‘What I Did This Summer’ Specialty Camps Dramatically Increase Summertime Options By LAURA COVERSON

July 9, 2007

Come September, there are likely to be some raised eyebrows among the nation’s schoolteachers when they hear some of the answers to the question, “What did you do this summer?”

“I built a tall ship.” “I made a car.” “I learned how to dust for fingerprints.” “I flew an airplane.” “I swam with dolphins.” “I blew up some stuff.”

This year, 10 million children  and 1 million adults  are expected to have a “camp experience.” Summer camp is more popular than ever and the options today go far beyond the quintessential sleep-away camp where you learn to canoe, sleep in bunks under the stars and roast lots of marshmallows.

“Today, campers span 3 years to 93 years old. There are family camps, day camps, resident camps, trip and travel camps, special-needs camp and scores of specialty camps,” said Peg Smith, CEO of the American Camp Association.

“More and more kids are going to camp because there are more opportunities,” said Nancy LaPook Diamond, president and founder of NicheDirectories.com, which publishes kidscamps.com, a comprehensive camp guide, as well as camp-related resource guides.

“Your kid doesn’t want to sleep away in the woods? There is likely a day camp in your city. Maybe the child wants the camp bunk experience, but wants to be home on the weekends  some camps operate that way,” LaPook Diamond said.

A quick survey of kidscamps.com reveals a smorgasbord of camp experiences including: space camps, Xtreme sports camps, weight loss camps, filmmaking camps, rock ‘n’ roll camps and, even, circus camp for the class clown.

Even so-called “CSI” camps appeared on the scene a few years ago. The Ocean City recreation department in Maryland promises to turn out a crew of summer-camp supersleuths. Youngsters learn about the world of forensics and perform dozens of experiments, search for evidence, learn how to test blood and DNA and “discover how science can help solve a mystery.”

There are camps where children can learn the art of cooking or safely explore the power and makeup of explosives. Summer Explosives Camp is sponsored by the University of Missouri-Rolla, whose engineering school provides professionals to the mining and demolition industries.

Young people can also discover the joys of flying the wild blue yonder, designing clothes or perfecting their singing voices for that next “American Idol” audition.

If a child’s imagination wanders to the world of magic, there are camps for teaching slight of hand.

On Catalina Island, off the coast of Southern California, Sea Adventure Camp has participants doing everything from swabbing decks, trimming sails and learning the science of sea navigation aboard the old schooner The American President.

About 24,000 camps in the United States offer a seemingly endless variety of options to suit just about any child or family.

In addition to kidscamps.com, the American Camp Association, which accredits about 12,000 camps, offers resources for finding a camp and evaluating the opportunity for your child.

According to the ACA, the majority of the camps it accredits are nonprofit and are operated by groups like the YMCA, YWCA, Camp Fire USA, Boy Scouts USA, Girl Scouts USA and Woodmen of the World.

Churches and synagogues operate many of the sleep-away, wilderness camps accredited by the ACA. And now there is even a camp for atheists.

Camp Quest in Clarksville, Ohio, calls itself the nation’s first sleep-away camp for atheists. Since Camp Quest’s founding 10 years ago, four other camps for nonbelievers have reportedly been formed. Like most summer camps, the youngsters take part in canoeing, hiking and dining-room duty.

Edward Kagin, who founded Camp Quest, told the Chicago Times, “We wanted a camp, not to preach there is no God, but as a place where children could learn it’s OK not to believe in God.”

Big Business

About 22 percent of summer camps are privately owned, according to the ACA  and whether setting up camps for profit or not, business is booming.

“It’s a $20 billion industry  a vibrant, growing community, and we’ve experienced incredible growth,” LaPook Diamond said. “From January to June of this year, we’ve had over 4 million visits to the Web site. And these are new people looking for new programs.”

Part of that growth may be attributed to the increasing popularity of upscale summer camps that offer sailing in the Caribbean, wilderness rock climbing or training in how to be a Hollywood stunt actor.

At Camp Echo in upstate New York, eight weeks in the wilderness with activities that include water polo, cooking, lacrosse and photography, reportedly costs more than $8,000  about $1,000 a week.

One thriving company that offers high-end camp experiences features a spa camp. According to MetroParent.com, the Julian Krinsky/Canyon Ranch summer camp in California offers teens classes in relaxation, fitness, meditation and cooking. Massage, facials and personal trainers are available, as well. Weekly tuition is about $1,400.

But these programs for well-heeled families are still not the norm, and the cost of camp does not have to be a barrier to a memorable experience.

“In the past, going away to camp was considered a privileged opportunity,” LaPook Diamond said, “but there are so many different kinds of camps and different price points.”

“There is a camp for everyone,” Smith said. “Ninety percent of camps offer some kind of financial assistance  scholarships, payment plans or sliding fee scales.

Camp Appeal

Why does summer camp continue to be such an attractive experience for families and their children?

Smith believes it is, in part, a response to the high tech culture that today’s kids are exposed to. Many of a child’s connections are increasingly “remote”  via computer, text message or a MySpace page  or his or her free time is often organized down to the nanosecond.

“Camp is a place where kids can experience community in a way that they often can’t where they may live,” Smith said.

“They are not just learning about things through books and videos and television,” she said. “They have primary relationships and primary experiential activities, and those are becoming more in demand as we evolve into a technological society.”

“You are all strangers put together and you come out as a family, feeling connected to camp forever,” said LaPook Diamond, who comes from three generations of campers who spent summers in New York’s Adirondack Mountains.

“You learn to make friends and work together. You learn independence from your parents and interdependence with other kids. Plus, you just have fun!”

Longtime campers Smith and LaPook Diamond also believe the experience goes a long way to shaping character and building the esteem of any awkward children who discover camp to be the first place where they may have to feel part of a group or team.

One of the fastest-growing segments of the summer-camp business is special-needs camps for children with disabilities, such as autism, or with illnesses like diabetes, celiac disease and HIV.

“It is important for children to meet other children in the same situations as they are and for the parents, also  and it is in a positive setting, not in a hospital or doctor’s office,” LaPook Diamond said.

Seeing Stars

Smith believes that the wilderness camp experience plays a key role in raising a generation of Americans who will care about the fate of a planet challenged by environmental problems. “These are the young people who will be wrestling with global warming,” Smith said. “We need this young population to not fear the outdoors, and not fear nature, but to embrace it.”

“We have more and more camp directors telling us that they have kids coming to camp today that are seeing the stars for the first time.”

Never too Old for Camp

“I was always kinda sad to hang up my whistle,” said LaPook Diamond, whose camp attendance as a child led to summers as a camp counselor.

Thanks to one of the latest trends in the summer-camp business, she may not have to hang up that whistle.

Baby boomers are clambering for the camp experience and signing up for a growing list of opportunities that feature travel, learning new skills and athletic experiences for grown-ups  like sports fantasy camps to channel your inner Tiger Woods or Alex Rodriguez. You can even check out a camp for dogs and their owners at campsfordogs.com.

In 2011, Smith says, the organized camp experience in America will be 150 years old and going strong.

“We never want to be part of American history,” Smith said. “We always want to be part of the American tradition.”

IN recent years, he has found simple tasks such as going to a newsagent impossible. On a bad day, he barely even had the confidence to leave the house.

But now - fully recovered from the brain tumour that almost killed him - photographer Ken Paterson plans to take on the most unforgiving terrain the world has to offer.

The 50-year-old, who was a skilled mountaineer before his illness was diagnosed in 2002, hopes to climb Mount Everest next year.

Mr Paterson, who has travelled the world displaying his images of famous Scots, said: “I want to do it sooner rather than later because of my age and I’ve already spoken to some charities who seem keen.

“I’m confident that, with my experience, I can do it. Technically it is not a difficult climb, the toughest part is fitness and dealing with the altitude.

“Your body is right at the limit and if anything goes wrong you’ve had it, but I know I can get fit enough to do it. Now I’ll just have to get the fundraising going.”

Although the 50,000 estimated cost of climbing the mountain could be a stumbling block, the Kirkliston man hopes his numerous photography outings, international projects and contact with cancer charities will help raise the cash. He said photography would play a major part in his Everest expedition.

“Before my tumour, I was using photography as a means of travel and went all around the world, to the Alps and everywhere, taking on some of the trickiest ice climbs there are. When I first had the operation I couldn’t do anything for myself. I couldn’t walk or talk and my short-term memory went in 30-second loops.

“Confidence was a real problem too. When I was recovering I couldn’t stop thinking about the freedom I’d have to walk down Princes Street. But the reality was different. I went home and I couldn’t muster the courage to go out the door. When you’re in complete care you lose simple strengths.

“Once I managed to leave the house and go down the street in Kirkliston, but when I got there the prospect of going in shops and talking to people just seemed impossible, so I turned around and went home. It’s like I’ve come full circle now, and I’ll really feel that when I’m on Everest.”

The former Stevenson College lecturer is now in a full programme of training both at the Ratho climbing centre and on Scottish mountains.

He said: “You can’t really train for the altitude, which is the hardest part of Everest. Otherwise it’s not a hard climb. I’m absolutely determined to do this, and while it’s still in the early stages, I know it is a realistic dream.” WALKERS WANTED FOR HIMALAYAN CHALLENGE

KEEN walkers are being urged to hike to Everest base camp and raise money for charity.

Quarriers, which provides support for children and adults, wants to build a team of around 15 for the challenge in autumn 2008. The 18-day trek starts in Kathmandu and climbs into the Himalayas, reaching heights of 5357m and covering a distance of 120km.

On the return, volunteers will spend a day at Quarriers’ Saathi project in Nepal, which supports street children.

For details e-mail events@quarriers.org.uk.

Related topic

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http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=870

YOUTH workers are being trained to spot the telltale signs of drug abuse among teenagers.

Crew 2000 has launched a 35,000 campaign to reach as many teenagers as possible this summer.

The initiative will focus on “gateway” drugs such as alcohol, cannabis, poppers and ecstasy.

People who work with teenagers are being taught how to spot abuse and given advice to pass on about the harm drugs can do to young minds and bodies.

The initiative is aimed at 13 to 15 year olds, although it will also target children as young as 11.

A Scottish Executive-funded advice centre, Crew 2000, which also receives cash from Action on Alcohol and Drugs in Edinburgh, is a respected authority on drug trends, as its volunteers regularly visit nightspots and talk to users.

Workers at the centre believe that, at 15, some teenagers are on the brink of serious abuse. If unchecked, the abuse can escalate to more serious drugs such as heroin and crack cocaine.

John Arthur, manager of Crew 2000, said: “We have put a new focus on training youth workers. We see this as a better way of reaching more young people.”

He added: “A lot of local authority workers and volunteers from other agencies don’t have enough knowledge about substance abuse to engage with young people.

“Young people tend to start experimenting aged 13 to 15. After that, the usage can rise sharply. Mostly it starts with alcohol abuse, maybe poppers and cannabis.

“Depending on where they are in their lives there can then be a sharp rise after 15 and they try more dangerous substances.”

Since the start of the year, Crew 2000 has trained 30 volunteers and held 12 sessions for youth workers at its Cockburn Street base.

Youth organisations such as Barnado’s, South Edinburgh Youth Council, Oxgangs Drama Group, and Fairbridge Streetwork, have also received training, as have medical students, paediatric staff, and Red Cross workers.

Claire MacLoud, a voluntary youth worker based in Wester Hailes, who works with between 20 and 30 youngsters, is among those to have benefited.

She said: “A lot of it is signs and things to look for - emotional signals, physical signals.

“The most common thing in Wester Hailes is hash - smoking marijuana - so you would look for physical signals such as large pupils, slurred speech.”

Like all youth workers she is governed by child protection guidelines which mean she must contact social services if she considers a child is in danger.

However, in the majority of cases she would aim to build up a level of trust with the young person and give them advice on the harm drugs can do, rather than contact their parents or the police.

Ms MacLoud said: “The training teaches us to know what we’re talking about so we get the children’s respect. They know that you are clued up and that gets you a foot in the door.”

A spokeswoman for the Action on Alcohol and Drugs in Edinburgh said: “Tackling problematic drinking and substance misuse amongst young people is a key strategic area for the Action Team, and Crew 2000, along with other agencies, do extremely important work in this area.”