are all different and that is so cool."

McDonald agreed.


... When there is no right or wrong, I mean what better environment to kind of experiment or grow and to feel safe and challenged in an inspiring way.

–Amy McDonald


"And so, when there is no right or wrong, I mean what better environment to kind of experiment or grow and to feel safe and challenged in an inspiring way," she said.

It is the kind of no-barriers-to-success experience that Kimball Art Center directors had in mind when they partnered with the National Ability Center.

Wagner shared her inspiration to use warm colors and heart shapes to create her mixed media piece.

"I just care about people and love them and like if someone falls down, I'll help them up and see if they're OK," she said.

These campers have already learned the art of caring, especially for sisters and brothers.

"Sometimes it's hard because we can't understand what she (Lizzie) wants, but sometimes she can tell us what she wants on her iPad," Zach said.

Zach and his family came from Georgia to take part in the camp.

Thompson says the National Ability Center "found that it's really valuable to have the family recreating together and have the kids being together and share the same experiences in building those memories."

Like the memory of creating something unique from newly discovered superpowers.

The National Ability Center is hosting several more camps this summer, and there are openings to participate. If you are interested, check the organization's website.

Contributing: Keith McCord

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