Our founder, Kathleen Cable, is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology.  Ms. Cable is the owner and Executive Director of Camp Excel.  She began her career over twenty-four years ago, providing treatment for children with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and other Childhood Disorders. Her many accomplishments include developing and directing school-based programs, an Intensive Outpatient Program for Children, and a Summer Treatment Program for Children. She also offered Social Skills Groups and Parenting Groups in her private practice. Through her work with Social Skills Groups and her connections with parents, she recognized the need for a comprehensive summer program to meet the social, academic, and recreational needs of these children. 

Summers for our children can be lonely, frustrating, and demoralizing as they often have significant difficulty making friends and keeping friends and have low self-esteem.  They may also regress in their academic performance over the summer months.  Some children have attended typical summer camps without success.  They are often on the periphery and do not connect with their peers or are terminated as they are misunderstood.   

In 2003, Ms. Cable, with her extensive experience, was inspired to develop Camp Excel, a specialized summer program that would meet the social, academic, and recreational needs of children with these challenges. Camp Excel was designed to be a therapeutic program in a camp-like setting where children could improve social skills, make friends, maintain academic standing, and enjoy summer camp!  The experienced, well-trained, all-adult staff would provide encouragement and guidance in using appropriate social skills, giving children the opportunity to experience in-the-moment learning that stays with them! 

Camp Excel has earned an excellent reputation in the community and has been used as an extended school year program by over fifty school districts in Monmouth, Ocean, Middlesex, Mercer, Bergen, and Passaic counties and Rockland County, NY.  Our program has also received NJ State funding. 

Understanding the need for reinforcement of the social skills learned during the summer program and to continue the success at Camp Excel, Social Skill Groups are offered throughout the school year. 

So many of our campers have attended the program for most of their childhood and cherish their Camp Excel memories.  They have moved onto their adult lives and are now faced with adult issues while dealing with their unique challenges.  At Camp Excel, we strive to develop programs to meet the ongoing needs of those with Social Skill Challenges.  Our Young Adult Social Group is offered to meet the needs of those ages 18-26 that need support at this stage of life. 

Camp Excel became a family business when daughters Maureen and Kimberly joined the camp.  They have been at the program for over 20 years and are now co-owners and directors. The Cable family shares a passion for helping children and are committed to providing the best program possible to meet the needs of the children and families that we serve.