August 20, 2003 - Peace Corps Press Release: Peace Corps Headquarters Welcomes Kids For Peace Camp from Towson, Maryland

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By Admin1 (admin) on Friday, August 22, 2003 - 5:25 pm: Edit Post

Peace Corps Headquarters Welcomes Kids For Peace Camp from Towson, Maryland





Read and comment on this Peace Corps Press Release that the Peace Corps welcomed Towson University’s Kids for Peace Camp with a cultural fair featuring several story-tellers and activity booths highlighting a number of countries, past and present, in which Peace Corps volunteers serve at:

Peace Corps Headquarters Welcomes Kids For Peace Camp*

* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.



Peace Corps Headquarters Welcomes Kids For Peace Camp

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 20, 2003 – Yesterday, at the Paul D. Coverdell Headquarters Building, Peace Corps welcomed Towson University’s Kids for Peace Camp. Staff and returned Peace Corps volunteers hosted the cultural fair featuring several story-tellers and activity booths highlighting a number of countries, past and present, in which Peace Corps volunteers serve.

In celebration of the cultures and traditions from the Solomon Islands, Cote d’Ivoire, Jamaica, Indonesia, and Central America, campers enjoyed many different activities such as making shell necklaces, creating shadow puppets, and learning music and traditional dances from the regions.

Located at Towson University, in Towson, Maryland, the Kids for Peace Camp is a weekly summer day camp for children ages 6-14. Each week, the campers are given the opportunity to learn about a different region of the world, which gives them an appreciation for cultures outside their own. While attending the camp, the children are given weekly passports, t-shirts featuring the countries’ flags, postcards to send home each week, and participate in activities such as issue debates, field trips to local attractions, and dance.

Since 1961, more than 170,000 volunteers have served in the Peace Corps, working in such diverse fields as education, health, HIV/AIDS education and awareness, information technology, business development, the environment, and agriculture. Peace Corps volunteers must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age. Peace Corps service is a two-year commitment.



More about Kids for Peace



Read more about Kids for Peace at:

Kids for Peace

Students in grades 1-8 learn about the geography and culture of up to 17 countries through social studies, music, art, food, dance, storytelling, theater and field trips. Give your child an exciting experience they will never forget - a chance to better understand the world and its peoples!

$195 per week or $1580 for the entire nine-week session (represents a 10% discount).

Additional discounts available for second child from the same family.

$175 per week or $1420 for the entire nine-week session.

ABOUT OUR CAMP:

Lunches and snacks will be provided for the campers each day

Campers will receive a "TU KFP" t-shirt with the flags of all countries "visited"

Appropriate field trips will be organized to maximize cultural knowledge

Each camper will be given a passport, which will be stamped with the country flag of each country visited

Camp will use music, art, food, dance, storytelling, theater - all mediums to excite kids about the world

Campers will eat an international meal or snack from each of the countries studied

Because religion is a significant part of culture, it will be included in the study of a country

Each week will feature two countries from a given area. Each year, the countries studied will rotate so that students continuing in the program for a second or third year will have a new experience

End of camp "World Celebration" featuring a photography exhibit of our "trip around the world", camper's artwork, musical presentations and more

Camp counselors must speak a foreign language, have lived in a foreign country or be international students

Campers will attend a mandatory orientation

Parent and Participant Handbook

Participant Behavior

• Kids for Peace is a camp in international understanding. Under no circumstances will language and behavior that intimidates or offends other participants be tolerated.

• We expect you to come with an open mind – a mind open to learning about other peoples and cultures.

• Attendance and Promptness – Kids for Peace campers should arrive rested and ready to fully participate in the day’s program. Late arrivals distract from the program, so we ask that you make every attempt to arrive on time. Under no circumstances will we wait for late arrivals on the day of a field trip. Departure times are firm.

• Respect for Camp Counselors. Our camp counselors will be with your child throughout their Kids for Peace experience. Most are not native speakers of English and will speak with an accent. Campers should be respectful of their accent and listen to their guidance.

• If a behavioral problem arises, we will notify parents immediately and work out a solution to allow your child to fully participate. Conversations will be private and confidential between the camp director and parents.

• Respect for Property – Participants must respect campus facilities and the personal property of other Kids for Peace Campers. Participants will be billed for intentional damage done to university property.

Program Locations

Kids for Peace will be centered in the northwest section of campus. The following building will be used:

LI Linthicum Hall

SM Smith Hall

LL Lida Lee Tall Auditorium

BU Burdick Hall Pool

HH Hawkins Hall

GD Glen Dining Hall

A map has been included in your package for reference.

Clothing

• Daily Wear - Please have your child wear comfortable clothing that can get soiled and suitable for outside activities. Please have your child wear tennis shoes or sturdy sandals.

• Bathing Suits – Campers without appropriate bathing suits will not be permitted to swim in the university pool.

• Towels - Staff will have a limited number of extra towels, but please see that your child has a towel each day. Goggles are recommended.

• Name Tag – Children will be issued a name tag that they will wear on all field trips. The name tag will remain at the university for safekeeping

• Camp T-Shirts - We would appreciate it if your child could wear the camp t-shirt on field trip days so that we present a uniform corps of ambassadors!

Daily Meals

• Snacks – Snacks (a drink and snack) will be provided at 10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The snacks will vary each week.

• Lunch – Lunch will be provided in Glen Dining Hall each day when on campus. Counselors will lead the children to the dining hall and assist them in choosing their lunch. A wide variety of foods are available including a hot meal, sandwiches, salad bar and soup. Ice cream or fruit are available for dessert. Please alert us if your child cannot consume certain food items and their counselor will monitor their choices. Campers will be supervised at all times and may not leave the dining hall during the lunch hour.

Communication

• Please provide your email address to the Kids for Peace staff at orientation. We will be communicating with you about upcoming events in the community that may enhance your child’s exposure to world cultures.

• If there is any change in the schedule due to weather we will email you.

• Emergency Card – Each family will be issued an emergency phone card with the home, work and cell phone numbers of Kids for Peace administrators. Please use these number only in the event of an emergency!

• Voice Mail – General communication can be accomplished by email (mhilton@towson.edu or aprince@towson.edu ) or by phone 410-704- 6080 or 410-704-5424. We will be checking the voice mail often and will get back to you within a few hours of your call (during the work week).

Drop Off and Pickup of Your Child

• Sign In – All campers must be signed in and out each day. A clip board will be located at the pickup point for parent signature each day. If someone other than the parent or guardian will be picking up the child, you must email or call camp director.

• Before Care - A Camp Counselor will be waiting for drop off between 7:25 and 7:45 each morning at the covered bus stop behind Linthicum Hall. If your child arrives after that time, you must walk them to the Before Care location and sign them in personally.

• Camp Arrival – Arrival time for Kids for Peace is at 9 a.m. A camp counselor will be waiting at the covered bus stop behind Linthicum Hall between 8:45 and 9:00 each day. If your child arrives after that time, you must walk them to program venue and sign them in. Generally, the campers will be in the same location each morning. However, it is your responsibility to be aware of the program schedule, so that your child can join the activities upon arrival. The camp director and assistant director will have the schedules with them at all times. If confusion arises, call the emergency cell phone numbers and they will direct you to the program location.

• Camp Departure – Campers will be waiting at the Linthicum Hall bus stop at 4:00 p.m. each day. If for any reason camp departure is delayed, a counselor will be there to meet you. If you are delayed beyond 4:15, your child will join the after care program and you will be assessed a $3 fee for that day.

• After Care - After care will be available from 4:00-5:30 pm. each afternoon. You must sign your child out each day. As parents will be arriving at a variety of times, you must pick your child up in the after care area and sign them out. Late fees will be charged at the rate of $5 for every 15 minutes, so please make all attempts to be on time. In the event of an emergency, use the emergency card!

Field Trips

• Travel Waiver Forms - Your child will not be permitted to go on scheduled field trips if you have not signed the travel waiver form. Forms will be sent out with registration packets and a return envelope.

• Supervision – There will be one counselor or staff person for every eight children. Campers will be counted at regular intervals throughout the trip and will never be allowed to leave the group for any reason.

• Parent Participation - Parents may join us for field trips if they choose, on a space available basis, but must make arrangements in advance with the Kids for Peace staff. A transportation fee of $5 per trip will be assessed to participating parents and they must pay for all meals and entrance fees separately. We request that you not "show up" at the field trip venue, as it will add confusion and distract your child.

• Meals – Meals will be provided on each trip. In most cases, the meal will be culturally authentic to the country being studied. If you feel that your child will not eat the meal being provided, please let us know in advance so that we may arrange for a boxed lunch. Please encourage your child to eat the international cuisine, as meals are an exciting part of culture!

Counselors

• Training – Counselors have received first aid training, CPR training and training for the Kids for Peace Camp.

• Background Checks - References have been checked for all camp counselors. Current Towson University international students who will be counselors have been fingerprinted and checked through the Baltimore County Police Department. The three international counselors coming from abroad for Kids for Peace have been required to submit an affadavit from their local police.

• Weekly Instructions – Counselors will meet prior to the beginning of each week to receive detailed information about the program schedule, your child and any camp issues that need to be addressed.

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