Minnesota Parent, March 2013

8/12/2019 Minnesota Parent, March 2013

1/43

March 2014

Theimportanceofcreative play

Page14

Page 20

Page

wildchild!

+

Learningbeyond

class

Divide andconquer

parenting too muchdivide?

Raheem,

4, andRonak, 1, of

Woodbury

Rockon

Pure fun at Camp Kesem iCamp

Big imagination on the small stag

Bakken brainstorm Spanish immersio

STARTING ON PAGE 3

LEARNA

BOUT

MORETH

AN

100DIFF

ERENT

CAMPS!

Page71

+

thecamisue


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3/43


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am isueheCONTENTS Minnesota ParentMarch 2014

Departments

Out&About

On the cover

Raheem and Ronak, sons of Sameera

and Ravi Soni.PHOTO BY MANDY DWYER, GLIMPSES OF SOUL

PHOTOGRAPHY GLIMPSESOFSOUL.COM

10 CHATTER

12BABY ON BOARD

The general weirdness ofdivide and conquer parenting.

14TODDLER TIME

Sometimes you just have to letyour child paint in the bathtub.

16 ASK THE PEDIATRICIAN

How to select a new pediatrician.

18 IN THE KITCHEN

So its not really spring, but you

can start cooking like it is.

20 TWEENS & TEENS

Using out-of-school timefor learning.

22HOT STUFF

Great products for the greatoutdoors.

24GROWS ON TREES

Make tax time a little less painful.

26BOOK SHELF

Stories for Our Fragile Planetandother books about nature.

28 RELATIONSHIPS

How to focus on whats workingin your relationship.

82 REAL LIFE

Chemical crusader Sara McLoone.

Page 63

ALL ABOUT PURE FUN

At Camp Kesem, a normal

camp experience is the goal.

By Cali Owings

31

SMALL STAGE, BIG

CREATIVITY

An experience in building

miniature theater productions.

By Zoe Gahan

41

BRAINSTORMING

AT THE BAKKEN

Science camps help kids

brainstorm inventions.

By Emily Mongan

49

A CONSERVATION ETHIC

Deep Portage offers camps for

young explorers, hunters and

wilderness enthusiasts.

By Cali Owings

60

APPLE CAMP

Apple Camps give kids the

tools to bring their visions to

life.

By Emily Mongan

37

IS YOUR CHILD READY

FOR SLEEPAWAY CAMP?

Factors to consider.

By Julie Kendrick

44

CULTURAL CONTEXT

Camp at Joyce Preschooloffers life skills, cultural

lessons.

By Zoe Gahan

54

CAMPRESOURCES

Page71

6 March 2014


5/43

It was like we had our daughter back.

When I read those words while editing this issue, I

think I had my first glimpse of what summer camp is

really all about.

Camp is a big deal at Minnesota Parent because its a big

deal to our readers. But unfortunately I never actually went to

camp myself.

Working here for seven years has meant Ive worked on a lot of

camp content, so I thought I had a pretty good understanding of

the camp thing. Until I read t he story with the daughter who was

truly back when she returned from camp.

The girl is nine-year-old Autumn, and she attended Camp

Kesem, which is featured in this issue beginning on page 31.

And Camp Kesem is a camp for kids with a parent who has battled

cancer. And its a pretty great example of the power of camp.

Theres a quote from the camp co-director a little further along

in the story: We want to make sure that camp is one week of

pure fun.

Maybe that quote isnt as dramatic as the first one. Or maybe it

is. The idea that a group of kids facing such a challenge could get

together with the goal of pure fun is pretty powerful.

Camp Kesem isnt about therapy, nor is it about providing an

escape. Camp Kesem is about the same thing that all camps are

about: A group of kids with something in common be it an

interest, a talent, a challenge or whatever put together to have

some fun.

Throw in a little shared anxiety, newfound independence, and

some new responsibilities and a funny thing happens. Kids gain

confidence. Here Ill give you a third quote from the feature.

If it werent for Camp Kesem I would probably still be like a

turtle hiding in its shell.

That one, from Autumn herself, sums it all up.

I never went to camp myself, but now I do think Im starting to

understand what its really about.

What camp isreally all about

From the editor

Co-Publishers

Janis Hall

[email protected]

Terry Gahan

[email protected]

General Manager

Chris Damlo

612-436-4376 [email protected]

Contributing Writers/Photographers

Shannon Keough

Jen Wittes

Peter Dehnel

Joy Riggs

Kara McGuire

Sean Toren

Cali Owings

Emily Mongan

Zoe Gahan

Julie Kendrick

Creative Director

Dana Croatt

[email protected]

Senior Graphic Designer

Valerie Moe

Graphic Designer

Amanda Wadeson

Sales Administrator

Kate Manson


Circulation

Marlo Johnson


Advertising


Printing

Brown Printing

60,000 copies of Minnesota Parent are printed monthly,available at news stands statewide.

Get Minnesota Parent mailed to your home for just$12 a year. Call 612-825-9205 for more information.

Minnesota Parent (ISSN 0740 3437) is publishedmonthly by Minnesota Premier Publications.

POSTMASTER send address changes to:MINNESOTA PARENT, 1115 Hennepin Avenue S.

Minneapolis, MN 55403.Minnesota Parent is copyright 2014 by Minnesota Premier

Publications. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole

or part without written permission is prohibited.

Address all material to address above.

Vol. 29 Issue 3

Dana Croatt, Interim Editor

Ma8 March 2014

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the effect of exercise and wellness on mood following childbirth

Participants receive a motivational exercise program or a health and wellnprogram, which begins after the birth of your baby (participants can sign ufor the program during pregnancy)

Program delivered to you via the mail and phone

Must be 18 years of age or older; must not currently exercise regularly

Must not t ake antidepressants

Must have a history of depression

You will receive $100 for your time

Call 612-625-9753 or email [email protected] to see if you qualif

for this research study

Are you currently pregnant or had a b

during the previous month and intere

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6/43

Thin Mints and Tagalongs and Samoas, oh my! March is your

last chance to getGirl Scout cookies!Girls Scouts in Minnesota

and Wisconsin will be selling their tasty treats until Sunday,

March 23. Use their convenient cookie locator at girlscoutsrv.org

to find cookies nearest you. The program is about much more

than just cookies and helps teach girls business skills, financial

competence, goal setting, and people skills. Profits raised

through the Cookie Program help to fund troop activities and

community service projects. Find out more, and learn how your

daughter could become a Girl Scout, at girlscoutsrv.org.

Allergies or medical conditions can create a unique challenge for children on the go

r heading off to summer camps. To that end, Hope Paige had created a set ofmedical

D braceletsthat are discreet enough in everyday wear so as not to draw attention,

but will instantly provide necessary information to any camp counselor or medical

professional if the need arises. They are customizable and available in a wide variety of

olors. Check them out at hopepaige.com.

Good food habits, early on: The

Minnesota born LANA Nutrition

Programhelps introduce young children

to healthy foods at their childcare

or preschool, providing hands-on

experiences to cook and taste a variety

of fruits and vegetables. Many children

who participate in the program have

been shown to increase the amounts

of these foods they eat in and out of

school. The program, which stands

for Learning About Nutrition through

Activities, is the outgrowth of a

successful 24-week program designed

by the Minnesota Department of

Health and the University of Minnesota.

And speaking of eating well, March

is recognized as National Nutrition

Month by the Academy of Nutrition

and Dietetics, so it may be a perfect

time to open the door to conversations

about healthy eating with your young

ones. Learn more and see a video of the

program in action at lananutrition.com.

MINNESOTA PARENT LIKES

MINNESOTA PARENT SAFETY

Dont let packing for an overnight summer camp

become a source of stress. Check with the camp to see

what kind of storage space will be available, and have

your child pack early to avoid problems. It might be

empting to over-pack just to cover your bases, but an

ver-full suitcase can lead to frustration for a kid or

ounselor as they dig to find the right items when they

need them. Check the list created by The American

Camp Association for a starting point of necessary

ems at campparents.org/travellight. And remember to

break in any new shoes or sandals before camp to avoid

blisters that can interrupt camp fun. Be sure to check outHot Stuff on page 22 for some snazzy outdoor items .

Camp season is fast approaching! Get a jump on your summer planning and enjoy a

day at Como Zoo in St. Paulwith the help ofMinnesota Parents Camp Fair. You and

your child can meet representatives from over 50 different camps and summer activity

oordinators to find the best fit for everyone. Meet a Como Zoo animal up-close, get

your face painted and enjoy live entertainment and music. The Fair will be held March

th, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Visit mnparent.com/camp-fair for more information.

ee you there!

A recallhas been issued that covers

11 models of Graco child carseats sold

between 2009 and 2013. The buckles of

the seat often needed excessive force to

be unlatched, occasionally to the point

of needing to be cut to free children. To

see affected models visit mprnews.org/

story/2014/02/11/graco-recalls-car-seats

If you have a budding artist on your

hands, get this: The Guthrie Theater has

announced a Shakespeare art contest

for childrengrades 412 in association

with The Acting Companys production

of Hamlet. The winners artwork will

be reprinted as the cover image of the

Shakespeare Classic program an event

designed to introduce Shakespeare to a

younger audience and their school will

receive 50 free tickets to see the play.

The deadline for submissions is April

4th. More details at guthrietheater.org/

artcontest.

0 March 2014

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7/43

more. Since she suddenly refused to sleep

alone in her crib, Nick shacked up with her

in another room, staying awake all night

long while Lydia coughed and moaned

beside him. Meanwhile, the relentless,

24-hour newborn schedule started to

seriously take its toll on me. And then, of

course, we all came down with Lydias illness

in the days that followed.

Many parents of two have described the

aforementioned divide and conquer

coping strategy for handling two kids, and it

made logical sense to me. I was expecting to

fall into that dynamic, at least at the

beginning.

What I wasnt expecting was how weird

this would seem in practice. Its like weve

split off into two new couples, said Nick,

and scarily, he was right. Instead of Nick and

Shannon, it was now Nick and Lydia and

Shannon and Felix. One day I heard Nick

saying something to Lydia about mama and

Felixs room. I was reminded of a quote

from the movieBefore Sunset: I feel like Im

running a small nursery with someone I

used to date.

That said, Im writing this while only a

month into our new family situation, so

were bound to get a babysitter and go out

for dinner one of these days. And I have

faith that Felix will eventually learn to sleep

and move into his very own room, just like

his sister before him. The newborn phase is

a dire, but temporary, condition.

Meanwhile, Ive generally found that the

transition from one to two kids isnt quite as

rough for me as the switch from none to

one. Like my friend Jen said, With the first

one, theres this existential crisis who am

I now? Whats happened to my old life?

Whereas with the arrival of a second, its all

about the logistics can we wedge another

car seat into our 20-year-old Honda? How

will I mix this mac and cheese while

simultaneously bouncing a screaming baby?

Is there time to watch another episode of

Boardwalk Empire before the baby wakes up

howling?

Shannon Keough lives in south

Minneapolis with her husband, Nick, and

daughter, Lydia. She can be reached at

[email protected].

Shannon

Keough

And then there were two

The idea of having two kids (or more) has always scared me a

little. Im an only child, so the prospect of having just one baby

has never seemed lonely or selfish to me things Ive

heard applied to the only child situation just normal.

And since I have no personal experience with sibling dynamics, I was

concerned about how that might impact my ability to parent two kids.

My husband often credits my inability to understand playful fighting or

competitive banter to my only-child status. If I were to witness my two

theoretical children in some standard-issue sibling argument, would I

just stare at them in confusion, unable to comprehend it and respond

appropriately?

But then I became pregnant with a second child and I thought, Well,

why not? Our daughter Lydia was almost a year and a half old when we

found out, so the newborn days were well behind us. Lydia was sleeping

well, generally jolly of temperament and had seemed like an actual little

person (instead of a perplexing baby) for quite some time. Although in

some ways it seemed too soon, and I could definitely remember the

trials of the newborn period, I figured I could handle another child.

My first surprise came with the onset of the first trimester. Although

my first pregnancy was relatively easy, the second one was much more

difficult. (See my November column, What to expect when youre

expectingagain, for more about that.) Add to that the fact of having to

care for my active toddler, and I basically felt done-in before the

contractions even started.

Of course, the real surprises surfaced when we brought little baby

Felix back from the hospital. At first, things at home seemed relatively

calm. Lydia had been in a months-long daddy phase, so my

husband Nick was able to seamlessly take on most of the toddler care

with little drama. I, on the other hand, took on baby duty, dutifully

getting up with Felix every three hours or so to address his hunger,

diapers and so on. This went on with little incident for a day or two.

Then Lydia became significantly ill for the first time in her

young life. Throwing up, a fever, coughing, and so much

Instead of Nick and Shannon,

it was now Nick and Lydia

and Shannon and Felix.

2 March 2014


8/43

Rockonwildchild!TODDLER TIP

Ive always thought that parents and

teachers are like the architects, setting up

structure, materials, and opportunity for

open-ended play. After these opportunities

are created, its time to get out of the way,

says Breen.

She also encourages a yes mentality

and an acceptance of some level of mess.

This means allowing for materials to be

used in a way you wouldnt have predicted

rather than immediately saying no.

Again, this is within the s tructure

initially created and does not require

Mom or Dad to swallow frustration as

they embrace a little Jackson Pollack on

the duvet cover in the name of free expres-

sion. The structuring is merely trying

something slightly closer to the parental

comfort level while still honoring a little

come what may, rock on wild child that

accompanies our sweet toddlers.

For example, I have occasionally set up

a bathroom studio in which I put a

variety of brushes and washable paints in

the bathtub. The guidelines are: paint

what you want, how you want, but only

on the tub and tile. The beyond paper

scenario allows for creative rebellion

while falling a few steps short of painting

on the walls. And by the way, if youre cool

with paint on the walls go for it!

Of course, not all art requires mess. Not

in the mood for clay? Put on some music

and pull out the rhythm instruments.

(These can look an awful lot like pots and

pans!) Find things around the house and

use them in your living room band. Dont

be alarmed if your toddler decides to name

the band Cookie Drum. Just go with it.

There are so many wonderful ways to

spark the imagination of your toddler.

Beyond the desired developmental

progress, you reap the benefit of together-

ness, fun, a little mess, and occasionally a

finished project for the fridge.

Ah, a finger paint masterpiece on the

fridge. Yes, Toddler Parent, that means

youve arrived.

Jen Wittes is the mother of two young

children. Questions? She can be reached

at [email protected].

There is a sweet duality in the developing

toddler brain boundless imagination

alongside a tendency to be extremely

literal.

We ask them not to actually eat the dusty, colorful

allen leaves on the ground and later make a garden

alad. Or we watch as they stare perplexed at

he dark sky, after the announcement that its raining

ats and dogs.

On the flip side play a game of cloud-watching

with a toddler and be blown away by what they come

up with.

That cloud looks like a duck, you say.

Your two year old replies, I think it looks like a

urtle with an ice cream cone. Helping Grandpa mow

he lawn. With Elmo.

Her budding minds creativity is incredible, and is

n a sense sprouted from the same seed that makes a

oddler paradoxically literal belief in the impos-

ible, everything new, glitter as pixy dust, and a chat

with the man in the moon. She doesnt quite under-

tand the world yet and the possibilities are limitless.

The time is ripe for exploration and creativity.

I recently chatted with Molly Breen, a St. Paul

native who taught music and dance to young children

or years before becoming the director of Saint

Anthony Park United Methodist Church Community

Nursery School. She also leads a choir of get this

children aged newborn to three. In her spare time?

Shes working toward a Masters in Education,

pecializing in the early childhood years. As a mother

herself, small, creative, ever-changing minds are kind

f her thing. She enthusiastically talked with me

bout the importance of art, creative freedom, and

maginative play in a toddlers development.

Current research shows evidence that the

Toddler Time

development of creativity and intelligence go hand in

hand Breen says. Creative play makes kids s marter,

thats the bottom line. Actually, play makes everyone

smarter!

This is good news for parents playing with your

toddler is one of the finer perks of the job!

But how do we guide exploration without

squelching the very nature of creativity with our rules

and pre-conceived notions? How do we encourage

freedom of expression with little people who are

limited in their abilities and possess an independence

level that is constantly in flux? And what if were not

crafty? Is there any hope for the not-so-creative parent

trying to help their child explore their artsy side?

Worry not. You dont need to know how to make a

craft-show worthy reindeer out of a bag of pipe

cleaners and a stick of glue, nor do you ever in your

life have to use t he word decoupage.

Jen

Wittes

EmbraceandExploreGo crazywith flour.

Ask your childto

describe the stars

and record her

observations.

Let a toebe a

paint brush.

Shareyour favorite

song.

Build a fortand

call it a castle.

AskWhat if?

Dance!

Take a walkand

guess the names

of passing dogs.

Let the childtell

the bedtime story.

Delightin your

own rediscovery

of crayons.

Theimportanceof creativeplay

Marc4 March 2014

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9/43

home already, a new baby will require an

adjustment by everyone. An important

principle is to reinforce that there is an

abundance of love, care and concern for

everyone and that this new arrival is a

very positive addition to everyones life.

We are soon going on a family vacation

to a warm climate soon. What items

should we bring?

Family vacations can be a great experience.

A warm weather vacation after a very cold

Minnesota winter will be welcome by your

kids as much as you. Much of what you

need to know and bring would also apply to

a family going on vacation up north in

mid-July. You definitely need to pack the sun

screen (SPF 50 or higher for most kids) and

insect repellent if you will likely be exposed

to mosquitoes or other biting insects.

Sunglasses and hats will help many kids and

adults alike, with the intensity of southern

sunlight. Rugged sandals are often over-

looked, but work well for beaches, climbing

and walking. Lots of hydration is important

even before they start to feel thirsty because

they will have a lot of insensible water losses

that they are not used to having under five

layers of winter clothing. Also, dont forget

long sleeves during the day to shield you

from the suns rays or at night to keep you

warm as the temperature dips.

As always, safety is key to a successful

family vacation. Safety in an automobile is

as important while traveling as it is here.

Water safety may present new challenges if

your kids are just at the age of really wanting

to be in the pool or ocean several hours

of the day. NEVER leave a child alone in any

water, for any reason. Finally, practicing

overload safety, not trying to pack too

much into each day, will lead to a better

family experience for everyone.

This column is intended to provide

general information and guidance only

and not specific medical advice. If you

have specific questions about your

child, please consult your health care

professional. Dr. Peter Dehnel is a board

certified pediatrician and medical director

with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota.

Have a question for Dr. Dehnel? Email

[email protected].

Many parents are often faced with

choosing a new pediatrician for their

hildren, whether due to a move to a new

rea or a change in clinics with new

nsurance coverage. Depending on your

ersonal preference, wants, comfort level

nd style, you are highly likely to find

omeone that you and your children

re comfortable seeing on a regular basis.

One of the first considerations for many

amilies is to determine which physicians

nd clinics are covered by your insurance

olicy. It may be easiest to select a

ediatrician that is considered in

network for your health plan, as this is

ften the most cost efficient. You will want

o check your insurance coverage for

pecifics about your in-network and

out-of-network providers.

Another item to contemplate in

electing a pediatrician is size of the clinic,

nd if it is a stand alone facility or a part

of a larger clinic system. This matters for

things such as after hours (evenings,

weekends and holidays) availability,

alternative care options, etc. Ease of

setting appointments and ease of getting

through on the telephone to talk live with

a nurse or doctor is another important

factor to consider when you think about

clinic size. Also, find out the likelihood of

seeing your chosen pediatrician for well

visits and/or sick visits and how the clinic

addresses those issues.

Finally, and, perhaps the most impor-

tant in terms of care for your child(ren), is

determining if a particular pediatrician is

within a practice. Some additional

considerations include if she or he has a

particular area of interest within pediat-

rics (sports medicine, attention deficit/

hyperactivity disorder, allergies, asthma,

etc.). Board certification in pediatrics is

generally a highly positive credential to

We are new in townand wondering how to

best select a pediatrician.

Peter

Dehnel, MD

hold. Some families will prefer a female

pediatrician and some will prefer a male

pediatrician, although this generally

becomes more of a concern as kids reach

their pre-teen years and often prefer a

same-sex pediatrician. Many clinics

provide websites with physician history,

which can also be helpful as you select a

pediatrician.

We are expecting a new baby in three

months. How do we get our toddler

ready for the arrival of her baby

brother or sister?

In spite of the great joy that it brings to

parents and grandparents, the birth of a

new brother or sister can be very disrup-

tive to the future older sibling, especially

if the older sibling is a first-born. Even

under the best and most skillful of

circumstances, it will likely take at least

two or three months for your older child

to get used to the idea of another child

being in their territory and adjust to the

fact that a new person is getting way too

much attention from their perspective.

Starting to prepare your child months

ahead of time is a good idea. Trying to

impart some notion of ownership by the

older brother or sister can be very helpful,

as well. For example, the phrase your baby

brother/sister can go a long way to help

them gain acceptance. Having the older

sibling participate in caring for their new

sibling in age-appropriate jobs can also

help ease the transition. Having a grand-

parent, aunt or uncle around to give lots of

extra attention to the older sibling has been

key for an easier transition in some

families. Finally, lots of reassurance from

mom and dad that there is plenty of love to

go around is a good principle to have.

Regardless of the age of the children in

your home, there can be unexpected

surprises at any age. A six-year-old who

previously was an only child can be

much more challenging than a two-year-

old. Adoptive children will add another

dimension of transition if the adoptive

child is a little older than the sibling and

is ahead of them in milestones, too.

Even if there are three children in your

6 March 2014


10/43

RECIPES

Thinkspring!Preheatoven to 450.

Greasea large baking sheet.

Mixthe first 4 ingredients in a bowl.

Make an assembly linewith bowls of whisked egg, flour, and

the panko mixture. Dip the asparagus first into the flour, then

the egg and then into the panko mixture, coating evenly and

repeating with all the sticks.

Place all of the coated stickson the baking sheet. Arrange

so theyre not touching, spray lightly with oil and bake for 3 0-

35 minutes or until the bread crumbs are golden brown.

Servewith marinara sauce for dipping.

Preheatoven to 450.

Cookand crumblebacon.

Placecruston an ungreased pizza pan, pizza stone or

baking sheet. Brush top with 4 teaspoons oil.

Top crustwith shredded cheese, asparagus, and bacon.

Drop spreadable cheese by teaspoonfuls over pizza.

Sprinkle with pepper flakes. Drizzle with remaining oil.

Bake12-15 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned.

Preheatoven to 350.

Greasea 1.5-quart baking dish.

Steamasparagus until just tender, 5 to 8

minutes.

Sautemushrooms and chopped onion in

olive oil until the mushrooms have given

off their liquid, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the

asparagus, tossing vegetables just until

hot. Remove from heat.

Crushsaltine cracker crumbs and mix with

cheddar and black pepper. Spread half themixture into the bottom of the baking dish.

Spoonthe asparagus mixture over the

crumb mixture.

Whiskthe cream of mushroom soup

and milk until smooth, and pour over the

asparagus mixture.

Spreadthe remaining crumb-cheese

mixture over the casserole and sprinkle

with pecans.

Bakein the preheated oven until the

casserole is bubbling, about 30 minutes.

cup panko

Tbsp Italian herbs

tsp salt

tsp garlic powder

large eggs

cup flour

bunch asparagus,

trimmed

Marinara sauce

1 prebaked 12-inch pizza crust

6 tsp olive oil, divided

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cups asparagus

8 bacon strips

cup garlic-herb spreadable cheese

tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into

1-inch pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 (8 ounce) package sliced fresh

mushrooms

onion

1 (4 ounce) packet saltine crackers

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of

mushroom soup

cup milk

cup coarsely chopped pecans

talian asparagus sticks

Asparagus and bacon pizza

Asparagus andmushroom hotdish

Asparagus is the vegetable that most sayspring. Get yourself in the spirit of the season

with these recipes or save them until localasparagus is available.

Marc8 March 2014

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11/43

Joy

Riggs

My kids generally enjoy school,

but there are times

Monday mornings, for

instance when they

omplain that school takes up too much of

heir lives. I can understand the sentiment,

ven though I dont believe its true. If you

ccount for holidays, breaks and weekends,

he total number of hours they spend in a

lassroom is much smaller per year than

he hours they spend exploring and

xperiencing the world outside of school.

Finding positive ways to use that

out-of-school time isnt a problem for them

because they have multiple and varied

nterests, and they live in a family that has

he ability to support their participation in

ummer and afterschool activities. But

hats not the case for many tweens and

eens in Minnesota.

According to Youthprise, a Minneapolis-

based organization that works to increase

and improve opportunities for learning

beyond the classroom, 32 percent of

Minnesota students in grades K-12 are

responsible for taking care of themselves

after school, and only 12 percent participate

in afterschool programs. Youthprise

estimates that more than half of Minnesota

parents struggle to find things for their

children to do when theyre not in school.

How kids spend that out-of-school time is

important for both their social and academic

development. Research shows that youth

who participate in quality out-of-school

programs acquire important life, social and

communications skills, do better in school,

and are healthier and happier. Thats why

Im glad to see that a growing number of

schools, communities and organizations like

Youthprise are working together to improve

out-of-school-time activities for kids and

make them more available to everyone.

Leading the effort in St. Paul is Sprockets,

a citywide network of more than 170

afterschool and summer programs.

Sprockets was launched in 2011 by Mayor

Chris Coleman, Superintendent Valeria

Silva, and the Second Shift Commission

community advisory group. It provides

training, professional development,

coaching and data sharing for 50 organiza-

tions that serve more than 7,000 youth

throughout the city.

The Sprockets network is a network of

support. The organizations feel that they are

a cohesive entity, even if they are located in

different parts of town, because of the

shared language about how to provide

quality programming, says Sprockets

Director Eyenga Bokamba.

The programs cover a wide variety of

interests, from fine arts to sports to civic

engagement. What they have in common is

that all the program providers agree to

undergo assessments of what they do well

and where they could improve in four

general areas: welcoming staff, spark (youth

having fun), belonging, and safety.

Parents can think of it as a stamp of

approval that they are undergoing these

trainings and looking at ways to improve,

Bokamba says. They are happy to have

interactions and answer questions that, to

me, is an indicator of a dynamic system, and

thats exciting.

Learning beyond

the classroom

Sprockets St. Paul

sprocketssaintpaul.org

Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board

ycb.org

Youthprise

youthprise.org

RESOURCES

Teens&Tweens

How to identify a quality afterschool or summer programFollow these tips from Sprockets (for more information, go to sprocketsstpaul.org)

A welcoming staff. Look for upbeat staff members who

encourage young people to learn new skills by helping

the youth take on tasks that build self-confidence. Ask:

What are the staffs qualifications? How far in advance

are activities planned?

Spark.Look for young people having fun. Participants

should be energized, focused, eager and on task. Ask:

Are the activities hands-on? Do the youth help choose or

plan the activities?

Belonging. Look for welcoming sociable interactions

among all the participants. Smiles, eye contact and

friendly conversation are good indicators of positive peer

relationships. Ask: How are conflicts a ddressed? How is

communication maintained between participants, parents

or guardians and staff?

Safety.Look for a clean space with drinking fountains

and bathrooms nearby, safety equipment like fire

extinguishers and a first aid kit readily available, and

enough room to safely conduct the activities. Ask: Is

there an emergency plan? Are background checks

conducted on all staff and others who have access to the

space? Are staff CPR certified?

MORE INFO

The programs serve kids from pre-

kindergarten age through high school.

Bokamba says about 42 percent of

participants are ages 1014, and about 14

percent are ages 1517.

Parents can go to the program finder on

the Sprockets website and plug in details

like the type of program theyre looking for,

the time of day, the area of town they live in,

and the age of their child, and it will show

them a list of different programs that fit

those criteria. They can also find out

whether theres a fee, if scholarships are

available, and if the program has bilingual

staff members.

Bokamba says the organizations work

collaboratively and communicate with each

other regularly. If it turns out that a

particular program isnt the right fit for a

youth, he or she will be referred to another

program.

Their feeling is, were going to do the

homework to find the right fit because

ultimately thats what were about, she says.

Skills the youth learn through these

out-of-school programs like how to

navigate disagreements, how to articulate

an opinion, and how to show leadership

are skills that will serve them well in

their adult lives.

Bokamba says its exciting to be part of an

organization that is helping the city

reevaluate how it invests in youth, and what

opportunities it provides for them to become

involved, engaged citizens.

Its nothing but positive the

potential it has to reshape the entire way

that we interact, and what we expect

from young people in terms of their

participation, she said.

Joy Riggs is the mother of one

tween and two teens. Questions?

Contact her at [email protected].

Eyenga

Bokamba

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backpacks are known for theirdurability you can tell by their

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Frogglez GogglesIf youve ever had to struggle with

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these non-slip, easy to use childrens

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Name BubblesIts always wise to mark your childs

belongings before they head to camp, but

this time use Name Bubbles and theres no

risk of it washing away or rubbing off, as

these are laundry and dishwasher-safe. Kids

can choose a customized style and pattern

that might make them more inclined to

accept the labels over Moms old-fashioned

marker. Beyond just name labels for all their

items, you can buy alert labels to warn of

an allergy or medical concern with easy-to-

read directions and phone number in c ase

of emergency.

namebubbles.com

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LED Mini CampingLanternsA small lantern with serious power. The

narrow beam of a flashlight can restrict

activities in low-light camping situations,

but set one of these little guys up andyoure good to go with 360 degrees of light

over 15 feet. Small enough and lightweight

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AA batteries and equipped with a hook

perfect for hanging it from a bunk.

dorcydirect.com $9.99

LunchSkinsIf your child is heading off to day camp

and bringing along a lunch, all thosesandwich baggies each day can add up.

Skip the plastic and get these reusable,

toxin-free lunch sacks, with varying

sizes for items from tiny snacks to fully-

loaded sandwiches and full lunch totes

with durable handles. Pop them in the

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to go again tomorrow. A great range of

patterns keeps lunch-time exciting, and

who knows might just get the kids

excited about broccoli!

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13/43

Kara

McGuire

on your taxes. Actually, you can do both, so

long as you dont double dip, or take

advantage of both programs with the same

dollars. Since childcare is so pricey, my

family has always used both to make the

bite less painful. Remember summer

camps and other activities that provide

childcare while you work qualify as

dependent care. Minnesota has its own

special tax breaks for education-related

camps. Some school supplies too.

Revenue.state.mn.us has the details.

Kids in college?For your college student,

there are several tax benefits worth up to a

few thousand dollars. Unfortunately,

deciding which of the many programs you

qualify for is tougher than it should be. The

IRS tax assistant, housed in the Tax

Benefits for Education section online, can

help make sense of the credit mess in a few

minutes. Any tax professional can also

guide you. The important thing here is that

you know they exist.

Think forward. Yes, tax planning is

important too.

Owe too much?Big refund on the way?

Then it might be time to readjust how much

tax is withheld from your paycheck. Before

Tax time. If youre like many

Americans, you want to rush

through them, or outsource

them and be done. That is, until

next year.

But rushing through your taxes or failing

o plan can mean costly mistakes, added

hassle, or tax breaks left on the table.

For parents with kids at home or in

ollege, there are provisions in the tax

ode just for you that can add up to

ignificant savings.

Before you turn in those tax forms,

ouble check the following:

s your name spelled right?Is your

ddress correct? Do you have accurate and

omplete Social Security numbers for you

nd your kids. These are common

mistakes. Im not kidding. Last fall, the IRS

was sitting on $153 million in undeliver-

ble refunds because the agency couldnt

ocate taxpayers.

Have you entered the 21st century?

E-filing your taxes and setting up direct

eposit for your refund is the fastest,

east-error-prone way to get your taxes off

our plate and your money in your hands.

Free e-filing is available for some taxpayers.

Free fillable forms are available for

everyone. Learn more at freefile.irs.gov.

Even if you pay for online tax prep, its not

expensive. I use TaxAct and am charged less

than $25 to prepare and file both Federal

and state returns. Better than slaving away

with paper forms and a calculator.

Any big life events?Significant life

changes getting married, moving,

sending a child to college alter tax

circumstances. Kiplingers.com has a good

series on tax planning by life event.

Following are some of the key kid-related

tax benefits.

New addition to the family?Each child

under 17 qualifies for the $1,000 child tax

credit. That phases out at higher tax

brackets, but is a welcome benefit for

families who earn less. Parents who adopt

qualify for an adoption credit of nearly

$13,000 per child. It also has a phase-out

for higher incomes. Check out Tax Topic

607 for the skinny.

Kids in daycare?If you require daycare,

there is a little help. You can contribute to

a pre-tax flexible spending dependent care

account or take the dependent care credit

getting down to the nitty gritty tax calcula-

tion, though, think about your refund

personality. While receiving a big refund

technically means youve given Uncle Sam

an interest free loan, some people swear by

refund-as-forced-savings. And in this

next-to-no interest rate environment, youre

not really losing much by way of forgone

earnings. However, if youre disciplined,

changing your withholding so you receive

bigger paychecks gives you ultimate

financial flexibility.

Have you made donations?Think back to

all of the charitable donations youve made

or the Goodwill runs youve taken for some

additional tax savings. This will only work if

you itemize your taxes. And you have to be

somewhat organized because receipts are

required. If tax year 2013 is a lost cause, get

it together in 2014 with use of Turbo Taxs

free Its Deductible tool, available online

or as an app.

Dont forget about the future.As your

income grows, youll be looking for all sorts

of ways to reduce your tax burden. One of

the smartest is to take advantage of pre-tax

workplace retirement plans. Its a double

benefit because you are saving for your

future plus your taxable income falls today.

Better yet, many employers offer matching

funds, free money you dont want to leave

on the table.

Prior to April 15, you also have the

option to fully fund IRAs for the previous

tax year. Its a funky rule, but dont

question it. Rather, take advantage of the

extra time you have to open or fund an IRA

or Roth IRA account. Roth IRAs wont give

you a tax break today, but you will be able

to take the money out tax-free at retire-

ment. Plus there are ways to tap the

principal now without penalty, making it

so versatile that I think of it as the little

black dress of personal finance.

Kara McGuire is a personal finance

expert and St. Paul mom of three. Send

comments, questions and story ideas to

[email protected].

How to maketax time

less taxing

24 March 2014

You can get there. We can help.

Visit www.MN529today.com

or call 1-877-338-4646


14/43

NATURE &OUR PLANET

Natures Patchwork Quilt

Build a web of knowledge of important habitats andcosystems, from the desert to rainforest and everywhere

n between. The pages are filled with mosaics of rich

watercolor paintings, prompting the recognition of the

nterdependence of all creatures in their own habitats.

With mentions of topics such as the food chain,

iodiversity, and environmentalism, the book

ntroduces children to complex concepts in a

manageable way.

By Mary Mich

Illustrated by Consie Powell

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Stories for a Fragile Planet

Diverse, expansive and thoughtful, this book

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Ten stories weave a narrative that highlights

the importance of our stewardship of the

earth, and a history of ideas that can teach

young readers to look with kindness

toward all humans and creatures on

our planet.

By Kenneth Steven

Illustrated by Jane Ray

$10.99

Geography: A VisualEncyclopedia

The shear volume of information

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Keep an inquisitive young mind

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explore the comprehensive sections

Planet Earth, Rocks & Minerals, Life

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a Country Factfile to name a few

which are rich with photos, maps, and

diagrams to illustrate concepts.

$29.99

My Nature Book: A Journaland Activity Book for Kids

A fully hands-on, inspiring journal for

children to fill with their own unique

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build a life-long fascination with nature and

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in-depth exploration and consideration

beyond merely observation, and facts and

quotes reward curious minds.

By Linda Kranz

$12.95It Cant Be True!

This book of incredible visual comparisons will

prompt wide eyes and fascination, as readers see the

true scale and diversity of the world around them in

tangible and relevant illustrations. See 1,320

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of the oldest tree and find out how

many Empire State Buildings it takes

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The comparisons made here give

kids the tools to help comprehend our

fascinating and extreme planet.

$19.99

The Book of Minnesota Skills

A guide to living fully and taking

advantage of the beautiful natural

resources in our great state. Whether its

down-right outdated or actually practical,

this lighthearted book explores the true

skills and know-how of living in our great

state, from growing your own wheat

(did we mention out-dated?) to exiting

a chairlift gracefully, (now thats one we

could use!). While some of the skills may

be beyond the average persons expertise,

its the rich history lessons from local

experts that make this book worthwhile

for any Minnesotan.

By Chris Niskanen

$19.95

26 March 2014


15/43

was good.

In any case, I learned my lesson, and

when my present partner (and wife) Edna

came cruising by I made sure we drove

slowly even though we didnt have all our

shared relationship cylinders firing

equally. I decided that the cylinders that

were firing should get an awful lot of

attention. I tell her when shes looking

good, and when her food is delicious, and

how much I appreciate her smart,

well-considered opinions and what a

loving mother she is to our son.

To make sure your own shared cylin-

ders are firing right and to give and get

the best of each other, ask yourself

these questions:

Are your past relationships coloring your

present one?

Do you begrudge your partner some

parts of you that they deserve? Is there

something that youre withholding?

If there are some cylinders in your

relationship that arent firing right, decide

if you should fight for them or let them

go. Sometimes, if youre getting enough

torque off those cylinders that are there,

the other cylinders (like remembering

birthdays or putting gas in t he car) arent

so important anymore.

Finally, ask yourself ifyouare getting the

best of your partner. Are they holding back?

Can you draw them out? Thats what I had

to do with Edna, when I demanded that she

give me more attention through the mild

lashing of last years post-Valentines Day

column. Since then, shes shared more of

her love and care for me even urging me

to get that pesky prostate exam.

Come to think of it, though, she did

grin rather impishly when I thanked her

for pushing me to make the appointment,

and then mumbled just making sure you

really are getting the best of my love, as

she mimed the snapping of a examination

glove. Hmm.

Sean Toren loves living the full catastrophe

in Minneapolis with his wife and son. He

can be contacted at [email protected]

with thoughts or suggestions.

The best of my love

Valentines Day has come and gone. Did my

partner Edna forget it again, as chroni-

cled in last years column? You might be

surprised to read that it didnt matter to

me. Reason One is because I really got her attention

last year.

Reason Two is that Im also seeing the bigger

picture as evidenced by an upcoming prostate

exam (which, for some reason, has become very

important for Edna, whos been showing more

concern for my well being). I was on hold the other

day, waiting to make the appointment and listening to

the canned 70s music when I realized I was

tapping my toes to the Best of My Love.

Was it The Eagles version, you may wonder, with

its lost-love lament? Or maybe Olivia Newton-Johns

sugar pop? Neither. It was The Emotions joyous,

booty-shakin R&B romp with the heavily-repeated

chorus: Whoa, whoa, you got the best of my love!

Sean

Toren

Hearing the chorus over and over got me to

thinking. Ive had a few relationships that fell on

The Eagles side of the fence, and a few on The

Emotions side, and it has something to do with

cylinders such as in a big, fat 12-cylinder engine.

I used to think that I had to share all 12 relation-

ship cylinders with my partner romance,

intelligence, sexiness, good parenting, financial

security, knowing where the keys are, fine cooking,

caring, communication, kindness, friendship and

desire to have (or not have) kids.

I had a few relationships where the cylinders

werent all firing and I had good reasons for not

giving the best of my love, like the fellow climber

who was in love with a married man while she dated

me. And the Peace Corps volunteer who was just

about to leave for 10 months.

This was much less the cas e with a fellow writer I

met in grad school, the smart, beautiful Kitty, who

also had a venomous sense of humor and a tongue

wicked enough to wield it. I lured her back to

Minnesota where she got a curator job at one of our

big art museums.

We started out revving at pretty high-RPMs, and I

gave her more of the best of me than Id given the

others, but she also had me at my worst. Id had a

mountain bike injury and ruptured some disks in my

neck, then blew out my rock-climbing elbows so badly

I couldnt climb. I was in pain and grumpy all the time

and needed someone to care for me more. Plus I

was myopically finishing a novel and couldnt broaden

my focus to include her interests which frustrated

Kitty, who wanted to be all-in together.

Maybe we just needed to accept that, although we

were firing on most cylinders, we werent firing on a

few that really mattered. I found it hard to tell her

how awesome she was when she had so much g oing

for her. I begrudged her this and ultimately

deprived myself of greater happiness with her. Or,

heck, maybe we both just got out while t he gettin

Sometimes, if youre

getting enough torque

off those cylinders that

are there, the other

cylinders arent

so importantanymore.

Marc28 March 2014 .


16/43

the

cam isue

2014

When Jay and Penny Olson dropped their ni

old daughter Autumn off at Camp Kesem

summers ago, she was withdrawn not h

bright and bubbly self.

Autumn shut down when her mom was diagnosed w

earlier that year.

It was like we had lost our little girl, Jay Olson said

When they picked her up a week later, things were d

She gave us a great big hug. It was like we had our

back, he said.

Camp Kesem is a f ree University of Minnesota stude

summer camp for kids and teens whose parents have o

cancer.

If it werent for Camp Kesem I would probably stil

turtle hiding in its shell, said Autumn, now 11 and pre

her third summer at the camp.

Youre not only worrying about your parents and th

youre worrying like every kid does how am I going to m

friends? How is this going to work? she said.

Now in its third year, Camp Kesem is poised to help

children like Autumn whose lives have been affected by

parents battles with the disease.

The Kesem experience

Camp Kesem Minnesota started in 2012 when a group

University of Minnesota students raised nearly $30,000

A TYPICALSUMMER

CAMP By Cali OwingsAt Camp Kesem, a normalcamp experience is the goa

CampersandcounselorshavingfunatCampKesem.SUBMITTEDPHOTOS

Marc

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17/43

send 35 campers, including Autumn, to

camp in Paynesville.

Its part of a nationwide network of

college students across the country who

raise funds throughout the year and

volunteer to bring the camp experience to

their communities.

Today, there are 54 Camp Kesem

chapters at colleges throughout the U.S.

Kesem is Hebrew for magic and the

camps strive to bring magic to families

coping with cancer.

Alek Tomich, a University of Minnesota

senior and one of the co-directors for this

years camp, said Camp Kesem prides

itself on not being too different from other

summer camps.

Campers can expect a pretty typical

array of activities like arts and crafts,

campfires, canoeing, hiking, fishing

and games.

When youre a kid and youre dealing

with a parent who has a cancer, you dont

have a lot of opportunities to have fun

because you have so much on your plate,

he said. We want to make sure that camp

is one week of pure fun.

On the way to Camp Kesem for the first

time last year, Melissa Reynolds said her

son and daughter werent that excited.

There were no smiles during camp

registration and only one-word answers.

They were like Why do we have to go

to a camp and deal with cancer all over

again, Reynolds said.

It was a night and day difference when

she and her husband picked them up.

Ashlynn and Myca, known as Alfredo and

7evens at camp, talked nonstop and

taught their little sister Amelia who

was too young to go last summer all of

the camp songs during the ride home to

Pequot Lakes.

This year, all three Reynolds kids plan

to attend the camp a nd theyre all

excited.

The University of Minnesota student

group is working to raise $70,000 to send

85 campers to Camp Heartland in Willow

River.

Last year, about $50,000 sent 65 kids

ages six to 16 to camp in Hayward, Wis.

Camp Kesem Minnesota, which more

than doubled in size since its inaugural

year, has outgrown the camps that have

hosted the group in previous years. The

camp boasts a 3-to-1 camper to counselor

ratio, Tomich said. So when the number

of kids increases year over year, so does

the groups all-volunteer counselor count.

To accommodate this years large group,

Camp Heartland is bigger than any other

camp weve been to before, Tomich said.

The Big C

While Camp Kesem has a non-thera-

peutic approach, the camp is uniquely

designed to help address the kids

experiences with cancer.

During one night early in the week,

campers participate in an empowerment

ceremony where theyre invited to share

their story and tell everyone what brought

them to Camp Kesem. Kids arent

required to participate, but many

Autumn Olson and

counselor "Seashell."

SUBMITTED PHOTO

32 March 2014 . :

Think your child cant d

like this?Think aga

Call or go online for

Summer Camp and Class Inform

Chosen by WCCO2013 Best Places for Summer Ar

Winner:City Pages Best of the Twin Cities

Jacob Smith, Age

State Fair Winner! Maggie Enestvedt, Age 7

Ryan Sarafolean, Age 14

State Fair Winner! Izzy Wexle

651-699-15theartacademy


18/43

choose to open up about their fears and

vent their frustrations with campers and

counselors whove had similar experi-

ences.

Tomich said its really the only time

they address cancer head-on.

You have to talk about it at some

point, he said. Its like the elephant in

the room.

The emotional ceremony helps tie

everyone together like a family. They usually

hold it earlier in the week to make everyone

more comfortable with each other so they

can focus on having fun, he said.

We share our stories about our parents

and what happened to us in our lives,

Autumn said. All of the rest of t he time

its like youre at a regular camp.

Most of the counselors can relate to the

campers because theyve had experience

with the disease in their families.

[The counselors] were looking for

something like this when they were a kid

and its kind of like paying it forward

now, said Tomich, who lost his dad to

cancer at age 8.

Penny Olson was surprised when she

learned so many of the counselors had

experience with cancer.

Theyve been down a similar trail

which gives them a direct connection with

many of the kids, she said.

Counselors personal experience

combined with specialized training

helps them to tackle some big issues

that other camps might not have to deal

with like a camper who says theyre

not sure if their mom or dad will be

alive when they get home.

It takes some practice to take their

mind off that situation, Tomich said.

The camp experience helped Autumn

open up to her parents about her feelings.

I was afraid to be by my mom, like if I

was looking at her or talking to her and

shed die, she said. But I was afraid to

be away from her because I was afraid she

would die while I was gone.

After camp, she knew it was safe to talk

to her parents.

She was afraid to tell me how she was

feeling because she was afraid of hurting

me, Penny Olson said.

Beyond summer camp

Camp Kesems influence extends beyond a

week of summer fun to reunions

throughout the year and a network of

support for campers and their families.

When Melissa Reynolds husband

passed away from cancer in December, a

dozen counselors made the three-hour

trip to Pequot Lakes for the visitat ion

service and funeral. It was just after finals

week at the University of Minnesota and

they delayed trips home to their families

to spend time with Ashlynn, Myca and

Amelia, Reynolds said.

It was such a testimony. Just look at

the commitment and dedication these

college students have to these little kids,

she said.

The counselors that couldnt make it

sent a care package, referring to them by

their camp names. Even Amelia, who

hasnt yet attended camp, was included

and given her own camp shirt.

Reynolds said the camp counselors

have had a huge impact on her family.

Its encouraging to look at them as

mentors, as older kids, that have gone

through it and are successful, she said.

Theyre still happy and doing something

positive out of something negative.

Even though the camp is free, the

Olsons donate each year to Camp Kesem

to give the opportunity to another child.

It meant so much to us to have our

daughter back so we decided to sponsor

another kid so that another child could

become whole again, Jay Olson said

He said he hopes to send Autumn to

Camp Kesem as long as she can and

maybe shell have the opportunity to be a

counselor when shes older.

They say Once youre in the Kesem

family, youre in, he said.

Myca and

Ashlynn Reynolds.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

CAMP SNAPSHOT

Dates:Aug. 1723, 2014

Location:Camp Heartland in Willow River

Ages:616

Application info: Interested campers

should apply online at www.campkesem.

org/camper-application

Capacity:The camp is currently at 65

percent capacity for this year, Tomich

said. If spots run out, prospective

campers can put their names on a

waiting list. In previous years, donors

have come through to fund the camp

experience for wait-listed kids.

Give: You can help bring the Camp Kesem

experience to a child affected by cancer.

For donation information visit

campkesem.org/minnesota/donate

34 March 2014


19/43

Apple Camps give kids the tools to bring their visions to life

By Emily Mongan

n Apple store, with its neatly

organized displays of high-tech

gadgets and funky piped-in

music, hardly seems like the type of place

a typical summer camp would be held.

There are no tents, no smores, no

campfire sing-alongs (dont worry about

the lack of bonfire...theres an app for

that). But here, among the iPads and

MacBooks, camp is in session.

From mid-July to early August, Apples

retail stores across the globe serve as

camps for kids ages eight to 12 with an

interest in filmmaking and learning more

about Apples range of products and

software. Over the span of three

90-minute classes, Apple store employees

teach campers how to use Apple programs

like iMovie and GarageBand to

short movies that they write, fil

score, and sometimes even star

themselves. The camps are shor

a welcome addition to any hect

activity schedule. But dont let t

brevity fool you; like the camps

says, the kids are there to get do

business and make movie mag

iCamp

a

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2014

PHOTO

BY LYON

KEASLER

Marc

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The Apple Store in Uptown Minneapolis

has held camp each year since it opened

in 2010. The store operates as usual while

camp in session, with campers grouped

around one of the massive display tables

to work on their projects and learn that

days lesson. Apple Camps encourage kids

to bring their own Apple devices with

them, if they own any. If they dont, the

store offers iMac and iPads for the kids to

use in the store.

Siblings Wyatt and Bria Budziszewski

were already plugged in and intently

focused on their iPads before the session

even began, playing around with apps and

games. They were both first time film-

makers, but like many of the other

campers they were certainly no strangers

to using Apple products.

Day one of each camp session begins

with the fundamentals of filmmaking,

like the basic parts of a story and popular

movie genres. To spark inspiration, the

instructors asked what good movies the

kids had recently seen. Answers ranged

fromDespicable Me 2 to Star Wars,which

the campers then broke down into

genres. The instructors explained that

genres like action, sports, and how-to

videos were popular with young film-

makers at past camp sessions, but that

had been sketched out on the campers

storyboarding sheets. Wyatt planned an

instructional video explaining how to

build an underwater observatory on the

popular building block-based computer

game Minecraft, while his sister had

sketched out an adventure story that she

would animate with Legos. Siblings

Kaitlyn, Eric, and Briana Terry would be

teaming up to create a bowling movie, to

be filmed that afternoon when the family

used their pass to a local bowling alley.

All of the camera work for the films

happens outside of the store, between the

first and second sessions. Campers are

encouraged to use their iPads, iPhones,

and digital cameras to shoot video, and

gather old photos and video that can be

edited in if their story revolves around a

past event. The editing happens during

the second session, using iMovie and the

iMacs available in the Apple store.

After planning out their stories,

campers are shown how to create songs

using the music program GarageBand.

They use the touch screen on the iPads to

play a variety of virtual drums, g uitars,

and pianos to create a looping track that

would serve as the score to their film. The

Terry siblings each had their own ideas

for the score, which they hoped would

mesh later in the filmmaking process.

I have lots of drums, kind of hip-hop,

Briana said. [Eric] has jazz, so well try to

put it all together.

After two sessions of working on their

films, the campers returned to the Apple

Store the next Saturday morning with

their families in tow. But this time, there

would be no brainstorming or editing.

The kids walked past the giant table

where they had brought their ideas to life,

and headed towards three giant built-in

screens at the front of the store.

Apple Camps culminate on Day 3 with a

short film festival, a chance for campers

to show off their creations to family and

friends. Unlike the first two sessions, the

film festival takes place before regular

store hours, giving campers a place t hats

solely dedicated to showing off their work.

Up first is Bria, whose Lego action flick

expertly utilized sound effects to bring its

jungle setting to life. The counselors

admitted that one sequence involving a

Apple campers Joel DuBay and Bria Budziszewski score their films using iPads, whileBrias mom Heidi Ripplinger checks in on their progress. PHOTO BY LYON KEASLER

kids were free to create their film about

whatever inspired them.

Each camper then received a piece of

paper to use as their storyboard, where

each scene would be sketched out into a

cohesive story with a beginning, middle,

and end. Pen and paper in hand, the

campers began drawing.

On the first day of Apple Camp, parents

are invited to stick around while their kids

work for a free parents workshop. There,

they can learn how to set time limits and

parental controls on Apple products. In

addition to attending the parent work-

shop, many parents stayed in the st ore

during the camp session to lend their kids

a hand with the brainstorming process.

Steve Kinny, dad of first time campers

Dylan and Maddie, watched as Maddie

sketched out a story about the f amilys

pets texting each other. Dylan had

previous experience making videos in his

fifth grade class, but Maddies tale of

texting pets was her first foray into

filmmaking.

It will be fun to see what she does with

it, Kinny said.

Lights, camera, action!

Within minutes, several distinct stories

boat chase and clever use of fishing line

had them stumped when they first viewed

it. Her brother Wyatt was next, with his

how-to Minecraft guide that used text

subtitles to explain each step of the project.

Between each film, the counselors

pointed out cool tips and tricks that the

kids had learned during camps and put to

practice in their projects, like adding text,

sparkly special effects, or title screens

throughout the film.

The films continued, ranging from one

about horseback riding to an intense

movie trailer-style film about one

campers promising baseball season. The

filmmaking team of Briana, Eric, and

Kaitlyn Terry did agree on a cohesive

soundtrack in the end, with instant

replay shots of their bowling games set to

jazzy, upbeat music.

Maddie and Dylan Kinnys film

became a family affair, not only starring

the familys pets but their parents and

grandmother as well. In it, the familys

dog and cat appear to be texting back

and forth (on iPhones, naturally) about

their humans crazy party lifestyles. The

texting looked so realistic, one counselor

couldnt help but ask Maddies special

effects secret.

We put gravy on the screen, she said.

When the last of the credits rolled,

Apple Camp officially came to an end. As

the campers left with their families, the

counselors encouraged them to return to

the store with any questions they have

about future projects, which may come in

handy; some campers had already made

more films in the time between the camp

sessions and the festival, inspired by what

they had learned in store.

Apple Camps are definitely not your

typical summer camp. Theyre free, short,

and take place in a space thats usually

reserved for shopping or camping out for

the latest Apple product. But in just two

short days, Apple campers had created

something awesome that was entirely

their own. They left the store with not just

a basic knowledge of filmmaking, but the

skills to use their Apple devices to bring

any story they can imagine to life.

Marc38 March 2014

shell lake arts centermaster teachers. magic setting.

music art dance theatre

WWW.SHELLLAKEARTSCENTER.ORG

for a complete camp schedule, please visit:

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iDTech.com1-888-709-TECH (8


21/43

BIG CREATIVITYSMALL STAGE

Campers get an immersive experiencebuilding miniature theater productions

By Zoe Gahan

A camper gets some hands-on puppet experience at In The Heart of the Beast Theater. PHOTO BY BRUCE SILCOX

c

Marc


22/43

A long tradit ion

Toy theater, as In The Heart of the Beas ts

Education Director Bart Buch explains,

s a unique and intimate combination of

rt and performance that allows artists

omplete control of the production.

Originally sold as kits of popular plays in

he 19th century, a typical toy theater sits

bout a foot or two tall and looks just

ike a miniature stage. Inside the theater,

uppets cut from cardstock and paper,

nd suspended by strings or small sticks,

ance and twirl at the whim of the

uppeteers.

Its a little like pre-TV, or primitive TV.

Thats how we explain it, says Buch.

In the Heart of the Beast Theater

HOBT) prides itself on repurposing old

materials, and discarded cardboard boxes

rovide the perfect frame for a make-it-

yourself toy theater, upon which endless

sets, paints, tiny curtains, and ornaments

may be placed.

[Toy theater] gives the kids an over-

view. They can create an entire theatrical

production, including the set, the

costumes, and the puppets. It gives them

an immersive design and performance

experience in a way that they have control

of almost all the variables in a show.

Building skills

In a spacious though cluttered room,

edged with heaps of craft supplies, seven

children between the ages of nine and 11

immersed themselves in the process of

bringing their fractured fairy tales to life.

The campers clearly embrace the creative

freedom they are given, enthusiastically

warping traditional fairy tales to reflect

Youve heard of the Big, Bad Wolf, but how about the Big, Bad Pig? He wears a

bowler hat and suspenders, a monocle wedged in his pudgy pink face, and

runs a nuclear power plant on the side that is, according to campers at In

The Heart of the Beast Theaters Fractured Fairy Tales Toy Theater Camp. The camp is a

ollaboration with the Loft Literary Center, inviting children to take traditional fairy

ales and fracture them in satirical and imaginative ways, before challenging them to

reate a toy theater performance for family and friends at the end of the week.

delve into areas they already held an

interest in. Buch emphasizes the collabor-

ative element that goes into creating each

production. Theres a place for kids that

are shy, theres a place for kids that arent

shy, theres a place for kids who just want

to make, so youll see them take different

roles. [The counselors] split them up into

groups of two to three, and then a lot of

times one person takes a more theatrical

lead, and one person takes a design lead.

Evan, Elliot, and Oliver, the brains

behind The Big, Bad Pig,exemplified this

division of creative work. Elliot, who has a

propensity for taking things apart and

putting them back together, as he put it,

easily stepped into the roll of set designer,

deftly gluing and cutting to create build-

ings and props. Evan was busy drawing,

shading, and detailing the three little

wolves, and Oliver added the finishing

touches to the monstrous, pink pig.

What was really beautiful was when the

children started making their own stories

and ideas come to life by drawing the

characters, and then figuring out their

voices and having it all happen and come to

life on stage, says Back McKay of watching

the campers throughout the week.

Future plans

As this collaborative camp was a new

endeavor for both The Loft and HOBT,

Buch recognized that the format of the

camp might change in the coming years

depending on what worked and what

needs adjustment. Though the element of

toy theater will remain the primary focus,

Buch looks forward to working with a

variety of literary forms and genres.

Weve done haikus with toy theater

before, which is a really great thing,

because it leaves a lot of room for

interpretation, says Buch.

their wry sense of adolescent humor, often

informed by surprising observations. No

longer does Jack dutifully climb the

beanstalk to steal golden eggs and provide

for his mother, but instead spends his

days nose-to-screen, playing video games

on his cell phone.

Campers Siri and Sanna, who together

wrote and builtJack and the Beanstalk

NOT!,featuring the lazy Jack, both

enjoyed imagining and creating the

characters. It can be kind of compli-

cated, says Sanna, referencing the

problem-solving involved in the whole

process, but said also that she has enjoyed

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