parent guidebook 2010

8/9/2019 Parent Guidebook 2010

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Camp HeroIt is tough being a kid thesedays particularly whendealing with the stress ofbelonging to a military family.Our Youth Developmentprograms help kids cope whileproviding them with positive,fun opportunities to get toknow themselves and eachother.

Camp Hero is a week long day

camp that serves as an outletfor military youth to share theircommon experiences andreceive academic enrichmentall while making friends andhaving fun! The curriculum isdesigned to help children findpractical ways to address thechallenges of military life,provide tools to help themsucceed in school, and improve

social and communicationskills. Kids learn moreabout themselves andtheir community with a

week of exploration andexcitement.

This Parent Guidebook has

useful information to prepareyour child for Camp Hero aswell as an overview of camppolicies and procedures.Please take time to review this

with your child and get excitedabout Camp Hero!

Visit our website www.militaryymca.org for more information on

the over 40 free programs and services available to your family!

San Diego Armed Services YMCASan Diego Armed Services YMCASan Diego Armed Services YMCASan Diego Armed Services YMCA

3293 Santo Road, San Diego, CA 92124

Free Day Camp for Military Youth

Contents:

Camp Staff & Activities 2

Preparing for Camp 3

Camp Policies 4

Camp Schedule 5

PARENT

GUIDEBOOK


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Camp Hero Staff

Camp Hero staff are full timeArmed Services YMCA Youthand Community Outreach (YCO)staff members that want to hostan awesome summer packed

with fun, adventure, andexploration!

Our staff is passionate aboutsupporting military youth andtake pleasure in maintaining astructured, educationalprogram in an atmosphere offun and excitement.

The ASYMCA takes seriously

the importance of childprotection and safety. We havespecific, tested policies andprocedures for all staff that

work with children.

The following are some of ourproven safety practices:

1. The ASYMCA has comprehensivepre-employment screening forstaff members and program

volunteers, including interviews,reference and nation-widecriminal history checks.

2. All camp counselors regularlywork with school aged youth ininformal educational settingsand are certified in pediatricFirst Aid and CPR.

Camp Hero Awards

Families are encouraged to attendthe Camp Hero Award Ceremonyon the Friday afternoon of camp.This ceremony is an opportunity tocongratulate campers and recognizetheir accomplishments fromthroughout the week.

Operation HeroFrequent relocations often require military families to leavefriends and extended family behind. Through a variety ofactivities, crafts, and challenging games, kids will tackle toughtopics including making new friends, family separation, takingresponsibility, and conflict resolution. Camp Hero is a chancefor kids to build friendships and share common experiences

while further developing their self esteem and resilience. Theseopportunities will take place in the classroom as well as in thecommunity through two local field trips each week to San Diegoscenic parks.

Project WILDThe goal of Project WILD is to assist learners of any age indeveloping awareness, knowledge, skills and commitment toresult in informed decisions, responsible behavior andconstructive actions concerning wildlife and the environmentupon which all life depends. Project WILD activities and lessons

will be presented as part of the Camp Hero curriculum toenhance campers understanding of the world around them.Campers will have opportunities to further explore the Project

WILD lessons through half day trips to Chula Vista NatureCenter and Santee Lakes Park. The trips are a chance to

increase campers understanding and awareness of the diversityof San Diegos ecosystems, wildlife, and history.

YES!YES! (Youth Enrichment Summer) outings afford children inmilitary families, ages 7 to 12, the opportunity to explore a

variety of San Diego area attractions. YES! outings take placethe Thursday of camp and will include a visit to either theBalboa Park or YMCA Camp Surf. Camp Hero campers willhave priority registration to the YES! outing not offered during

their week of camp.

CAMP ACTIVITIES:


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Camp ClothesCamp Hero is fun. Occasionally fun can also meanmessy! Dress your campers in old clothes so they areready to play hard and get dirty! Campers are requiredto wear closed toed shoes and socks daily and shouldarrive to Camp with sunscreen already applied.

What to BringIt is recommended that you send your camper with abackpack to keep all their belongings together. Allbelongings should be labeled with your campers namebefore sending to camp. Camp Hero campers must bringtheir own lunch and water bottle to camp daily (exceptwhen noted in the camp schedule). Please send onlynon-perishable foods as refrigeration is not available.Please also be sure your camper has sunscreen and asweatshirt.

What not to BringCampers may not bring electronic devices (cell phones,iPods, video games), toys, jewelry, or money to CampHero. The Armed Services YMCA is not responsible for

Camp Hero StaffLyndsay Calhoun:Program DirectorBeginning her secondsummer at the ArmedServices YMCA,Lyndsay is a SanDiego native andgraduate of University

of California, San Diego with a degreein Sociology. Her passion for workingwith children of all ages has madeworking at the ASYMCA a incredibleexperience. Lyndsay is eager for thesecond year of Camp Hero and cantwait to see what the campers bring thisyear, Jump Shout Camp Hero!

Andrea Fields: Program LeaderAndrea is excited to begin her thirdsummer at the Armed Services YMCA. A

Southern California

native, summer hasalways been her favoriteseason! Andrea is agraduate from SanDiego State University,with a degree inWomens Studies and

Social Work. She looks forward todirecting her passion for empoweringyouth and their families into meaningfulsummer programs for military youth.

Cathy Tann: Program Leader

Cathy couldnt be more jammed for herfirst summer at the ASYMCA! Cathy is aTexas native with a degree inInterdisciplinaryStudies andElementary TeachingCredential from theUniversity of NorthTexas. She is lookingforward to using herbackground working with youth both inand out of the classroom to contributeto the camp experience this year!

Kelly Christianson: Program LeaderKelly is thrilled to begin her very firstfun-filled summer with the ASYMCA.Kelly, a San Diego native , graduatedlast year with a M.Ed and a Multiple

Subject TeachingCredential from UCSD.Kelly is passionate aboutteaching and workingwith youth, and she isexcited to experiencenew adventures thissummer at the ASYMCA!

Lets Camp!Camp Hero EligibilityCamp Hero is open to children ofmilitary service members from allservice branches. The militaryservice member must be rank E6or below and assigned to a SanDiego military installation or SanDiego based ship. Children must

be between seven and twelveyears old by August 1st to beeligible. There will be nononono ageexceptions. Priority will be givento children who have notparticipated in either the afterschool Operation Hero programor 2010 Operation Outdoors.

Financial ContributionsThe Armed Services YMCA isproud to provide over 40 free

programs to San Diego militaryservice members and theirfamilies each month. Should youwish to make a contribution to theArmed Services YMCA in supportof programs such as Camp Heroyou may do so by sending yourdonation to the Armed ServicesYMCA at 3293 Santo Road, SanDiego, CA 92124 or call 858-751-5755 for more information.

Deposits

Camp Hero registration forms and

a twenty dollar refundable depositwill be required to register forcamp. Deposits will be availablefor return to parents the final dayof camp or the last registered YES!outing, whichever is later. Shouldthe family fail to cancel theirchilds camp at least two weeksprior to the first day of camp orthe child not attend camp, thedeposit will be considered a

donation to the non profit ArmedServices YMCA.

Emergency Procedures

Contacting CampersIf you should need to reach yourchild during camp please call ourfront desk at 858-751-5755.They will take your message andget the information to your child.

Camper Illness or Injury

If your camper becomes ill atcamp our staff will contact you topick them up. Please havearrangements to do so in a timelymanner. If you child is injuredcamp staff will take whateversteps are necessary to obtainmedical care. If we are unable toreach you and your child needsmedical attention they will betransported to the hospital by anambulance. All expenses foremergency medical care are the

responsibility of the parent.

PreparingforCamp


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Field TripTransportation

Camp Hero will travel by ArmedServices YMCA buses for half daytrips to local San Diego parks and

for a full day trip to either theBalboa Park or YMCA Camp Surf.

The following are some of ourtransportation safety practices:

1. Each bus driver is a ArmedServices YMCA staff member whohas completed comprehensivepre-employment screeningincluding interviews, drug and

alcohol testing, and referenceand nation-wide criminal historychecks.

2. Each driver is required to performa pre-trip inspection for their busbefore transporting passengers.

3. Each Armed Services YMCA bus isoutfitted with seat belts androutinely inspected by theCalifornia Highway Patrol.

We do our best to maintain a reliable

schedule of departure and arrival timesand accomplish all planned activities.Please do your part to help by arrivingon time to camp and ready for the daysactivities. We appreciate yourunderstanding that field trips are subjectto change as necessary for health orsafety of the campers and staff.

Important Times

8:00 a.m.Camp Hero opens for drop off

8:30 a.m.Camp Hero starts camp activities(Buses begin leaving for field trips)

4:00 p.m.Buses return from field trips

4:30 p.m.Camp Hero Pick Up

Camp PoliciesDrop OffCamp Hero opens for drop off at8:00 a.m. each day. Campactivities begin at 8:30 a.m. andmay include scheduled field trips.If you expect to be late or yourchild will be absent from campplease call the Armed ServicesYMCA by 8:15 a.m. at 858-751-5755. Campers that arrive afterfield trip transportation hasdeparted can not beaccommodated.

Pick UpCamp Hero pick up is at 4:30 p.m.Campers must be picked up andsigned out by an authorized pick-up list. Please show courtesy toCamp Hero staffers by arrivingpromptly for pick up. Campers notpicked up by 5:00 p.m. will besupervised by ASYMCA staff and

every attempt will be made tocontact parents and emergencycontacts. If by 6:00 p.m. theparents are not reachable ChildProtective Services will be called.

AttendanceCamp Hero is a full day, week-long experience. Campersroutinely late to camp, picked upearly or late, or absent will bedismissed from Camp Hero.Deposits will not be refunded for

those dismissed from Camp Hero.

Behavior ManagementGuidelinesIt is the Armed Services YMCAsgoal to provide a healthy, safe,and secure environment for all daycamp participants. Children whoattend the program are expectedto follow the behavior guidelinesbased on the four core values andto interact appropriately in agroup setting.

Behavior Guidelines:1. We will carecarecarecare for ourselves and

for those around us.2. HonestyHonestyHonestyHonesty will be the basis for

all relationships andinteractions.

3. People are responsibleresponsibleresponsibleresponsible fortheir actions.

4. We respectrespectrespectrespect each other and theenvironment.

Our camp staff is trained and isexpected to resolve behavior

problems in a positive manner. Inthe event problems persist thechild may be suspended ordismissed from the Camp Hero.Some acts may result in immediatesuspension or dismissal includingbut not limited to: fighting,intentionally harming others, theft,and possession of weapons ordrugs. Deposits will not berefunded for those dismissed fromthe program due to a behaviorproblem.


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C

ampHer

oWeekly

Schedule

Thursday

CampGames

Busesleavefor

YES!Outing

YES!

August5:

BalboaPark

August12:

BalboaPark

August19:

YMCACampSurf

August26:

YMCACampSurf

(lunchisprovided)

BusesReturn

Wednesday

CampHero

beginsspecific

campactivities

CampHero

Arts&Crafts

Lunch

OutdoorCamp

Games

ProjectWILD

Activitiesand

Experiments

CampHero

Arts&Crafts

CampGames

Tuesday

CampHer

o

beginsspec

ific

campactivities

CampHer

o

Arts&Crafts

Lunch

Busesleave

for

localfieldtrip

BusesReturn

CampHer

o

localfieldtrip

ChulaVist

a

NatureCen

ter

CampH

ero

beginssp

ecific

campactivities

CampH

ero

Arts&Crafts

Lunch

Mond

ay

CampHeroOpensforDropOff

OutdoorCamp

Game

s

ProjectW

ILD

Activities

and

Experiments

CampH

ero

Arts&Crafts

C

ampHeroPickUp

CampGames

10:00a.m.

9:00a.m.

8:30a.m.

8:00a.m.

11:30a.m.

12:00p.m.

1:00p.m.

3:00p.m.

3:30p.m.

4:00p.m.

4:30p.m.

2:00p.m.

2:30p.m.

Friday

CampCrafts

Busesleavefor

localfieldtrip

CampHero

localfieldtrip

withpicnic

SanteeLakes

Santee

BusesReturn

CampGames

CampAwards

Familiesencouraged

toattend!

parent guidebook 2010

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