The document outlines various Operation: Military Kids camp initiatives across multiple states, focusing on providing meaningful experiences for military youth, including special needs programs. It describes specific camps and their respective benefits, such as creating support groups and educational activities tailored to military families. The document also emphasizes the importance of community and technology in enhancing the camp experience through parental engagement and feedback.

1. Hines, C., Mull, C., Jordan, J., Edwards, H.C., Enroughty, S., Bender,G., Lewis,E.C., & Harris, C. (May 2010). Southern Hospitality- Camping with Operation: Military Kids. Workshop presented at CYFAR 2010 Conference, San Francisco, CA.

2. Southern Hospitality- Camping with Operation: Military Kids

3. Is your responder working? Yes No I don’t know Queue your clicker: Select “GO” button Select 2 then 6 button Select “GO” button- as green light should appear Vote:

4. Yes No I don’t know Did you go to camp as a youth?

5. Do you work with military families in your state? Yes No I don’t know

6. Are you or a member of your family a member of the service? Yes No I don’t know

7. Tennessee Operation: Military Kids Military Youth and the 4-H Camping Experience 4-H/ OMK Camp Carrera Harris: OMK Coordinator

8. 4-H/ Military “Survivor” Camp 5 day residential camp Camped with 4-H Junior Camp Divided into four Survivor “Tribes” Military youth created “OMK County” Participated in all 4-H activities Partook in strictly OMK activities

9. Advantages of Camping at the 4-H Center Provide a civilian 4-H summer camp experience Infrastructure, staff, and procedures already in place Learn about 4-H by experience

10. Benefits to Military Youth Able to create support groups Enjoy a 4-H summer camp experience

11. Benefits to Civilian Youth Learn about military life Experience the military Learn how to support military youth in their own community

12. Anecdotal Experiences Camp Director “ This was the best summer camp we’ve had to date. OMK really brought a lot to our 4-H Camp” Military Youth “ I really enjoyed meeting other kids who are going trough the same things that my family and I are experiencing”

13. Reaching our Military Population Informal networks Schools Parenting magazines Newspapers

14. Georgia Operation: Military Kids Military Camp Jenny Jordan: Volunteer and Teen Specialist

15. Georgia Military Camps Integrating Military Experiences and Culture into the Camp Experience Terminology Volunteer Adult Leaders Location-based Military Resources Mobile Military resources

16. Terminology & Volunteer Leaders Use of acronyms Bag & Drag Registration and Check Out Parents of campers Installation Child & Youth Programs Staff Members Georgia National Guard Counterdrug Taskforce

17. Location Based Resources Ranger Camp Coast Guard Station Tara Field Historical Military Installations

18. Mobile Military Resources Helicopters, Humvees and other vehicles Military Bands Honor Guards High ranking military speakers

19. Strategies for Success Begin Early Flexibility Military Members as Adult Leaders led to on-site problem-fixers Installation youth programs staff members use camp as a training experience

20. Alabama Operation: Military Kids Camp for Military Youth with Special Needs Camp Alexis Charlene Morse Hines: Military Liaison and OMK Coordinator

21. Camp ASCCA is Alabama's Special Camp for Children and Adults. ASCCA is a nationally recognized leader in therapeutic recreation for children and adults with both physical and mental disabilities. Providing weekend and week long sessions, Camp ASCCA is open year-round. Located in Alabama on Lake Martin, Camp ASCCA offers campers a wide variety of recreational and educational activities. Activities include horseback riding, fishing, tubing, swimming, environmental education, arts and crafts, canoeing, a "splash pad", outdoor adventure elements like the zip-line, and much more. Camp ASCCA

22. Who Can Attend and Why? Military youth with special needs and their family members Up to 8 members of the family Encourages special needs youth Shows siblings the special needs youth “can” do anything What determines “special needs”

23. EFM Exceptional Family Members National Guard now has resources dedicated to Exceptional Family Members Military Garrison’s have EFM offices Perhaps one of the most underserved populations of military youth are special needs (EFM) youth

24. Registration for Camp Use the registration form of Camp ASCCA Very detailed Takes a medical history of each camper Includes a release for each camper All information is confidential

25. During Camp A picture speaks a thousand words

27. Parent’s Comments It was so nice to see my special needs babies treated as normal for a change My son, after the zip line, told me “I am Tarzan” For three days our family enjoyed being a family

28. North Carolina Operation: Military Kids Youngest Heroes Camp Harriett Edwards: 4-H Military Liaison Scott Enroughty: OMK Project Manager

29. Locations of Installations, Camps/Conference Centers in Counties

30. Youngest Heroes Camp 5-8 year olds 4 days, 3 nights Traditional 4-H camping experience Millstone & Swannanoa 4-H Camps

31. Weekend Family Camp Weekend event involves individuals participating in the Wounded Warriors program creating a family-friendly environment maximum of 15 families or 75 participants (youth and adults)

32. Plans for 2010

33. Florida Operation: Military Kids Maximizing Technology Before, During and After the Camp Experience Georgene Bender: OMK Project Director

34. Camp Webinars 1 hour/each www.elluminate.com Recorded session and posted on Blogspot 15 – 20 participants for each camp (3) Before Camp

35. Who’s Who at Camp Camp Rules/Discipline/Medical Camp Schedule What to Bring /Cabins OMK Blog page Check in; Check out Questions Agenda for Webinar

36. Camp Blog Wonderful, sensational, and phenomenal are but a few of the laudatory words used by parents to describe what our blogs did for their mental well-being while their children attended summer camp. This was especially meaningful to those who had never been separated from their child for an extended period before. Nightly posting of camp activities along with hundreds of photographs for parents to view http://campocalai.blogspot.com/ http://campocala2.blogspot.com/ http://camptimpoochee.blogspot.com/ During Camp

37. Mobile Tech Lab Projects 1) Using the digital cameras, we uploaded the campers’ photos to a file they created. We then explained search engines and used this to locate pictures with .GIF, .BMP, and .JPG extensions 2) Used KidPix to create unique and/or unusual pictures from the photos they had saved or downloaded from Google. 3) Did Web Scavenger Hunts with kid-friendly websites including sites like FunBrain.com, Garfieldgames.com, and Kidtube.com 4) Used Microsoft Word to write letters to their loved ones 5) Teen Camp was devoted to creating their own blog During Camp

38. Survey Monkey Parent Evaluation After Camp

39. Survey Monkey Parent Evaluation After Camp

40. How well did you like the presentation today? Did not like at all Liked it a little Indifferent Pretty Good Awesome

41. How well will you be able to implement the information that you learned today? I definitely will not be able to implement I will maybe be able to implement I don’t know if I will be able to implement I will probably be able to implement I will definitely be able to implement

42. Which state’s information did you find the most useful? Tennessee- military and civilian youth Georgia- military camp Alabama- camping with special needs North Carolina- youngest heroes Florida- technology

43. Why was this information most useful? Information will be easy to implement I work with the population described All of the above None of the above Other

44. Questions?

45. Contact Us Tennessee: Carrera Harris- [email_address] , 865-974-9724 Georgia: Jenny Jordan- [email_address] , 706-542-4444 Alabama: Charlene Hynes- [email_address] , 334-734-2336 North Carolina: Scott Enroughty- [email_address] , 919.515.8500 Harriett Edwards- [email_address] , 919-515-9548 Florida: Georgene Bender- [email_address] , 813-757-2184