Camp Alec

Camp ALEC is an 18-19 minute vérité-style documentary directed by Christopher Stoudt, released on Disney+ on July 9, 2025 as part of the 'People and Places' series. The film profiles a sleepaway camp nestled in the woods outside Grand Rapids, Michigan that serves nonspeaking children whose disabilities — including autism, cerebral palsy, and verbal apraxia — prevent them from vocalizing their thoughts. Rather than traditional speech, the campers communicate through augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices, which translate messages they compose into audible speech. The documentary is structured as a series of immersive character studies following individual campers through their week at camp, observing them as they use AAC to interact, express themselves, and participate in camp life — many experiencing their first overnight stay away from home. The camp, co-directed by Dr. Karen Erickson and Dr. David Koppenhaver, combines joyful traditional camp activities with intensive literacy instruction, modeling high-impact inclusive teaching. Educators and therapists also attend, making the camp a professional learning opportunity alongside its role as a children's program. The film's observational, fly-on-the-wall approach captures both the challenges and breakthroughs the campers experience as they grow in independence, confidence, and communication. No fictional narrative arc is present; the film's 'plot' is the lived experience of these campers and the community they form.

Sources: TMDb overview, Washington West Film Festival listing, UNC Speech and Hearing Sciences announcement, ABC11 news article, Rotten Tomatoes listing