Make The Summer Equal Parts Learning And Leisure

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By Victoria Kidd

Falling between spring and autumn is a three-month period beloved by school aged children everywhere. Summer is a time idealized in song and on screen. In movies, it’s depicted as a time when Dirty Dancing’s Johnny Castle could make sure that “nobody puts Baby in the corner.” The kids of The Sandlot could share a coming-of-age story about a neighborhood dog they called “The Beast” and a baseball autographed by “some girl named Babe Ruth.” Musically, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John—playing Danny and Sandy in the summer blockbuster Grease—add to the season’s soundtrack with Summer Nights, while Alice Cooper wails “no more pencils, no more books, no more teacher’s dirty looks” in the 1972 single, School’s Out.

There still is a prevailing view that summer should be a period of unrestrained and unstructured leisure, but there is increasing evidence to support that including periods of scholarship or academic investigation in summer plans is immensely important for school-aged children. Advocating for a revised view of summer is the National Summer Learning Association, one of the many educationally focused organizations working to help parents and caregivers better understand how critical it is to keep students engaged in the summer months.

Monica Logan, vice president of program and systems quality for the association, explains that the organization is focused on finding ways to make sure all students—regardless of socioeconomic factors—have access to summer learning experiences that support healthy development, reduce achievement gaps, and prepare students for life post-graduation. The misconception is that such advocacy could lead to a summer without fun, but Logan conveys that is simply not the case.

“We think kids should have fun, engaging, and enriching summers,” she says. “We are not advocating for kids to be sitting in hot school buildings taking courses that are essentially an extension of the school year. We want kids to have opportunities that expand on what happens during the school year. These are rich and robust experiences. Summers are a time to innovatively engage with new ideas—be it through travel, summer camps, or other opportunities. These opportunities are not being taken advantage of to the full extent.”

Logan says that missing the chance to learn over the summer can have significant and long-term implications for children and youth, and she isn’t alone in that assessment.

In a 2011 investigative report, NBC News shared with its viewers some information concerning what it called “the summer learning loss.” The piece examined the grade readiness of two children: one who spent summers learning and another who was unable to do so. Following these two children through their early formative years, NBC anchor Brian Williams relayed that after the first grade, the student exposed to learning opportunities over the summer moves ahead (in terms of held knowledge and aptitude for learning) by one month. It is here where the achievement gap between the students will start.

The next summer, the one following first grade, affords more opportunities for learning for one student, again moving the summer learner’s knowledge base and capacities ahead. The student who did not participate in any summer activities actually loses knowledge and grade readiness during that period. Each summer, the story is the same. One student advances, while the other who had limited opportunities for learning falls behind. According to the investigative report, “By the end of the fifth grade, the gap between the children is three and a half years.”

That is an astounding statement. The report’s conclusion is made clear in the anchor’s assertion that “it is impossible to ever catch up. It’s impossible to close the gap. No matter how much high-quality learning goes on between September and June, every year the gap widens.” (You can view the NBC report by visiting http://bit.ly/18AjuTZ.)

A concurring, and perhaps more compelling argument that listless summers impact students negatively is offered in the research of Duke University Professor Harris Cooper. A parent and former school board member, Cooper was interested in learning about the impacts that proposed reductions in federal funding for summer school support would have. He conducted a “meta-analysis,” which is a means of reconciling results from different studies and information sources to identify patterns and derive conclusions.

What he found was that students do forget things over the summer. They lose math skills, and some lose reading skills. He continued his research into the subject and eventually published an article called “The Effects Of Summer Vacation On Achievement Test Scores: A Narrative And Meta-Analytic Review.” (The article first appeared in a national magazine called Review of Educational Research.)

Essentially, Cooper’s work found that at best, student capabilities and academic growth remained stagnant over the summer. At worst, the data showed some students losing as much as three months worth of education during the summer break. In an interview with the aforementioned National Summer Learning Association, Cooper says, “We need to dispense with romanticized notions associated with the traditional summer break, look at what’s really going on, and consider the consequences. People have a vision of what summer vacation ought to be that may not coincide with the reality for most kids.”

So the implication is that summer learning opportunities are not simply a means to keep children and young adults occupied over the summer’s break from school, although for many parents that is a key element in the decision to enroll their children in summer camps and other activities. If the research is to be believed—and there is certainly a wide range of available data on the subject to support it—summer learning opportunities are essential to keeping students on par with their peers and ready to learn when school starts again. The National Summer Learning Association and other education-focused advocacy groups take the position that embracing summer learning opportunities does not have to be essentially a three-month sentence of summer boredom.

“Summers are really an opportunity to accelerate achievement,” Logan stresses. “There are so many great opportunities to be active, to have fun, and to be engaged over those few months. This learning doesn’t have to feel school-like. The summer can be a learning laboratory and an exciting time for kids to deepen their experiences through project-based learning or other means that provide a chance to enjoy being physically and mentally engaged.”

For Clarke County children and youth, summer learning opportunities are available across a wide range of disciplines and subjects. From the nature day camps offered by Blandy Experimental Farm and the art camps of Opus Oaks to the summer fitness programs of Body Renew Fitness and junior golf instruction provided by Bryce Resort, local students can gain exposure to science, technology, engineering, math, physical fitness, art, culture, and anything else you can think of.

The price ranges are as varied as the offerings.

If you have a school-aged child or young adult, consider unplugging the video games and limiting Netflix availability for a few hours a day while engaging your young charges in a summer learning opportunity. We have included information for a few local camps and programs in this issue. If we have missed a great camp or summer learning opportunity, let us know on Facebook. We’d love to see your pictures, read about your projects, and start a real discussion about the value of making the summer equal parts learning and leisure for your family.

Ever Thought Of Living In A Barn?

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By Wendy Gooditus

 Some people don’t really want to live in a house. They find the idea too pedestrian, too mundane. These people seek out habitats in other kinds of structures, from retired churches to old general stores or gas stations, silos, factories, train stations, trains—and yes, barns. Here in Clarke County, we have an example of the barn domicile, one of which few people are aware these days, though 25 years ago or so, the whole nation saw it on Good Morning America.

The visionary in this particular renovation was Carol Gibson, who, with her family, moved out to Clarke County from the suburbs in 1977 to a big old horse barn built for the mares and foals of a thoroughbred breeding operation south of Route 50. The barn, surrounded to this day in every direction by open pastureland and mountain vistas, had inhabitants at the time, all right: lots of them. The predictable pigeon population, of course, and a herd of cattle, wandering through not only the beautiful stalls intended for highly-bred equines but also through the tack room, feed room, and offices, leaving two-foot deep piles as evidence of their passing.

So it took a special kind of person to say, “Oh! I long to live in the hayloft of a cow-infested barn!” But Carol saw huge potential. And I do mean huge! The hayloft was somewhere around 3800 square feet—ample for a family home. The family bought the barn on its 27.5 acres, evicted the cows, and moved in with their sleeping bags and camp stove. It was a long haul, according to Carol’s daughter Lori Gibson, who says, “It’s probably a good thing I was 12 at the time. It just seemed so exciting then! Maybe if I had been a teenager it wouldn’t have seemed like such an adventure.”

Gibson shows me an album of before, during, and after photos of the hayloft renovation. The excitement must have been terrific, but so were the difficulties. There were three huge square holes in the floor where the hay had been thrown down to the mares below. The family built a temporary staircase up through one of these. They organized a makeshift kitchen in a corner. They started planning rooms and putting up walls. I forgot to ask at what point the bathroom plumbing went in. Apparently Carol felt her husband had stalled on the question of electricity long enough, and she started pulling the wire herself. One way and another, progress was made, and eventually the barn had a spacious and homey converted hayloft, and, yes, horses downstairs in the luxurious stalls.

During the next decades, the barn saw a more than ordinary share of activity. There were at least three weddings, with the hayloft accommodating more than 100 guests. There was a concert series hosted here to raise money to support a professorial chair at the Shenandoah Conservatory, organized by Carol and her husband Lang Gibson. And, grown out of the series, an episode of Good Morning America was filmed here at the behest of host Charles Gibson, brother of Lang Gibson. The show was part of a series about Americana and activities in small towns, and covered the concert series transpiring in the old horse barn for the benefit of classical music education.

These days the barn is looking for a new population to move in, upstairs and down. The stable downstairs has been used only for storage for years, and the upstairs family has mostly left, through divorce, leaving the nest, and the sad death of Carol Gibson eight years ago.

It is a huge white barn with a silver metal roof, set in rolling fields near the Opequon Creek. Downstairs are eight huge stalls plus rooms for tack, feed, and offices. Plus, there is the added bonus of a cozy apartment downstairs, perfect for a stable manager or an in-law suite. There are both outside and inside stairs up to the human home, which has three bedrooms, an office, a family room with a woodstove, two bathrooms, lots of storage space, a colossal attic which I defy anyone to fill and which could easily be finished into a spectacular bonus space, a kitchen, and the big living room with a dining area.

As a lifelong equestrian myself, when I look at this property, I long to see equine athletes munching hay in the stalls, cantering up the hill, being tacked up in the wide aisle. I see an elite equestrian operation here, with a manager living in the downstairs apartment and an owner upstairs. Yes, the property needs care: sprucing up in the stable and attached shed, updating of kitchen and baths, new fencing, and, for serious riders, a riding ring. But oh, the possibilities!

Wendy Gooditis is a real estate agent on the Chip Schutte Real Estate Team with ReMax Roots in Berryville. Contact her at Gooditis@visuallink.com or at (540)533-0840.

Family Drive-In, A Unique Theater Experience

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By Samantha Pigott

The greatest joy in life is when work and passion become one. That describes Jim Kopp and The Family Drive-in Theater in Stephens City VA. His story is of a lifelong love for drive-in movie theaters and the community that is built in and around them. Fun, family and entertainment are the crux of Kopp’s vision for his drive-in experience.

And The Family Drive-In is a bit of a fairy tale itself.

As long as he can remember Jim has been a patron of drive-in theaters.

He grew up in the Pittsburgh area, and remembers 35 different drive-ins just in that area. “Going to the drive-in movies was our family entertainment,” said Jim. His strong connection to family and community involvement was fostered by the drive-in movie experiences he had as boy. Come Friday or Saturday night, his family would load into the car and head out to the latest flick. It was about more than just the show; it was catching up with friends, good food, and having fun as a family.

As many foundations of that era, drive-ins have slowly fallen off the map. It’s a familiar tale; the value of the land outweighs the value of the business. The Family Drive-In is one of only seven left in Virginia and the only one in the area. The next closest is in Lexington.

Jim was a staunch patron of the Family Drive-in during his first career at the Library of Congress. He laughs as he recalls each week he would come to the theater and tell Tim Dalke, then owner of the business and still owner of the land, “I’m first in line, if you ever want to sell!” Jim told him that for years.

When the call did come, and Dalke was ready to sell, Jim had already purchased another drive-in in Henderson, North Carolina. Still, Jim didn’t hesitate. His heart was for the Family Drive-in. He and his late wife Megan ran both theaters for three years until they found a suitable buyer for the North Carolina location—which is still operating today.

“A drive-in is a completely different experience than going to a theater,” Jim says. “Its like tailgating at a ball game. There are kids and dogs and people talking all around this place before the show starts.” As he points to the 300-plus microphone stations and two screens, “In the middle of summer on Saturday night, if you try to get in at 8 o’clock for a 9 o’clock show, it’s not going to happen. We are sold out.” Then he adds, “A lot of people end up coming back during the week or on Sunday.”

So after picking out a perfect parking spot, next up is a visit to the concession stand to check out the treats. Rita Sutton, the concession manager and Jim’s girl friend, works so hard to provide the best food possible—anything from funnel cake, ice cream, burgers and pizza to a shrimp basket. Jim pipes in, “ 13 pieces of shrimp for $6, hard to find that. Our nuggets are 100 percent chicken, not pressed meat!”

Rita goes to food shows and works diligently with local venders to keep up on trends. “Yes, we offer healthy food too, but it doesn’t sell quite as well,” she says with a grin. Hand dipped ice cream will be added to the offerings this year, and Rita is mulling over adding wraps to the menu. A recipe for a signature burger is also in the works—okay, I was hungry just standing in the concession stand.

Rita and Jim spend the off-season traveling to drive-in conventions, connecting with other aficionados. They spend a good deal of time learning and brainstorming about what is and is not working for other owners. They also offer advice to those just getting started in the industry. Jim says, “One step at a time.”

Of course, there is a playground where the kids run off some energy before the show starts. Swings and slides are set in a large grassy area big enough to toss the ball around or play a game of Frisbee. Family Drive-In also offers family outings throughout the year. There is an all out Trunk-Or-Treat at Halloween in conjunction with a family friendly movie. At Easter they hunt eggs. At opening night of Cinderella, Rita and Jim organized a Ball for Princes and Princesses of all ages.

The lifeblood of this theater is family. This piece of history has not only survived but continues to thrive.

See you under the stars.

This year the Family Drive-in opened the season March 13 with the new release of Disney’s live action Cinderella and McFarland USA on Screen 1 and Focus and American Sniper on Screen 2. They will be open every Friday and Saturday till Easter, Friday–Sunday till Memorial Day, and 7 days a week till Labor Day. See more details at www.thefamilydriveintheater.com.

A Pioneer Farmer’s Stories Ring True After Century

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By Annie Young

For me, there is no better way to recognize and celebrate Women’s History month than to pay homage to the iconic woman farmer, pioneer, and writer Laura Ingalls Wilder. As I write, the snow is falling again. I am stuck in the house, at the end of an unplowed road, again. Yet, I surely appreciate the hum of our heat pump, the steam from my hot shower, and the clothes dried to perfection in my electric dryer.

The pioneer life is often romanticized, as is farming. But the day-to-day reality of life without the modern conveniences we take for granted is stark. Farming also requires dedication, as well as sacrificing other conveniences for the sake of a life connected to the land. So instead of moaning about a March snowstorm, I snuggle in and reread my favorite books from childhood. Laura Ingalls Wilder is an inspiration for an aspiring farmer and writer.

I listen to my Farmer and our little one play outside in the snow and think about the simplicity of life for pioneers. Without the distraction of screens, families spent their time together playing and working. Mostly working! Even in the early books, Wilder describes the many chores she performed at an early age. Farming did not come easy for her father, Charles Ingalls—does it come easy for anyone? When Wilder married, she began farming with her husband Almanzo Wilder. The first several years of their marriage, as described in the First Four Years, they toiled together farming the rough plains in South Dakota. Drought, fire, illness, death, and debt were their harvest.

Eventually, they made their way to Mansfield, Missouri, where life and farming began to turn around for the young Wilder family. The Wilders were able to obtain a small farm and cabin. But to keep the farm, they had to find jobs off the farm—as do many modern farmers. By creating a diversified farming operation with dairy, poultry, and fruit trees, the Wilders ran a successful farm. They made a good life for themselves and their daughter, Rose.

Laura, a master farmer in her own right, was asked by local organizations to give lectures on poultry. She became a member of the Missouri Home Development Association and even organized farm women’s clubs in her region. Wilder wanted to help other farmers upgrade their practices and benefit from what she had learned through her experiences. In 1910 she was asked to give a speech to the Missouri Land Congress. These speeches paved a way for her next career move.

When Laura was forty-four years old, the Missouri Ruralist invited her to submit an article about farming. Thus began her writing career. She began a column called “As a Farm Woman Thinks,” through which she shared her experiences along with innovations and modernizations she brought to their small- scale farm.

Wilder wrote in a Ruralist article in 1911:

“There is a movement in the United States today, widespread and very far reaching in its consequences. People are seeking after a freer, healthier, and happier life. They are tired of the noise, dirt, bad air, and crowds of the cities, and are turning longing eyes toward the green slopes, wooded hills, pure running water and health giving breezes of the country . . . I am an advocate of the small farm and I want to tell you how an ideal home can be made on, and a good living made from, five acres of land.”

Her words ring true to us over a century later. As many historic women that we celebrate this month, we feel the reverberation of her efforts decades later. The number of small-scale farms, as the ones she goes on to describe, have grown sixty percent since 2002. The Department of Agriculture census shows that the number of women farmers have tripled in the last 30 years too.

Wilder’s popularity continues for generations of fans. Just this year her previously unpublished autobiography was printed. Pioneer Girl, The Annotated Autobiography has flown off the shelves and had fans waiting for another edition to be published. It is an adult read, offering glimpses into the sadness and reality of her life that was often brushed over in the children’s books. I also suggest reading The Little House Sampler that provides stories and articles written by Wilder and her daughter Rose Wilder Lane. The photographs and images give insight into what happened after the Little House series ends. There is much to enjoy and celebrate in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s timeless work. I hope you have time without a spring snowstorm to enjoy it.

Chronicler of the Chesapeake Comes To Powhatan

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By Victoria Kidd

President Ronald Reagan and CBS newsman Walter Cronkite shared more than a regular spot on every American’s television set. Both commissioned portraits from one of the country’s most admired artists. Now John M. Barber is coming to Powhatan School for a special artist-in-residence program.

Barber has created works for many notable people. Although the body of his work includes scenes from across America and subjects from the world over, he is best known as a chronicler of the Chesapeake Bay and the people who live, work, and visit there. In addition to painting the Bay, he has been involved in protecting its delicate ecosystem and has served previously as a member of the board of trustees of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. His love of the area is almost visible in the images of vessels, people, and culture that are expertly captured in the careful brushstrokes of his work. He is also a Fellow of the American Society of Marine Artists, and he is the artist behind the official paintings for both the World War II Memorial and the White House Bicentennial Commemoration Celebration. Furthermore, as a participant in the Department of State American Artists program, his artwork hangs in embassies in Europe and South America.

Powhatan students will soon have a unique experience to meet with and learn from Barber as the school’s artist in residence in March. For three days, students will receive personalized attention and hands-on instruction from Barber.

Powhatan parent Scott Bessette is thrilled. An active supporter of the school, Bessette is enthusiastic about the way the arts are integrated in the school’s programming. While the artist will only be there for a few days, Bessette believes the experience will have a lasting impact. “Having an artist like John Barber come into the school to work with our children is amazing,” he says. “We have several of his pieces in our home, so our children will recognize his work immediately.”

Bessette commended the school for bringing in Barber. “This will certainly be a tough act to follow next year,” he said.

Susan Scarborough, Powhatan’s Head of School, says artists like Barber illustrate the school’s motto: “We learn not for school, but for life.” The idea is that learning should be designed to prepare students for life post-graduation, as opposed to providing the knowledge needed to pass a test or otherwise meet a state standard.

“Students at Powhatan learn about nature and the importance of our delicate ecosystem and use technology as a tool for learning to read, write, communicate, and analyze data,” she said. “They experience the arts and science in natural settings that inspire creativity and innovation. And by actually meeting artists, scientists, and authors they can visualize themselves in those future roles.”

Scarborough agrees with Bessette that the opportunity to work with Barber is tremendously impactful for students. “Having an artist of the caliber of John Barber support and contribute to our arts program at Powhatan School will be an amazing experience for all of our students, and it demonstrates our commitment to artistic development in addition to our science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum.”

Learn more about John Barber and view examples of his work at www.johnbarberart.com.

Letter to the Editor

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Restore The Foreign Exchange Program

The School Board made a very unfortunate decision at their Feb. 23rd meeting. During the 2015-2016 school year, there will be no foreign exchange student program. There have got to be many superior options available to cut the CCPS budget. In this day and age, nativism seems to be at a high, and some demagogic politicians at the national and state levels seek to encourage and capitalize on this trend. The opportunities given by the exchange program include numerous intangible benefits that can’t be measured in dollar figures. In addition to promoting tolerance and multiculturalism, it has many practical benefits. It is incredibly practical and enriching to be exposed to different religions, cultural mores, food recipes, languages, among other things. I hope in the future we will be able to send far more Americans overseas for study abroad educational opportunities, as well! Language skills and understanding of our global, universal identity is more important now than ever for success.

The U.S. Presidential election has already become a major news topic even though it will not occur for another year and eight months. The first primaries for it won’t be held until nearly ten months from now. However, in Virginia this November, there will be crucially important local elections for local offices. It is far easier to make a difference in municipal elections. No doubt that many readers will recall that in 2007, Robina Bouffault defeated Chip Schutte by only a single vote, 443 to 442 in total, for the White Post district School Board seat. The best way to get the foreign exchange student program restored will have to include making it an issue in the School Board elections and therefore applying pressure on members who desire to keep their seats.

 

William Bigelow, Berryville

What Boomers Want (or Need)

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By Karen Cifala

Remember that movie What Women Want, with Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt? This romantic comedy adroitly portrayed a man’s willingness to just listen to what a woman really wants. Just listen. That’s really what we want!

I have a similar movie I’d like to see produced: What Boomers Want. It’s also a comedy—a comedy of trial and error in trying to figure out how to stay happy and healthy while moving through the next stages of life.

Dr. Ken Dychtwald coined the term “age wave” in the 1980s after realizing that when the Baby Boomers turned 60 and older, there would be a dramatic shift in the composition and needs of society. Look up Dr. Dychtwald, a visionary gerontologist and lecturer, and read about the thought-provoking ideas he has on retirement, aging. It’s pretty cool stuff.

Here’s a reality check for you: Not all boomers want to fly south to live on a golf course. In fact, according to AARP, 9 out of 10 retirees plan to stay put. We are not planning to do what our parents did. We boomers will invent our own method in our madness. Like Mel Gibson’s quest to understand women, understanding what boomers want is key to providing solutions to handle the “age wave.”

Here is a wish list for us boomers. If you have more to add, please let me know. It’s all about the experience, right?

Boomers don’t want to be called Seniors. Boomers don’t like to be identified by their age. We don’t call people “junior citizens,” so why do we call people “senior citizens?” To stay out of trouble with boomers, maybe start your conversation with “at your stage of life.” Let’s face it: Boomers don’t ever want to think of themselves as old.

Boomers want universal design (UD) in their homes so they can live there regardless of their level of ability or disability. UD, sometimes called “lifespan design,” meets building standards that not only increase the value of a home but include handicapped access, ergonomic, and green design. If you are considering remodeling an older home, ask your contractor who might recommend thoughtful changes that can make a world of difference without changing a home’s layout.

Boomers want to live a cyclic life where they continue to reinvent themselves and try new things, unlike previous generations who lived a linear life plan: You raised your family and worked, you rested, you thought you were old, and you got put out to pasture! Reinvention for “older citizens” used to be considered abnormal. “What? You don’t want to be a dentist anymore? What’s wrong with you?” But Boomers change their careers, their lives, their friends, and maybe even their spouses! So when they reach a point where they have more free time, why would they stop?!

Boomers want to continue to be trendsetters; enough said on that. Always were, always will be.

Boomers want to be fantastic grandparents, and today’s grandparents are doing more outdoor sports with their grandkids than ever before, and are buying lots of toys along the way. They also want to stay hip and cool and younger than any previous generation at this stage of life.

Boomers want to make aging ageless. They love sharing interests and mindsets with all ages rather than clustering into age groups. Trans-generational settings are often preferable, says Dr. Dychtwald: “More and more we see examples of people rooming with, being friends with, working in partnership with, sitting down and enjoying lunch with, sharing emails with, or sitting in on book clubs with people of all ages.”

Boomers like the outward symbols of wisdom and experience, such as gray hair. They believe the longer you live, the greater experience you gain, and the gray is a symbol of experience. Physical aging can be thought of in one of two ways. Either “staying healthy helps me feel younger,” or “I’m just vain and I’m trying to look younger!” Either way, boomers are not going to patiently get old and quietly go to the sidelines.

Boomer men and women are not running the same race. OMG, really? Yes, women do live longer and may have more fluid identities—woman, wife, mother, realtor (I had to get that one in somewhere!), doctor, caregiver, we’ve done it all. Men have a more rigid identity of themselves—man, husband, dad, realtor, doctor . . . hmm, this doesn’t seem as different as I thought. But seriously, our society believes men look distinguished and wise with grey hair while women maybe just look frumpier. So women have a little more of an uphill climb to look like they have their act together and are taking care of themselves.

Boomers want to know what their options are, which means they need to know more about Medicare and Social Security. For boomers in our area, the Medicare Café is holding monthly seminars open to the public where you can learn all about Medicare, including how to sign up and how to choose plans. It’s located at the VFW Post 9760, 425 South Buckmarsh Street in Berryville on the following dates from 10 a.m. to 12 noon; April 16, May 28, June 18, Sept 24, Oct 15, and Nov 19. Come and learn and get your questions answered.

So what does it mean to be “old” today? According to Dychtwald, “Old age is being reconstructed and relocated.” Just look at Mick Jagger: a perfect example of a boomer who can’t be bothered with getting old.

Karen Cifala is a senior real estate specialist with Remax Roots in Berryville. To reach her you can call her at (303)817-9374 or email her at kcifala@gmail.com.

Summer Camps Get Kids Ready For September

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I never went to summer camp as a kid. There wasn’t the diverse array of day-camp offerings back then, and because we spent the day outside in nature every day my folks saw it as a lower priority. Overnight camps were out of the question. Our family of seven kids didn’t have the money for those opportunities.

Even as a kid, I could recognize the differences between me and the kids who attended camps. They were transformed in a way, when they returned to school in September—back then all schools started after Labor Day; those were the days. Most of the camp kids seemed more confident, self-assured. They seemed like they’d gotten a little smarter, too, and the bullies seemed a bit less threatening.

As an adult who, for a time, worked in a youth theater setting, and as a parent now, I can see why my erstwhile peers seemed like they had just taken a step ahead without me. They grew.

The school year is a grind, even for little kids. The routine of school provides needed structure, but it wears on kids as much as it does on adults. In school learning is measured according to grades and standards. In camp it is measured in a sense of achievement and taking flight when given permission to fail.

And for some kids lucky enough to attend an overnight camp—spending a week away from home, often with kids they’d never met—the experience, I can see now, helped form their characters. Shy kids became a little less so back at school, for example.

And they seemed a little more ready to tackle the new school year, because they’d been engaged in learning.

I am not a fan of the trend toward year round schools—and never will be. The unstructured time of summer allows a kid to learn to be a person, to learn it’s okay to have days without entertainment or a social life, to find ways they’d never imagined to have fun, to visit cousins and grandparents.

Many educators say that traditional summer breaks cause a kid to forget what they’d learned. That might be true to an extent. But studies have yet to show that year round school affects that problem in the slightest way. Zero . . . sorry advocates of year round schools. What the data show is that kids who continue to learn over the summer are ready to learn when school starts again.

That gap can be made up with reading, travel, and all kinds of other educational engagement. A week or two in summer camp will give kids something they could never experience in a school setting.

Fortunately for families in Clarke County, there are some terrific learning opportunities here and nearby. And they come at a wide range of prices. The programs through Parks and Rec offer a real bargain, as do free programs at the public library. And many camps offer discount scholarships for qualifying families.  Some even offer before-care and after-care.

Check out our annual guide to summer camps beginning on page 14.

Berryville Welcomes Two New Shops

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By Samantha E. Piggott

In the month of November alone, two new retail locations opened their doors, building on the energy that has Berryville evolving into a vibrant and exciting shopping destination.

ReLove It redux: Purcellville shop comes to B’Ville

The upscale boutique feel of Re-Love It consignment shop on Main Street, Berryville, is anything but second hand. Kim Patterson and her husband Michael Oaks decided earlier this year to open this second location after their shop in Purcellville, open since 2010, earned a far reaching reputation.

The couple opened shop right after getting married six years ago. Kim says, “We looked around and saw that what Purcellville lacked was a clothing store. To shop for clothess you had to go to Leesburg. Purcellville just didn’t have much to offer.”

According to Kim, the economy was tanking back then, but people still wanted to be able to update their wardrobe. “Then they realized that consigning their own clothess was a great way to put money toward new and trendy items.” Re-Love It was born and has been going strong ever since.

Michael and Kim’s hard work paid off with the 2014 Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce Retailer of the Year award—quite a distinction among more than four hundred businesses.

When the pair was considering where to open their second shop, Berryville was an obvious choice. “It’s location, location, location! We love small towns and we feel like Berryville is the up and coming place to be.”

The Berryville Re-Love It specializes in women’s clothing and accessories, offering name brands at about one third of the original retail price. The bargains are addicting. Their selection of shoes and bags is enticing. This is a fabulous way to update your wardrobe and stay on budget.

Kim radiates her love of fashion and concern for the environment. The best part of her store, she says, “recycle, reuse and renew, keep it out of the landfill and look good doing it!”

Consignments may be dropped off during business hours Tuesday to Saturday 10-6.

Modern Mercantile

Just around the corner at 13 Church Street, Elizabeth Mock has established the Modern Mercantile. Elizabeth is a Boyce native who now lives walking distance to her business. The Modern Mercantile took a few years to become actualized. While working full time in the Grafton finance department, Elizabeth built her business slowly and methodically. She did research and developed a business plan, built her inventory up over time, and saved every penny she could to put toward opening the shop.

Elizabeth loves knitting and all thing hand made. She knew she could not stock an entire store of her own wares, so to help her realize her vision of handmade quality items Elizabeth focused on developing relationships with her vendors—most of whom she connected with through the online craft store Etsy. She is committed to carrying as many handmade products as possible.

The Modern Mercantile has unique gifts for those who may be hard to buy for. Perhaps your cat loving friend would get a kick out of a catnip fortune cookie, for example, or a handmade unique collar for pets, or squeaky toys. Elizabeth laughs as she says. “We have had a few pets visit the store, and we welcome them.”

The Modern Mercantile is open Tuesday to Saturday 10-7.