Healthy Doses of Challenge: How Summer Camp Develops Essential Lifelong Antibodies @camprockmont

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Guest Blog Post by Shawn at Camp Rockmont

I must share with you that I have been exposed to a number of illnesses and diseases in my lifetime. Chickenpox, Diphtheria, Hepatitis, the Flu, Measles, and Mumps, to name some of the big ones. Then there’s Tetanus, over and over again. These have all been in my body. And they have very likely been in yours, too!

After all, that’s exactly what you receive in a vaccination. Your body is introduced to a very small dose of the disease-causing antigen. This is good because it is small enough for your immune system to develop antibodies to overcome that small dose and continue to develop more antibodies for the day that you might encounter a larger amount of antigens. This process builds your immune system.

If you are like me, receiving shots – no matter how good they are for you – is nowhere on my list of things that I enjoy. They do hurt, after all!

And yet, many parents find it worthwhile to vaccinate their children. They even take their babies back to the doctor for a variety of immunizations until the child is 6 years old. The infant or preschooler cries out as the shot is delivered, but the parent allows it. Many believe the vaccination is good for the child. Even more, they are convinced it is necessary.

Summer camp is also a type of vaccination, according to American Camp Association Board member Steve Baskin. Mr. Baskin explains that campers receive one developmental shot after another when they are camp. This is good and necessary. Homesickness is the perfect example. When a camper wrestles with homesickness in the camp setting, our staff view this as an opportunity rather than some devastating condition. They move right toward the camper, not to eliminate the homesickness, but to help him learn to cope with the very real things that he is feeling. The camper is developing antibodies, so to speak.

Read more here: http://www.rockmont.com/blog/healthy-doses-of-challenge-how-summer-camp-develop

For more information about Camp Rockmont, please visit:  www.rockmont.com

Won’t Back Down

By Ayana Smith, Guest Blogger

It’s me again.  I had the opportunity to attend a screening of “Won’t Back Down,” starring Viola Davis, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Holly Hunter.  The movie is said to be inspired by actual events in California and the even more recent takeover debate of a school in Adelanto, California shows that this is a debate that may be long overdue.  Viola Davis portrays teacher, Nona Alberts, who is convinced by Gyllenhaal’s character, a single mother, to join her in “taking over” the school where her daughter attends.  Her daughter, Mhalia, is dyslexic and in the 2^nd grade and is unable to read.  Mhalia’s teacher does not do anything to help her and is unwilling to stay after school to assist in any form of tutoring.

There are laws in force in some counties and states, called “Parent Trigger” laws.  Although this form of education reform is radical at best, parents band together to sign petitions, along with teachers, to (mild put it) takeover a school.  They can force a school to close, fire teachers and/or principals that are bringing it down, and reopen under an independent charter.

In the movie, TAP – the teacher’s union – is the biggest hurdle for Davis and Gyllenhaal.  It is told to their characters that even if they got enough signatures on the petition, they would still need to complete a 400 page document and request a hearing date – all of which would take months.  And even if they got a hearing, they would still be denied.  This is a movie about education reform and policy debate.  No matter your stance, I think this movie will open your eyes to some of the differences with education reform.  But realize this is Hollywood – do your own research!!!  See how you feel about it!  The movie opens nationwide on September 28, 2012.  Until next time! 

 
Ayana Smith currently resides in Atlanta, GA and holds a position within the insurance industry.  She recently graduated from the University of Houston-Victoria with an MBA in Marketing.  Ayana also owns her own business, Savoir Faire Events, where her specialty is corporate event management.  Other hobbies include reading, shopping, and training girls as a Girl Scout Troop Leader.  Ayana lives by her Alma Mater’s (Clark Atlanta University) motto – Find a Way or Make One!!!