The lead singer and his band can make any song sound classy. I’m sure of it. Enjoy.

http://media.vara.nl/player.php?id=94832

The aspect that is easiest to chat about and dissect is the name change. As part of Motion 5 for AIM 2012 (Mtn05-AIM12-ISU New Summer Camp Name), the International Summer Camp Committee proposes that the name of the Summer Camp program be changed to Step Up.

First of all, I would like to say that it is really easy to criticize others’ work. It is not easy to create. I greatly respect everyone on the Summer Camp Committee and all the work you’ve created.

Things I like about the motion:

The committee admits that there needs to be a change.

Some background: I went to a Summer Camp when I was 15 (Buskerud, Norway) and my staff did a fantastic job. We really learned how to be leaders with firsthand experience. The staff also did a phenomenal job of helping us reflect on our performance which helped us learn from our experiences. No it wasn’t always easy, but we learned a lot about ourselves and how to work with others.

I was a leader at a Summer Camp last year. I know plenty of young people who have been to Summer Camps. From what I gather from these experiences, the program has gone a bit downhill. Due to lack of high level training of leaders and staff AND participants, everyone has different ideas of what a Summer Camp is and how it should be run (and a lot of that has to do with how ISC is different than Village). With all the work the committee has put in, their defined model looks a LOT like the model camp I attended back when I was a kid.

Here are the current improvements the committee has worked on in the past few years. I dig it.

1. We now have an improved structure.
2. We have enhanced the Programme’s Goals and Indicators.
3. We are strengthening the youth’s involvement in CISV.
4. We aim to elevate the youth’s awareness of social responsibility.

Things I don’t like about the motion:

Here is the rationale for the name change:

The new name we are suggesting for the Summer Camp Programme is the final “label” that we hope will, in only two words, better define what it is all about and what we expect the participants (both youth and adults) will get from it.

Here is the problem; this goal is not achieved through the name Step Up.

As Martin said, this doesn’t make it any easier to explain what the program is to non-CISVers. Heck, this wouldn’t help current CISVers know what this program is.

As far as search engine optimization, an aspect that is ever important in this digital world, Step Up is just as good as Summer Camp and that is NOT GOOD.

From an American perspective, Step Up immediately makes me think of aerobic step exercise… and then to fat camp.

A few of us Twitter-Savvy CISVers Brainstormed Ideas for a name change:

• Pioneer Experience
• Summinar
• Megaopolis
• Town
• Global Youth Summit
• Youth Leadership Camp
• Leadership Development Camp
• Leadinar
• Evolve Camp
• Future Leader’s Camp
• Local Work

I think the organization, attn.: Trustees, needs a name that actually explains what the camp is about. It need not be flashy- that is [one of the reasons] what the camp theme is for.

Bottom Line: ‘Step Up’ is less clear than ‘Summer Camp’.

Here are the ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. White granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp. Brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. Butter
• 1-2 Tbsp. Chocolate chips
• 1 Tbsp. Water
• 1/8 tsp. Vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of baking soda
• 1/4 Cup Flour + 1 Tbsp. Flour

I didn’t have white sugar, vanilla, butter, or regular white flour. I had brown sugar, honey, and whole wheat flour so I thought I’d just substitute freely. Another thing you’ll notice about this list is that it is very specific. Like most things going on in my kitchen, I took these as guidelines. I don’t even have measuring spoons– but I do have spoons!

Set your oven to 350F degrees, and then bake for 12-15 minutes.

Here is my cookie:

It looks good. The consistence was more like a pancake than a cookie. This probably is due to the fact that there is no egg in it. But more likely because I used whole wheat flour and didn’t have vanilla. I totally forgot about the butter too.

ugh… just sayin’

Have you read this article by Vail Daily, Snowboarding opens up to women: Female riders advance sport, become legends? I recommend it. I was impressed by the research that went into it. I like that people take the time to pay attention to the females rockin’ boards down the mountain. I didn’t know that women’s boarding wasn’t originally part of the TTR series. Surely you’ll read a new fact or two in this article too.

I hope that we see more progression in women’s snowboarding in the future.