promo
Thoughts from a past participant
“All the counselors there make it feel so much like home …I just wish I could stay there longer” -Amanda

AE Farmhouse
About Us
On behalf of everyone here at Adirondack Experience, we would like to thank you for visiting our site. Through love, care, and compassion we are changing lives. Our methods are unlike any other program's and have been proven successful throughout the years. Whether a child stops smoking, changes their attitude, starts passing classes, joins an athletic team, or just plain smiles more, we will stand behind that child and support them in whatever they choose to do.

I strongly encourage you to explore our web site, read real thoughts of past participants, and get to know us a little bit better. Thank you again for taking the time to check us out online.

Staffing & Direction

Staff

  • 6 Full Time Staff
    • Criminal justice, psychology, sociology, physical education, social work, and special education degrees 
    • CPR and First Aid certification
    • Crisis Intervention Training
    • Back Country Search & Rescue
    • Licensed NYS Guides
    • Adventure programs annual safety training
  • 6 Part Time Staff
    • Certified Clinical Social Worker 
    • Evening Staff
    • Night Staff
    • Chef
  • Physician On Call

Board of Directors

  • Greg Peacock - Chair - Lake Placid, NY
  • Charles Whitney - Sec/Treas - Altamont, NY
  • Bernard Dayan - Lake Placid, NY
  • Peter Vanbrunt - Long Valley, NJ
  • Glenna Aldrich - Stony Creek, NY
  • Gretchen Foster - Lake Placid, NY
  • Joann Reed - Lake Placid, NY

History

Since 1990, Adirondack Experience, Inc. (AE) has been successful in establishing itself as a lead agency in blending adventure programming with traditional therapy. Staff interaction with program participants is key to the success of the AE programs, and this has been a consistency in the program since its birth.

High staff-to-participant ratios allows maximum interaction of staff and participants, and ensures the high safety standards set for the organization, both during adventure based activities and during the overnight stay portions of the Therapeutic Intervention Program. In 1995, the AE Program expanded its cliental for Visually Impaired and blind students. Safety and the well being of the children is of the utmost importance, followed by the encouragement of growth within themselves while they are with us.

  • Existed as an adventure based counseling program from 1973 to 1989 within a residential treatment center known as Camelot - The Saint Frances Academy, Inc (SFA).
  • Due to persistent requests from referring agencies for a preventative program that they could access directly, AE became a stand alone program within SFA in 1990.
  • In 2004, AE incorporated as a stand alone non-profit organization.