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Madison Daily Leader - Camp near Madison teaches leadership and literacy
Kevin Peacock and Johanna Scherling are two of the 39 campers currently attending the National Leadership and Literacy Camp at Camp Lakodia near Madison.
Peacock has now attended the camp for five years; this is Scherling's third year.
Peacock said that one thing he's enjoyed about the camp is the people.
"I've always enjoyed my equal peers in this camp," he said. "This camp provides a lot of activities in purpose to teach us how to lead our peers. I take this experience back home and try to use it to spread leadership at my deaf school."
Peacock attends school in St. Paul, Minn., where high school enrollment is about 70 students. While he talks to others about the camp, Peacock said that it's no secret.
"NLLC is quite well known across the deaf community, thanks to Frank Turk and his outstanding achievements," he said.
Scherling is returning to camp after a two-year hiatus.
"This is a terrific camp, and every time I come back, I'm sure that I'll learn something new," she said.
Originally from Nebraska, Scherling attends Iowa School for the Deaf, where she will be a sophomore.
In addition to great memories, Scherling said that she looks forward to taking back activities for the after-school program.
"I can use the activities for my school," she said. "This camp has really given me some personal growth that I can use for some time in the future."
Participants arrived at the campground on Sunday. The camp concludes July 9. This is the 11th year for the camp.
Turk, NLLC director and founder, said this year's camp features guest speakers like Janet Eisfeld Caven (former administrative assistant for Camp Lakodia), prominent deaf actor Bernard Bragg, and retired faculty members Harvey and Astrid Goodstein from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.
Gallaudet University was founded in 1864 and is the world's only university where programs and services are specifically designed to accommodate deaf and hard of hearing students.
Additional workshop leaders represented Gallaudet and the Nebraska Association of the Deaf.
In addition to leadership workshops, campers will visit Dakota State University on Friday and Saturday for some "Wacky Olympics" and then travel to western South Dakota to visit Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse Monument and other sites in the area.
On Wednesday, campers learned about their civil rights and their rights to accessibility according to the Americans With Disabilities Act. Next week, Turk said, Bragg will be teaching performing arts skills.
Ultimately, the program is designed to develop leadership skills in the participants, who range in age from 11-18 years.
"This program utilizes the `others before self' attitude and the art of getting things done through the work of others," Turk said. "This is our definition of leadership."
At age 80, Turk said, he is still actively involved in working with youth because they are his priority.
"Young people have always been and always will be my first and foremost commitment. I used to be what they are, felt the way they are feeling, saw things the way they are seeing them, etc.," he said.
Through this program, youth learn how to lead. This year's program specifically focuses on concepts youth can take back home for the after-school programs.
"Leadership is the art of getting things done through work of others," Turk said. "The leader leads from behind, not up front. We encourage the young leaders to never take from others the feeling that they did the job themselves."
Program Director Chelsea Paulson of Aberdeen said this is the first year campers were taught the concept of "1-7," which is based on an idea presented in Sean Covey's book, "7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens." For each of the habits, Paulson said, campers learned an action to accompany that sign.
The seven habits (with the action listed in parentheses) are:
1. Be Proactive (run in place).
2. Begin with end in mind (sign for finish).
3. Put first things first (scream).
4. Think win/win (jump up and down).
5. Seek first to understand, then be understood (sign for telepathy).
6. Synergize (sign for Avatar -- hands raised, move body in circular motion).
7. Sharpen your saw (sit and be ready to learn).
"It's a great way to get kids all attentive. Yesterday, Jax, the project director, tried to get them to sit down, I said the magic number 7 and it worked," Paulson said.
This year's camp includes a combined group of middle and high school-age campers due to a drop in participation.
"We tried a new thing this year and it seems to be successful," she said. "All kids learn from each other at different ages."
Project Director Guang "Jax" Chuang is back at the NLLC for the second year as a leader.
"When I was at camp my first year, I really enjoyed being a leader. I really like to teach campers. I wanted to be back again this year. I want to develop more than last year," he said.
Originally from California, Chuang works in Washington, D.C., where he recruited campers to attend this year's leadership camp.
"I hope students become leaders in their schools and also students who encourage more students to come to our camp every year," Chuang said.
Kevin Peacock and Johanna Scherling are two of the 39 campers currently attending the National Leadership and Literacy Camp at Camp Lakodia near Madison.
Peacock has now attended the camp for five years; this is Scherling's third year.
Peacock said that one thing he's enjoyed about the camp is the people.
"I've always enjoyed my equal peers in this camp," he said. "This camp provides a lot of activities in purpose to teach us how to lead our peers. I take this experience back home and try to use it to spread leadership at my deaf school."
Peacock attends school in St. Paul, Minn., where high school enrollment is about 70 students. While he talks to others about the camp, Peacock said that it's no secret.
"NLLC is quite well known across the deaf community, thanks to Frank Turk and his outstanding achievements," he said.
Scherling is returning to camp after a two-year hiatus.
"This is a terrific camp, and every time I come back, I'm sure that I'll learn something new," she said.
Originally from Nebraska, Scherling attends Iowa School for the Deaf, where she will be a sophomore.
In addition to great memories, Scherling said that she looks forward to taking back activities for the after-school program.
"I can use the activities for my school," she said. "This camp has really given me some personal growth that I can use for some time in the future."
Participants arrived at the campground on Sunday. The camp concludes July 9. This is the 11th year for the camp.
Turk, NLLC director and founder, said this year's camp features guest speakers like Janet Eisfeld Caven (former administrative assistant for Camp Lakodia), prominent deaf actor Bernard Bragg, and retired faculty members Harvey and Astrid Goodstein from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.
Gallaudet University was founded in 1864 and is the world's only university where programs and services are specifically designed to accommodate deaf and hard of hearing students.
Additional workshop leaders represented Gallaudet and the Nebraska Association of the Deaf.
In addition to leadership workshops, campers will visit Dakota State University on Friday and Saturday for some "Wacky Olympics" and then travel to western South Dakota to visit Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse Monument and other sites in the area.
On Wednesday, campers learned about their civil rights and their rights to accessibility according to the Americans With Disabilities Act. Next week, Turk said, Bragg will be teaching performing arts skills.
Ultimately, the program is designed to develop leadership skills in the participants, who range in age from 11-18 years.
"This program utilizes the `others before self' attitude and the art of getting things done through the work of others," Turk said. "This is our definition of leadership."
At age 80, Turk said, he is still actively involved in working with youth because they are his priority.
"Young people have always been and always will be my first and foremost commitment. I used to be what they are, felt the way they are feeling, saw things the way they are seeing them, etc.," he said.
Through this program, youth learn how to lead. This year's program specifically focuses on concepts youth can take back home for the after-school programs.
"Leadership is the art of getting things done through work of others," Turk said. "The leader leads from behind, not up front. We encourage the young leaders to never take from others the feeling that they did the job themselves."
Program Director Chelsea Paulson of Aberdeen said this is the first year campers were taught the concept of "1-7," which is based on an idea presented in Sean Covey's book, "7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens." For each of the habits, Paulson said, campers learned an action to accompany that sign.
The seven habits (with the action listed in parentheses) are:
1. Be Proactive (run in place).
2. Begin with end in mind (sign for finish).
3. Put first things first (scream).
4. Think win/win (jump up and down).
5. Seek first to understand, then be understood (sign for telepathy).
6. Synergize (sign for Avatar -- hands raised, move body in circular motion).
7. Sharpen your saw (sit and be ready to learn).
"It's a great way to get kids all attentive. Yesterday, Jax, the project director, tried to get them to sit down, I said the magic number 7 and it worked," Paulson said.
This year's camp includes a combined group of middle and high school-age campers due to a drop in participation.
"We tried a new thing this year and it seems to be successful," she said. "All kids learn from each other at different ages."
Project Director Guang "Jax" Chuang is back at the NLLC for the second year as a leader.
"When I was at camp my first year, I really enjoyed being a leader. I really like to teach campers. I wanted to be back again this year. I want to develop more than last year," he said.
Originally from California, Chuang works in Washington, D.C., where he recruited campers to attend this year's leadership camp.
"I hope students become leaders in their schools and also students who encourage more students to come to our camp every year," Chuang said.