Quest Camps

My (now) 12 year old son has been to Quest the past two years. He went for four weeks each summer. We are just finishing our last day of the summer session tomorrow, and I’m so sad that it is over! My son has learned so much and has been accepted for who he is. He has benefited from the social skills sessions, friendship, and leadership at Quest. It was a lifesaver for me as a mom last year … and my only regret is that I only found out about it last year. I will send him to Quest as long as he is within the age limit. He loves it and he has grown emotionally and behaviorally as a result of his time with the Quest team.

Great camp, and Dr. Fields who runs the camp is a smart, capable counselor who has helped us a lot. Highly recommended.

My son’s behavior is less than typical for children on the spectrum, but he has found a place to help him grow and find friends. He finally has some friends! This place may not be for everyone’s child so ask question and express concerns in the interview. The counselors and leaders listen and want to help. They are full of energy and food vibes. They really put in effort to understand the individual’s needs. My son is very happy and for the first time at a camp sad that it will end in a couple of weeks. He will return!

Our rising seventh grade son has been attending summer and after-​school Quest camp since the third grade. He LOVES Quest camp and we do too. He has come a very long way because of Quest. Because of his work at Quest, he has much greater self-​awareness than his neurotypical twin sister. We use the keywords (lingo), the goal-​setting and the point system derived from Quest at home and at school. Quest is a wonderful program with a great staff and a fabulous ethos. In a perfect world, mental health insurance would cover programs like Quest because they do SO MUCH in helping the kid who needs that extra, hands-​on help with executive functioning and social skills, delivered with abundant positive reinforcement. Quest is, simply put, brilliant.

Just finished our 3^rd summer with Quest. Our son has always enjoyed his time at camp. He has developed an awareness of himself that he did not have before attending. I would highly recommend it to anyone whose child can use help with social/​emotional skills or with how to self monitor their ADHD.

This is the 3^rd year that my son attends Quest Camp, during the summer. He truly enjoys coming to the camp every day for 4 weeks in a row.
The progress, that We see are great improvement in his self confidence, leadership and socialization. We are looking forward for the next year and great expectations to see how much more progress He will make.
If you send your son to this camp you rest assure that Will be one of the best investments you can make in your children.

They have excellent after school and summer camp programs. @Quest everyone is valued and respected. Everyone who works at this place really focus on improving ways to help families meet their goals. They are committed to making a difference — It is definitely «A Place for Spirits to Soar».

I just came back from attending two days at the Quest Camp in Alamo, volunteering as part of my coursework for a graduate program. I was blown away by the quality of the camp. As an educator, I have been in many different educational settings in the past 25 years and what I saw there was by far one of the most well run programs, ever.
The counselors were stellar, the environment felt safe (both emotionally and physically) and the way that the campers were respected and redirected was awesome. All interactions were observed and used as learning opportunities. There are specific goals for each camper which are reviewed and feedback is given by the group and counselors to facilitate the integration of the goals in «real time». There were therapists available for those situations that required their expertise, available to be called on at all times.
The campers clearly respect the entire staff and the staff clearly respect the campers.
If I could give Quest Camp 10 stars, i would. Thank you all for offering this opportunity and working so hard to make it what it is!

My son is currently finishing up his fourth week at Quest Camp in Alamo. My boy is seven and in February I started researching camps for him to attend this summer. He was offered summer school through our district, but, since he needs aren’t academic, I decided to look for something to support his social and emotional development… I am so thankful that I found Quest Camp.
Quest Camp has been amazing for my boy. It’s funny because although he’s quiet and reserved at camp, he’s taking it all in and using the skills he learns there at home… and out in the world. Just in the past four weeks, he’s really blossomed into a more social being. He’s been a non-​stop talker at home for a while now, but just last year he started to engage with his peers. Now, it’s hard to believe he’s the same kid. When we go to the park, he seeks out other kids, finally wanting to engage and play with them. We’ve had a lot of play dates this summer and my son has been SO much more interactive than he was before he started the Quest program. Everyone is noticing the changes in him and it’s exciting to see him settling into himself.
Why is Quest so great? The counselors and therapists are wonderful. They really take the time to get to know each child. They work to figure out how far each child can be pushed and still excel… and they push. They expect great things from our kids and they get it! The program is personalized for every camper; they each get ten goals designed just for them. I get a daily report in my email, letting me know how my son’s day was and how he did with respect to his goals each hour of the day. Every other week there is a parent meeting where I get a «report card» on how my child has been doing in camp, and I get to ask lots of questions! In addition to all this therapeutic, important work… Quest camp is fun. They go on amazing field trips (6 Flags, Chabot Space and Science Center) and they swim twice a week. My son has thoroughly enjoyed Quest Camp (except for the heat…“Mommy, I do not want to go to Quest Camp when it is too hot” but we can hardly blame Quest Camp for that!) and I look forward to continuing his Quest journey next summer.

Quest Camp has been completely LIFE CHANGING for us. I can’t say enough positive things about the program, and how much Quest has positively changed our life. The respect we have for the program, Dr. Fields, the counselors and staff, is beyond anything I can write in a review. We went from having a kid who was an explosive, sometimes hurtful to himself, anti-​social little person, to a wonderful, kind, funny, confident, social butterfly. And yes, I’m giving all that credit to this program.
I am so shocked by the negative review on here that I felt I HAD to comment.
First of all, as a parent, we all know our kids can embellish or tell their interpretation of what goes on. That being said, we have to, of course, look into what they say, and search for the truth. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the situations being described in the negative review are completely blown out of proportion. As the adult, its on US to find out what really happened. And knowing the counselors and the set up at Quest, the scenario as described is completely impossible.
I have had my son at Quest for the past 3 summers, as well as the after school program. The ratio of counselors to kids, is at most, 6 to 1, and sometimes even 3 to 1! There is no time for «private conversations» and the counselors are completely present at all times. I find it hard to believe that a senior camper had the opportunity to chat it up with an 8 year old camper about being sexually abused. Even if by some crazy chance they sat near each other on a bus ride to the pool, or a field trip, a counselor is sitting in every single row of the bus– wouldn’t he/​she have heard this conversation? Especially since the primary job of the counselors is to facilitate the interaction? I highly doubt a counselor would just sit there, and allow that conversation to happen, and not only that, the counselors I’ve experienced would immediately contact not only a Therapist, but Dr. Fields immediately so he could address the situation. In addition, the counselors assigned to the senior campers have been with Quest for YEARS– we’re talking 7 — 8 YEARS. They aren’t ignoring the campers texting their buddies– they are extremely involved, and CARE. If they didn’t care about helping these kids be better people, and just wanted to collect an easy paycheck, they would be working at Baskin Robbins, or doing something mindless. THIS STAFF CARES.
These counselors are cherry picked, and grouped together strategically. Counselors who have more experience are paired with newer counselors, so the newer counselors have mentors. In addition, there are FOUR therapists involved, so backup reinforcement is never far. These counselors adore our kids, and spend the entire day reinforcing positive behavior, and when issues arise (and of course they do!) they are trained on how to handle them and always have a therapist a walkie-​talkie away to help. They address EVERYTHING. And yes, I’ve emailed Dr. Fields with a comment or question, and haven’t heard back immediately. If you don’t get the response you need in the time you need it, then take the initiative since it’s for YOUR child, and pick up your phone and CALL! There is office staff– and they DO call you back! Do you expect to call Bill Gates and have him pick up your call? Didn’t think so. Call the office and go through the proper channels– I guarantee you would have had a different experience. So clearly not getting a response about the issues the negative reviewer had weren’t too important if he didn’t properly pursue it. If that situation was brought up to me, I would have showed up at camp at drop off or pick up and would have been in someone’s face. So, since that never happened, I question the validity of the review. Dr. Fields is PRESENT on site, so not being able to get a hold of him is impossible!
Back to the good stuff… Quest is hard to describe. But, I can say that the program works, and is worth every penny. We are able to do things as a family we were NEVER able to do last year– and its all because of Quest.
They provide the tools to help us– and I think its on US as adults and parents to advocate for our children. I can honestly say with 100% confidence, that the Quest Program works, they care, they respond, they help, and they have changed our lives exponentially.

There’s not one review on here that comes from the 1^st eye perspective of someone who actually went to this camp. It’s mostly just parents rehashing what their kids told them throughout their summer (s). I went to this charming social gathering for 9 years (2003 – 2012), experiencing every pro and con that this camp delivered. I’ve seen what happens in the youngest group, all the way to the oldest. If you’re considering this camp as a choice to fill in your son/daughter’s summertime, here’s everything that you should know about this place and how it operates.
The camp itself claims to offer a playground of opportunity to children and adolescents that have a hard time coping with a wide range of problems that «separate» them from the rest of their peers outside. Examples of this would be if your children suffer from anger problems, shyness, little flexibility, or maybe just a lack of friends, ect. For most cases, Quest performs an impeccable job at meeting this requirement. I personally came into here not knowing how to behave at the right times. As the weeks went by, I quickly learned how to act my age and meet other kids my age in a more suitable manner. The only kids that you may hear about that have little success rates here are usually the ones who don’t cooperate with the system that they’re nicely asked to follow.
When I was a little kid, I only saw Quest as a place to… have fun! The concept of this camp seems to be specifically designed to feel like well… a quest. You come into camp looking for something, eventually experiencing some life-​altering events while learning a few things in between, and come out as a newer, improved you. Only with this camp though, you probably won’t notice any of it. With such amenities as the spirit stick, group names and banners, occasional fun themes, deep stories, and teamwork events, your son/​daughter will have plenty of occupations to forget about the thought of «focusing on their star goal».
When you’re a kid, you usually don’t see anything wrong with the camp itself. Everything around you seems as amped up as a Beatles concert, especially at the end of the day (You’ll figure that bit out soon enough if you decide to come). Nothing but love and toleration encompasses you. You’re simply in a place where you feel safe. The same however, cannot be said if you’re an adolescent in the senior camper group.
It seemed to me at first that in order to be accepted into the group, you had to demonstrate good leadership and a positive attitude. Very rarely (in my case), they would let a younger individual into the group if they could handle the responsibilities that they’re asked to follow. As the years proceeded, most of the veterans along with their handy leadership skills disappeared. With a lack of older, more mature kids, they compensated by adding younger, less experienced campers to take the role instead. The result from this is a group compromised of 11 – 15 year-​old kids being asked to act like they’re 17+. THIS IS ONLY MY ASSUMPTION AND HOW I FELT OVER THE YEARS. I personally think that if the group is still heading in that direction, then they should rid their status of «senior campers» until they finally receive a group that can maturely handle the responsibilities without griping about it.
To clarify, the senior camper group is not a bad group. Some of the kids that I’ve known throughout the years have turned out to become good lifelong friends. Despite their personalities and different maturity levels, they still compromise themselves to be a substantially vibrant group. Despite the lack of adult efforts that occasionally came from the group, they still presented themselves as a great group of friends, which represents what this camp is really all about. Even though the last couple years were a drag, I still wouldn’t change a single moment of what happened during those times.
As you probably saw, certain reviewers on here complained about this group in such a way that made the entire camp itself appear unappealing. Most of what they say isn’t true at all. As I stated in the beginning, «It’s just parents rehashing what their kids have told them throughout their summer (s)», a parent cannot fully distinguish what happens inside their children’s group. Even though the group has resembled a strong disapproval to me over the past years, I can’t say how different they are now. Who knows, they could be completely different from when I last saw them. You just don’t know until you see.
This camp is expensive, and you deserve to know the smaller details of how it works. Whether or not your child is 6 or 16, they’ll probably have a blast there. It’s just that there’s a large difference between being a «camper» and «senior camper». If you have any questions, look no further than asking the staff there or Dr. Field himself. His devotion for the camp and job as a therapist still remains to be unlike anything that I’ve seen from anyone else before.

After attending camp we couldn’t believe the huge changes in our son. He was taking interest in more things and connected with other campers which extended into the school year. Dr. Bob has also been with us when we needed support during the school year. What a wonderful program.

My son has attended Quest Camp for the past two summers, and is excitedly awaiting the start of summer #3…we’ve also done the Quest Afterschool Program for the past two school years. My son has epilepsy and delays in speech, communication and social cognition, and over the years, we’ve tried just about every social-​cognitive program out there. Many of these other programs were very good in terms of content, but my son always tired of them (and stopped cooperating/​participating) before we could see any real results. Quest has been dramatically different. Like I said, we’ve done Quest for pretty much two years straight, and my son still looks forward to every session. I can’t really tell you why, because he’s often pushed to do things outside his comfort zone (like sports, group activities, group therapy) — my only explanation is that Quest is fun enough and has enough «good stuff» happening for him that he’s OK with the work (at least most weeks!).
One key for my son, I think, is that he feels that Quest is a place where he belongs, and for us, those «safe» places have been few and far between. Also, the programs meets kids where they are and seeks to make them successful first, then push them ahead, which helps with the feelings of failure and inadequacy that so many kids like my son experience in many settings (esp. when it comes to sports and group activities).
From my perspective, the difference between Quest and some other social cognitive programs is that they teach the concepts in real time, in real-​world situations that kids will encounter every day at school, home, etc., such as sports, games, and arts and crafts projects. Many other programs (like Social Thinking) start by teaching concepts in a very school-​like way (children seated at a table, material presented by the therapist, reviewed with worksheets, etc.). This wasn’t very appealing to my son after a while — he just couldn’t sit and absorb the information, esp. after an already long day at school! Quest «packages» the lessons in fun, at least most of the time — the group therapy sessions are sometimes just talking about feelings and behaviors, but again, it’s more of a discussion, and less of a «lesson.» When I explain the difference to other parents, I say, Social Thinking was like taking the lecture class; Quest is like taking the lab: more hands-​on, more action. If your child is a kinesthetic learner, Quest might be the right solution for social cognitive work.
Also, Quest offers tangible rewards that children truly value. The store system is a real motivator for my son, as is the opportunity to go on really great field trips. The summer camp is pretty much non-​stop fun (sports, games, swimming, field trips, skits, songs, banners, science projects, art projects, and animal visits). My son really likes that at Quest they «do things» rather than just «talk.»
And yes, those tangible rewards do include some junk food «treats.» The reason my son values those Oreos so highly is because he doesn’t get them anywhere else, and so he’s willing to work for that treat! And since I know he’s not eating those kinds of things at home or school, I’m fine with it in the camp context — any registered dietician will tell you that if your kid is eating healthy most (80−90%) of the time, treats are OK (as long as there are no allergies or food sensitivities, or other special-​diet considerations). So, I let Quest be the «treater» in our lives!
My bottom line is this: no therapy works at all if a kid won’t stay engaged. Quest keeps my kid engaged, and the all other programs we’ve tried have failed to do that. Progress is slow, but steady, and the fact that it’s a place my son *wants* to go makes all the difference.

My son attended Quest Camp last summer and has been in the after school program this school year. He has ADHD, goes to a small school and has been shunned by most of the clique-​ish kids. At his school, he is an outcast and can’t figure out why no one likes him. Yes, before he was formally diagnosed we had some *minor* behavior problems with him disrupting class or keeping his hands to himself, but the school staff and other adults (supposedly) in charge seemingly could not handle it. Waaay to inspire confidence in our educational system. /​end sarcasm
In contrast, Quest has given my son the opportunity to fit in, learn to make friends and realize that he’s not hyper nor out of control (both labels ascribed to him by the so-​called professionals at his school). Rather, he needs a firm hand and guidance, both of which this program offer. They also offer involve parents to integrate key program tenents at home to keep the kids on track in both environments. We’ve seen a remarkable improvement in our son’s social skills in the past year.
Yes, it is expensive as other posters have mentioned, but based on the improvements I’ve seen and how much my son enjoys going, it is worth every penny.

Our family is getting ready to move out of state and I thought it would be a good time to leave some feedback about the Quest Program and therapy services provided by Dr. Bob Field. I am floored with the negative comments that some others have left here. As a former Special Education teacher, I have dealt with many challenging children (and their parents) and wonder if some of the comments do not reflect the whole story. I cannot give enough accolades to Bob Field and the staff of the Quest Program. We have two «tween» kids, a son and a daughter, who attended the Quest Summer Program for several weeks last year. Our son was a «senior camper» and our daughter participated in one of the girls’ groups. The way the counselors provide theraputic services while maintaining a fun, camp-​like atmosphere is astounding. Our daughter DID NOT want to go to Quest and after one week, begged us to attend for the rest of the summer. When she learned that we were moving, she asked if we could fly her back here next summer just so she could go to Quest. The counselors take a personal interest in the kids, get to know their individual strengths and weaknesses, help them set goals and the program holds parent meetings to keep parents updated and give us a chance to connect with other parents and share in a safe and meaningful way. The counselors are just that– counselors. Most are are MFTs, some are working on PhD’s while a few are college students or teachers. There are always going to be personality clashes and my kids liked some more than others, but we felt that all were very qualified and most certainly dedicated to the kids and the program. In addition, we received daily email updates and could contact Bob Field, the director on his cell phone or email anytime. I share all of this because, in my many years of teaching and few years as a parent, I often sought a program like Quest to recommend to families and they just aren’t out there. This program is as good as it gets. Bob Field is committed to doing what’s best for kids and you will see measurable progress if you invest your time, energy and money here.

My son attended QUEST camp in the fall. He enjoyed going every Thursday and was very happy to tell me about camp when I picked him up. He has autism and usually has a hard time fitting in. Middle school has been very hard for him socially and he tends to seclude himself when given the opportunity. Since attending camp he has been more open and optimistic. We look forward to attending another session.

After struggling to find help for my elementary school daughter so she could fit in with others better, I finally found Quest and Dr. Field. He was the first to correctly diagnose my daughter after 3 other psychologists did not. Attending camp was life saving for her. She found an accepting group, many of whom are still friends today (years later). She gained confidence & fit in much better at school.
The first few days were challenging for her because she needed the extra pushing they provided. Once she gained more confidence she pushed herself and gained so much. She would wake up early each morning with excitement and it was a joy for me! I can’t speak highly enough about the camp and the benefits. My daughter wouldn’t be where she is now if not for this camp and Dr. Field.

My 12 year old son attended the summer program and thrived greatly as we approached the next year. Yes at first he did have some issues adjusting to the program and some of the other campers. But if I were to be honest that is the reason why he and many of the other campers are in such a program… problems adjusting and difficulty in social interactions. When these issues did arise that staff intervened immediately and with the appropriate level of coaching and therapy support for all involved.
I also appreciated the support provided by the staff as a parent through the program.

Run, don’t walk, far, far away. 15 yo child, «senior camper» disclosed to our 8 yo child that she was sexually abused and attempted suicide multiple times. Camp knew of her issues, let allowed our child to be unsupervised by her. They dealt with it horribly after our 8 yo told us. 15 yo retaliated against our child and camp staff did nothing.
Another child with emotional issues harassed everyone, threatened them and hit them… took weeks to get him kicked out and counselor told our son, «you like the drama» when our child confronted him.
Son broke his glasses at camp and he is very blind without them. He kept asking staff to call parents but they refused… so he went 2.5 hours at camp and 1 hour in carpool home not being able to see.
Counselor yelled at kids.
Finally, they use junk food as reward and punishment (we are talking candy, Doritos, Capri Sun).
Camp Director is well-​intentioned but they have gotten too big, have taken a Regional Center contract with kids that don’t mix well with original cohort of kids with Aspergers and ADHD and Director is incredibly non-​responsive. We tried to get $ back as our kid was so upset after these experiences and director just refused to email or talk with parents.
Don’t waste your $, and this place ain’t cheap.

What a difference a single year makes…
On my wall is my son’s fresh «Camper of the Day» Certificate and in a nearby folder is his «mixed, but improving» evaluation written by Dr. Bob for this summer’s Camp. However, it appears that the Director might have some «issues» that require greater treatment than he currently offers at his Camp. Otherwise, I’m unable to explain the complete lack of response when I asked to personally talk with him about my son’s progress, inquire about certain «teenager appropriate (or not)» situations along the way, and express my concerns regarding questionable behaviour by some of his counselors. His silence was finally broken by a cowardly and personally insulting «don’t come back» email that I received totally out of the blue last Sunday afternoon. And of course he didn’t respond when I nicely asked (under Gayle’s editing) for clarification.
PS. — At no time during this period was my son a physical danger to anyone and at no time did Quest express any related safety concerns. Any safety representation by Quest years after the fact is not based on any factual information.