DeKalb educator has spent nearly three decades building a summer tradition of inclusion

For most teachers, summer marks a break from the classroom. For Timothy Strozier, it’s another opportunity to work with children.

The DeKalb County School District exceptional education teacher has devoted the past 27 summers to FOCUS Camp Hollywood, where children and teens with physical and developmental disabilities spend their days exploring recreation, theater, cooking, arts and other activities in an inclusive environment.

Strozier says the camp is driven by one guiding principle: ensuring every child can participate. Whether a camper is nonverbal or has a physical disability, he modifies activities so everyone can join in rather than watch from the sidelines.

That philosophy has made a lasting impression on families who return each year. Fourteen-year-old Olivia Frey, who has cerebral palsy, has been attending the camp since she was about 3 years old. She says the annual tradition gives her more than just summer activities—it reconnects her with friends she’s grown up alongside.

Frey also says Strozier has become one of the camp’s most recognizable figures. She credits him with making every camper feel known, pointing to something as simple as remembering names without checking a badge and naturally adjusting his communication style to meet each child’s needs.

Strozier says his perspective comes from home. Growing up with a mother who was paralyzed after a stroke showed him that a disability should never define a person’s potential. Those experiences continue to influence how he teaches, encouraging him to focus on each child’s strengths instead of their limitations.

That mindset carries into every summer at Camp Hollywood. Before each activity, Strozier says he asks himself what kind of experience he would want if his own child were attending. The answer, he says, is always the same: a place where children feel safe, accepted and included.

Over the course of nearly three decades, Strozier has watched campers grow into adults, with some still recognizing him years after leaving the program. Those unexpected reunions, he says, are a reminder that the relationships built at camp can last long after summer ends.