But for the week at Camp Rising Sun, the campers get a chance for an ordinary experience, just like any other kid.

"For a week, we make sure these kids don't feel like outsiders," said Laura White, the camp's founder and director.

But it's not only the kids who benefit from the camp, parents get a little respite from the challenges of dealing with a child with autism. In addition, the next generation of professionals who will work with these children in school and medical surroundings get their first taste of their chosen profession.

The camp partners with the University of New Mexico's Health Sciences Center and Center for Development and Disability.

Another aspect of the camp is that there are "peer" campers. These are children without autism who may be a sibling or were given the opportunity to attend to learn about children with autism.

White said that aspect of the program gives non-autistic children a chance to see that children with autism have the same desires and needs as any other kid.

"Then these kids go back to their schools and spread a greater understanding of children with autism to their classmates," White said.

Each year for the past four years, Camp Rising Sun has been held on the grounds of Camp Oro Quay in the East Mountains.

White was the spark that started the camp, but she soon recruited her friends and other parents to get it started.

She explained that she was frustrated in trying to find a camp for her son, Grant, a child with autism.

"The closest one was in San Antonio and it was really expensive," she said. "We were looking for opportunities where he could succeed socially, and very few were available."

Not only do the campers at Camp Rising Sun have an opportunity to succeed socially, they get a chance to do things they would have never imagined, such as hover at the end a rope 30 feet in the air or sleep in a teepee.

While doing a part of the ropes course where campers walk along a 10-foot long log suspended less than a foot off the ground, one 10-year-old camper, Cammie, could only express her fear at the new situation by crying and flailing. She can't talk and she doesn't like loud noises, such as clapping. Words of encouragement come in whispers and waving of hands.

Regardless, she still had the determination to do it, and with the help of camp counselors she made the seven or eight steps across. She didn't smile, she didn't pump her fist and the expression on her face was impossible to read. But the accomplishment was still there.

"I didn't think she would do it. I'm so proud," one of the counselors said.

For those counselors, the accomplishments are an affirmation of the path they are taking. Most are college students at UNM.

Jessica Rich, who is majoring in speech language pathology, said that she was nervous about signing on as a camp counselor — not only had she never been to camp in her life, but she wasn't sure what to expect.

But it didn't take long, she said, for her to realize she is choosing the right career path.

"This is such a great learning experience," Rich said. "I wouldn't trade it for anything."

This is the first year that two camp sessions have been held for Camp Rising Sun, and White said that, eventually, more sessions will be held and the camp will be expanded to get children older than age 13 involved. This second session, which is running this week, has 37 campers and about 40 staff members. the camp is funded through donations from civic clubs such as the Edgewood Civitans and the Moriarty Lions clubs, as well as from individuals and corporate sponsors.

White readily admits that her reason for starting Camp Rising sun was purely self-centered, but it didn't take long for her realize that there was a need.

"It was selfish," she said. "But all you have to do is see what this experience does for these kids to realize it's more than just about yourself."

For more information on Camp Rising Sun, go online to www.camprisingsunnm.org.