Community Service Trip to Panama - 13-15 yr olds

I am recruiting teens for a short term community service trip to Panama that I will chaperoning next summer from July 8-23.  This is a wonderful opportunity for our younger teens to get involved in a worthwhile project, while getting a taste of an international experience.  AFS-USA is the sponsoring organization, a non-profit with roots in the high school foreign exchange venue.  We will be all staying in the same town;  each student will be hosted by a local family.  Mornings will be spent fixing up a primary school and afternoons and evenings spent on cultural activities with our host families and community.  At the end of the trip, we'll be taken on a sightseeing trip to visit the Panama Canal, an indigenous village and a spectacular national park.

I have 5 kids so far who are interested (all EO Smith kids), but I need six in order to make the minimum required for the trip to occur.  If anyone is interested, please contact me ASAP as the deadline is coming up on Jan. 5th.  First deposit isn't due until March 1st but the pre-application is due on the 4th of January with a $25 deposit.

Although the five kids I have recruited thus far are all from EO Smith, the trip is open to anyone living in our area team geography, which includes the entire state of CT as well as Western MA, so if you know of anyone else who may be interested, please have them contact me soon!  Email is best - barbara@caseylight.com

Community Service Trip to Panama for 13-15 yr kids

Anyone have kids interested in a community service expedition next summer to Panama with AFS?  I'm trying to organize a trip for a minimum of 6 kids. It includes a home stay with a host family.  It is a 2 week trip.  Mornings will be spent helping at a primary school and then afternoons will be filled with acivities organized by the local AFS volunteer force.  It could include crafts, learning local dances, cooking etc.

At the end of the program, the group will go
back to Panama City, arriving at around noon and take a
tour of the city and the Panama Canal for the rest of the
day.  Very early the following morning, you will go on a
tour to the Emberá Drúa Indigenous Community, located
1.5 hours outside Panama City, in the Chagres National
Park.  This tour includes many activities, including, a ride
in a dug out canoe up the Chagres River, a traditional lunch,
swimming in the river and a dance presentation.

If I can get a minimum of 6 kids to go, I will chaperone the trip.  Cost is $2,300 for 14 days, all lodging, airfare from Miami, meals included.  Deadline to apply is December 1st.  If interested, email me at username "Caseylight"

What message does this send to our girls?????

Check this out. Ralph Lauren has been caught again.  What do these fashionistas think they are doing when they alter reality in this way?  This bears a conversation with all of our daughters about the lack of reality in magazines and in the media in general.  I was hoping that by now, as an adult, our society would have evolved enough to eliminate the portrayal of women this way....but I guess we haven't gotten there yet.

What do others tell their daughters?  I encourage you to share this article with them.  They need to know that most of what they see isn't real. And most importantly, that real beauty lies below the surface.

What message does this send to our girls?????

Check this out. Ralph Lauren has been caught again.  What do these fashionistas think they are doing when they alter reality in this way?  This bears a conversation with all of our daughters about the lack of reality in magazines and in the media in general.  I was hoping that by now, as an adult, our society would have evolved enough to eliminate the portrayal of women this way....but I guess we haven't gotten there yet.

What do others tell their daughters?  I encourage you to share this article with them.  They need to know that most of what they see isn't real. And most importantly, that real beauty lies below the surface.

Rock concerts, Pop Concerts, Rap Concerts.....

What does everyone else do with regards to concert going by your teens?  It seems as if all the concerts are falling on school nights?  What do other parents do?  Do you allow your kids to go?  Love to hear what others are doing as I am always the bad guy because I have historicaly said "no".  Anyone else feel the same way?

Calling other parents

I'm curious how many other parents make that phone call when their son or daughter wants to go "hang out" at a friend's house....someone who you've never met or even heard of before. Do you call the parents to introduce yourself and ask if they will be home and supervising?

To me it feels very weird to make these calls, but I do it every time. Why does it feel weird? Because I would never allow my kids to invite someone over if I wasn't home and attentive and I assume others do the same. I've learned that this is not universally true. But still, by me calling and asking it feels a little invasive for some reason to me. But I still do it because I've heard so many stories about kids who aren't supervised.

What do others think?

Anyone have ideas for lunches?

My daughter doesn't like sandwiches and she is a vegetarian.  Anyone have any interesting ideas for lunches I can send to school? I've run out of ideas....

Important Dates - EO Smith Drama Club

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT DRAMA CLUB AT EO!

New Partnership with Manchester Community College

EO Smith has announced a new partnership with Manchester Community College!  Effective immediately, students who are interested in taking a science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) course through the Partnership Program will be allowed to register for fall classes on a space-available basis, in-person, beginning Monday, August 17.

HSPP students registering for any other (non-STEM) course will be able to register for fall classes on a space-available basis on Friday, August 28. Students who have submitted a registration form through their EOS counselor will be registered on the appropriate day and may come to the Admissions Office for registration confirmation.  Fall classes begin Monday, August 31.

Learner's Permits

Just wanted to let everyone know that the Willimantic DMV no longer processes learner's permits.  You have to drive to a full service office and the closest one is in Norwich!  Ugh.

Need to get clearance for sports

Just want to make sure everyone knows that if you have a child who wants to play sports, that they need to get clearance from the nurse this summer in order to play fall sports.  There is a test they need to take and, of course, need to provide up to date medical forms to the nurse during the month of August in order to play fall sports.  

If you haven't already done so, you should call the high school to schedule a date for the test.  They offer it during just one week in August!  

Great DJ in case anyone needs one!

In case anyone needs an affordable, great DJ for an upcoming party, contact me.  My son is just starting out and has over 4,000 songs and all the equipment to DJ a sweet sixteen party or a backyard party.  Contact me for more info.

abuse of over the counter medication

I just spoke with a pharmacist and have learned that there is rampant abuse of over the counter medications by EO Smith students.  They are stealing and/or purchasing cough medication with "DM" because when you ingest large amounts of this, it has a morphine type effect.  The danger in this, besides the obvious, is that because this ingredient is a synthetic form of morphine, it can cause seizures in people.

The Pharmacist at Storrs Drug has taken action to remove these items from their open shelves, placing them behind the counter.  But there are other places the kids can buy these! I just spoke to the Pharmacist at Big Y and she had no idea this abuse was happening, so as parents, we need to make sure others are aware, so they can take steps to keep this out of our kids hands!