Coram’s old summer camp is now a learning campus with AI, podcasting and a pool

Coram, that old preschool and summer camp on Glenmere Lane has a brand new purpose.

Smart Start Centers just opened its fourth location there, turning the property into a full campus with two buildings, playgrounds, a soccer field and an Olympic-size pool.

The organization teaches life skills, creative classes and rec programs, mainly for people with disabilities and anyone who benefits from one-on-one support. All ages and abilities are welcome.

A Long Island story

Smart Start’s other sites in Deer Park, Mineola and Flushing are in commercial buildings. Coram gives them room to breathe, with plans for a greenhouse, gardening and maybe a student-run farmers market.

The goal is independence and real jobs. Internships come with stipends, and some students have launched their own small businesses, like handmade jewelry.

Manager Flor Centeno knows the mission firsthand. After college she struggled to land a job, asked Smart Start if its workplace was wheelchair accessible, and got hired. Now she helps run the place.

“We want to make a difference in this community,” COO Shikha Sehgal told GLI. Love to see it. Keep it locked to WLIT.FM for more good news.

Source: Greater Long Island. Photo: GLI/Julianne Mosher.