CAMPS & SCHOOLS AN ANTON MEDIA GROUP SPECIAL • JULY 29 AUGUST 4, 2015
Fun And Educational Summer Camps BY JOE SCOTCHIE
JSCOTCHIE@ANTONMEDIAGROUP.COM
The hot, hot summer of 2015 is in full swing, but there is still time for the many camps that offer two-week stays for youngsters who want to enjoy summer fun to the fullest before autumn affairs. Some of the most comprehensive programs are offered at the Hofstra Summer Camps. The venerable university offers specialty camps, a learning institute camp, a sports academy camp and a BOCES camp for young people who want to combine summer fun, while learning a valuable vocational skill. Also, for those parents who view camp as more than just recreation for their children, there is Smart Brain International, a nationwide network of camps that has a franchise in Fresh Meadows. According to camp directors, Smart Brain Camp “gives kids the chance to do math problems, take art lessons, learn jokes, puzzles and mind benders,” among other “intellectually stimulating activities.” Always a favorite with parents is North Shore Day Camp, located in Glen Cove and offering a generous array of programs, including access to outstanding athletics, electives, a golf academy, an adventure program with high ropes, a zip line, rock climbing walls, go-karts, mountain biking, tennis, baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer, lacrosse, fine arts, performing arts, computers, cooking, woodworking, ceramics, Red Cross swim instruction in four heated pools and teen travel programs. For parents who seek a camp with a Christian theme, both Camp DeWolfe
Sleepaway Camp and Camp Quinipet are worthy choices. Camp DeWolfe, located in Wading River, is run by the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island. Activities include sailing, swimming, canoeing, archery, arts and crafts, sports, nature hikes, and campfires. Lodging is in cabins and the camp is accredited by the American Camping Association (ACA). Camp Quinipet, located in Shelter Island, is also ACA-accredited and is run by the United Methodist Congregation. It describes itself as including “progressive Christian programming,” while welcoming children of all faiths. It is located on a wooded peninsula with a sandy beach and a dock for watercraft activities. Along the same lines, Camp Jacobson in Old Westbury is a camp notable for its Jewish themes. According to organizers, the camp is a non-tipping camp offering sports, educational programs and hiking events.
“Our professional coaches are busy in the fields giving expert instruction in all primary sports,” organizers claim. “Kids swim happily at one of our three swimming pools, designed appropriately for different age groups. The spirit of camp echoes with creativity at programs like drama, music and dance. We reach new heights on zip lines, rock walls and Eurobungy. We whiz on go-karts and even pick veggies from our organic garden.” Rates are all-inclusive, featuring kosher and nut-free lunch/snack, complimentary towel service and door-to-door transportation in air-conditioned mini-buses from Long Island, Queens and Manhattan. In Wheatley Heights, the popular Henry Kaufman campgrounds of the Samuel Field Y Day Camp has all the traditional camping experiences, encompassing athletics, the arts, aquatics and team-building. It, too, fosters Jewish values, as campers,
according to organizers, “acquire social and leadership skills, and grow and mature in an environment that promotes emotional, intellectual and moral development.”
see CAMP ROUNDUP on page 18A
Day Care and Early Childhood Programs at 4 locations in Nassau County • Full and half-day schedules • Masters Level Teachers/ Licensed and Certified Staff
• High Staff to Child Ratios • Reasonable Rates
INFANTS
6 Weeks to 18 Months
PRESCHOOL 3 Years to 5 Years Westbury WestburyLocation Locationat at Post Avenue
Licensed by New York State Office of Children and Family Services
Serving Families with Infants, Toddlers and Preschool children (516) 326-5800
TODDLERS
18 Months to 36 Months
Westbury WestburyLocation Locationat on SUNY Old Westbury Campus Serving Families with Infants, Toddlers and Preschool Children (516) 333-8063
• New York State Learning Standards • Play-based, Educational Curriculum General Information
(516) 686-4496
GENEROUS SIBLING DISCOUNTS New Hyde Park Location Marcus Avenue
Serving Families with Infants, Toddlers and Preschool Children (516) 326-5600
For more information visit us at www.brookvillecenter.org
IMMEDIA OPENIN TE G Availa ble at ou r
Westbu locationry s
Brookville Location Children’s Education Center Serving Preschool Children, Ages 3-5 Years Old Only (516) 626-1000
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18A CAMP ROUNDUP from page 17A
CAMPS & SCHOOLS • JULY 29 - AUGUST 4, 2015
Camp For The Summer, Health For A Lifetime
“We use the camping experience to perform the greatest mitzvah, or good deed: teaching self-sufficiency and resiliency by helping children learn that in their interaction with peers and significant adults, they learn to sustain themselves in life,” organizers said. Meanwhile, for young female campers, The North Shore Holiday House in Huntington is free and open to those families that meet USDA requirements for free lunch. It has been run since 1914 by a nonprofit that serves young women from low-income families. More Information • Hofstra Summer Camps 250 Hofstra University, Hempstead 516-463-2267
BY DR. ALAN BERNSTEIN
EDITORIAL@ANTONMEDIAGROUP.COM
• Camp Quinipet 99 Shore Road, Shelter Island 631-749-0430 • Camp Jacobson 340 Wheatley Road, Old Westbury 516-626-1094
• North Shore Day Camp 85 Crescent Beach Road, Glen Cove 516-676-0904
• Henry Kaufman Campgrounds 75 Colonial Springs Road Wheatley Heights 718-225-6750
• Camp DeWolfe 408 North Side Road, Wading River 631-929-4325
• North Shore Holiday House 74 Huntington Road, Huntington 631-427-7630
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• Smart Brain International 162-16 Union Turnpike Fresh Meadows 718-380-8056
In this hyper-connected world, you hardly have to be a child psychologist to know that children and adolescents these days spend a lot more time having virtual experiences than they used to. According to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, teens in 2010 were devoting over seven hours per day to staring at screens, an increase of over an hour from 2005. More than two-thirds have the TV on during meals, and activities like posting on social media platforms are leading to ever more time spent hunched over the laptop, tablet or smartphone. To no one’s surprise, all this time spent plugged into tech can take a toll on our kids’ health. According to research presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics earlier this year, young children who watched even one hour of TV a day were more likely to be overweight or obese than kids who spent less time in front of the tube. Plenty of other studies have pointed in the same direction. And, if just one hour can be harmful, imagine what nearly eight hours can do. That’s why summer camp is more important than ever. Over the summer millions of American children spend time at one of the nation’s thousands of summer camps, where they have the opportunity to do things like swimming, hiking, climbing and riding horses— those old-fashioned activities that keep kids active. If sleepaway camp is beyond the family budget, they may go to a program at a local youth center, park or religious organization. The health benefits of such physical pursuits are obvious. Less obvious are other kinds of advantages a successful camp experience offers children and teens. In addition to spending time outdoors, campers also develop resilience and leadership skills, learn to work in teams, and hone their self-confidence. Camps understand this very well, and many of them continually add to their programming in order to appeal to a wide array of interests. According to the American Camp Association (ACA), 40 percent of camps have recently added more rigorous adventure camping programs; 35 percent now offer family programs; and 31 percent boast educational programs focused on nature and the environment.
Dr. Alan Bernstein Some even offer college planning and organic cooking programs, along with lots of other classes guaranteed to give young people an experience radically different from the sedentary, screen-focused one that many of them have at home. It’s no wonder, then, that parents often find that their kids return home from camp feeling more independent, more willing to try new experiences and more content in general. So, this summer, if you know any children or teenagers, do them a favor and make them throw aside that smartphone and head out to summer camp. Chances are, they’ll return with some new friends and a great new handle on their health and well-being. The best part? They won’t even know it was good for them. Alan Bernstein, MD, is chief medical officer for North Shore-LIJ CareConnect Insurance. He has a private practice in East Hills.
Turf Field Project Complete Holy Trinity High School recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for their new turf field project, which is scheduled to be completed before the 2015-16 school year begins in September. More than 35 major donors were on hand for the ceremony, when Principal Gene Fennell and Sr. Joanne Callahan, superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Rockville Centre, thanked them for their support and expressed their excitement in being able to get this project underway.
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CAMPS & SCHOOLS • JULY 29 - AUGUST 4, 2015
Seven Ways To Become Educated Everyone wants to become educated, right? Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles want their children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews to have the best education possible. Education is a hot topic in the media and every community. Most people have an opinion on the best way to get an education. Here are seven ways to become educated. • School is usually at the top of the list of ways you become an educated person. Why? Because schools provide a formal environment, structure, discipline and course content delivered by trained teachers. School teaches subjects you need in life, such as English, math, science, technology, the arts, etc. School teaches you how to be organized, responsible, how to manage your time, be social and get involved with activities you are interested in. No one can deny the importance of going to school. And remember, a person can go to school at any time in their life. • Reading The more you read, the more you learn. What you read is important. Read things you are interested in. Read biographies, fact and fiction. Read for enjoyment and to gain information about things related to what you think
you might like to do in your life. Read about people that interest you. Parents and family members should encourage students to read. • Work Working educates you in a practical way. The skills and knowledge you gain by doing something requiring mental and physical efforts stay with you a long time. Experiential, “handson” education results from doing something which requires thinking, being responsible and engaging people. Working can be, for some people, a more effective way of learning and becoming educated. The acronym used by HOPE (The Students’ Bridge to Business program) for WORK—Worthwhile Opportunity Requiring Knowledge—is important to remember. • People The time you invest in meeting, talking with and listening to people is a great way to become educated. If you have an interest in something and want to learn about it, find someone who has the knowledge and experience in that area and talk with them. Ask them for advice, and don’t be afraid to ask them for their help: “Will you please help me learn about what you do?” Most people will gladly share their knowledge and experience with you if you ask nicely. It’s a good idea to talk with people with different opinions
about topics that interest you. When you talk with people, work on developing your listening skills. Remember, you listen with your eyes, ears, body language and emotions. When someone shares their time and information with you, remember to thank them and send a handwritten “thank you” note the next day. Keep in touch with them periodically. This HOPE acronym for PEOPLE says it all—Present Exciting Opportunities Plus Learning Experience. The more people you know, the more opportunities you have to learn from them. • Technology Today’s students have tremendous information available to them through technology. If information alone were the best way to become educated, technology would probably rank number one in education. However, we know that technology is one of many educational tools available. As a matter of fact, parents and seniors are being educated by their kids on how to use technology to learn new things. Technology presents a great platform for young and older to spend time together and communicate face to face. • Observation Watching how people interact with each other is a great way to learn and become educated.
HOPE SKILLS
BOB WOLF Observe how someone acts around people and how people react to them; positively or negatively. Observe behavior, paying particular attention to body language, speaking and the effect these things have on people. • A combination of the above. So you see, there are many ways to become educated! Combining them all adds to your education. The HOPE acronym for LEARN— Life’s Experiences And Responsibility Necessary—tells you that education continues all through life. For many people, being out in the real world is where education meets application along with opportunities to grow by doing something they enjoy every day. The process of lifelong education makes you an educated person. What do you think about education? Let me know your thoughts—write to me at bobwolf@hopeskills.com. Bob Wolf is the founder of HOPE (Helping Other People Excel) in Rockville Centre (www.hopeskills.com).
To fast-track your career,you need a fast-track M.B.A. Designed for busy professionals, the accelerated, no-GMAT-required M.B.A. program at Adelphi is only 17 months from start to finish. Study with experienced peers, build your network and take classes on Saturdays. Register for our graduate open house on August 12th in Garden City to learn more. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT ADELPHI.EDU/FASTMBA OR CALL 800-ADELPHI (233-5744) OR 516-877-3050.
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CAMPS & SCHOOLS • JULY 29 - AUGUST 4, 2015
2015/16 PROgram
Ballet Pointe Modern Contemporary Adult Ballet
Pre-Ballet Jazz Yoga Free Boys Classes (ages 4-8)
contact us now to register: eglevsky ballet | 700 Hicksville Rd. | Bethpage, NY 11714 | USA
Maurice Brandon Curry Director Ashley Tuttle Artist-in-Residence Tel. + 1.516.746.1115 eglevskyballet.org
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Your child’s dance education in a professional environment.