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eNews Update July
AEE Monthly eNews Update July 2008
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ACCT and AEE
AEE recently formed an alliance agreement with the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT). We feel this will benefit the members of both organizations, as well as the fields that utilize experiential education practices.
The impetus for this alliance, and others in the works, came from members, many of whom have requested that we forge collaborative partnerships with affiliated organizations. AEE is currently working on forging similar mutual initiatives with ACA, NATWC, NATSAP, LNT, NSEE and AMGA.
ACCT will be hosting the Experiential/Adventure Summit in Chicago this September to provide an opportunity for the experiential and outdoor communities to collaborate on issues of common interest. AEE will be in attendance and we hope you'll join us to brainstorm, solve problems, and share skills and experiences from the world of experiential/adventure education.
Save the date, September 16-17, 2008. For more information (pdf)
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H.R. 6358 - Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2008
As many of you know, H.R. 6358 (Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2008) has the potential to significantly affect the field of adventure therapy. For this edition, we've compiled a number of perspectives from a number of the field's stakeholders. If you have a perspective you'd like to share in next month's AEE eBlast, please submit it to membership@aee.org.
From Stephen Glass, Executive Director of Project D.A.R.E./Wendigo Lake Expeditions, Chair of TAPG
This bill [sponsored by Congressman George Miller and designed to ensure the safety of teens participating in residential treatment programs] passed in the House on June 25, 2008 and will go to the Senate later this year. It was pushed through the house with provisions that I believe will allow for good quality programs to operate without fear of going out of business. The amended version of the bill specifically added language that
1) includes everyone (public and private programs, psychiatric hospitals and foster care group homes),
2) prohibits unlimited punitive damages, and
3) mandates documentation on covered programs.
I believe there are two main concerns remaining about this issue... Read more
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US Bureau of Land Management,
National Instruction Memorandum
From Paul Smith, President, Catherine Freer Wilderness Therapy Program
Two news items linked to the Miller legislation include
1) the BLM announced new policies directed at residential treatment and wilderness therapy programs, and
2) the Federal Trade Commission sent out a warning to consumers about health and safety issues at residential treatment programs for troubled teens.
On June 25th, BLM sent out a memo announcing that they will deny permitting to programs in states where oversight is either unavailable or inadequate, on the basis that the they have neither the personnel nor expertise to provide adequate oversight. It is currently too early in the process to know how broad reaching these changes are going to be. For example, it is unknown whether or not the Forest Service will follow suit. Read More
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Adventure Therapy Applied
By Gary Stauffer, School Social Worker, Monroe County, Michigan
Adventure therapy is one of my passions in life. I love doing it, thinking about it, and hanging out with people who have a hand in it. My current work is in a school setting with kids that who have quite serious emotional and developmental disabilities. One of the joys of my work is watching kids discover lessons for themselves and then begin to experiment with new ways of acting.
Perhaps the best way I can explain the joy of my work is by telling you a story from one of the group sessions I did just before school ended this year...
I was at the Monroe County Youth Center working with incarcerated youth (all boys) placed in a long-term residential treatment program. These kids love physical challenges, but they run from experiencing anything emotional and have a general disdain for counseling. Despite this, I believe a lot of good progress is made during adventure therapy sessions. Read more
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To friends and acquaintances of Mark Ames and Mark Rowland
From Henry Wood in Boulder, Colorado
Mark Ames, current member of the AEE Accreditation Council and former chair of TAPG, has been battling a rare form of lymphoma since last winter. He is currently in New England where he is spending time with family while receiving treatment at Massachusetts General Hospital. Amazingly, he has continued to maintain a steady diet of work at Red Top Meadows near Jackson Hole, Wyoming, hiking peaks, jogging and mountain biking. Mark's will to beat this thing is truly inspirational. Please keep Mark in your thoughts and prayers. To learn more
We are happy to report that Mark Rowland, former AEE Board and Accreditation Council member, is doing much better. Mark spent this winter and spring receiving treatment for a cancer located at the base of his tongue. After weeks of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, Mark's doctors are optimistic about his recovery. He was taken off a stomach tube earlier this month and is now back on solid foods. Mark reports, "I have largely gotten through the toughest time in my life due to the support of friends and family. Now it is time to turn that support to Mark Ames." Mark (Rowland) is scheduled to receive a PET scan in early August that will determine whether or not the cancer has been eradicated.
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To friends and acquaintances of Gail Martin-Mauser
My dear friend and a long time leader in the field of experiential education, Gail Martin-Mauser, has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Please join me in supporting her with light, love, emails, thoughts, prayers, and inspiration. There have been studies done that show that those who are ill, especially with cancer, recover more quickly when supported in this way. She has touched and enriched so many lives professionally and personally and now would be a wonderful time for her to be encouraged by the community that she has loved and sustained for so many years. I know that she will benefit from any good cheer we can share with her.
Gail's contact information:
Gail@cwt-inc.com
72892 Willow Street
Palm Desert, CA 92260
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The gift of life
I have an announcement and a request. First the announcement.
I'm happy to report that the date for my surgery to donate my kidney to Thomas Harris has been set for August 6th at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
Now for the request. Without a doubt, the decision to donate my kidney has been one of the biggest decision of my life, so far. Now that the transplant date is set, Thomas and I are tasked with raising thousands of dollars in funds to assist in paying for expenses that aren't covered by insurance.
So I'm writing to request your help in making this kidney transplant happen. With your help we can breathe a deep sign of relief knowing that the funds will be there when we need them. To read more about Thomas and I and our journey together, or to make a donation, visit our website.
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Board of Directors Election Results
Thank you to everyone who took time to vote in the AEE Board of Directors election. The following members will begin serving in November.
President-Elect - four-year term
Christian Itin, AEE West Region, Eureka, California
Member-At-Large - one position - three-year term
Drew Brennan, AEE Rocky Mountain Region, Carbondale, Colorado
Council of Region Chairs - two positions - three-year term
Andrew Bobilya, AEE Southeast Region, Montreat College, North Carolina
Jeff Baierlein, AEE Northwest Region, Bellingham,
Washington
Group Leadership Council - one position - three-year term
Tom Lindblade, AEE Heartland Region, Rockford, Illinois
The change in the by-laws passed (ARTICLE VII- fiscal year).
Yes (99.1%) No (0.9%)
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News from Accreditation
The AEE Accreditation Council is looking to fill four Council Member positions this November. Jude Hirsch, Deb Ajango, Rita Yerkes and Sky Grey have reached their term limit and will sadly be rotating off of the council after the annual conference in November.
If you are interested in serving on the council, please read the Job Description and complete the Accreditation Council Application. If you have any questions please contact me. I look forward to hearing from you.
Job Description (pdf)
Council Application (pdf)
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Video Archiving
By Tom Lindblade
As many of you know, at the behest of OFA, Chris Cavert, Sam Sikes, and I began a video archiving project at last year's AEE International Conference in Little Rock, Arkansas. We were able to video group interviews with 12 prominent members of the Association. Interviews with Rob Rubendall, Marianne Scippa, and Karl Rohnke have been posted for some time, and I am happy to report that 4 additional interviews with Cliff Knapp, Betty van der Smissen (pictured above), Denise Mitten, Mary Breunig, and Margaret Lechner have just been posted.
You may view all of the interviews on youtube.
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News
Economist July 10, 2008
Out of the Wilderness; People are shunning the great outdoors. Blame conservationists, not video games
Boulder Weekly, July 17-23, 2008
Leave No Child Inside; How nature-deficit disorder is affecting our kids
by Dana Logan
Last month's e-newsletter included the wrong link to the Hong Kong Institute of Adventure Counseling. The correct website address is www.hkiac.org.hk
Partner Announcements
LEAPware certainly values its AEE friends! When you shop online at www.leap-ware.com, you will receive a 10% discount by using this code: AEEX2008.
Outdoor Prolink has added manufacturers to make even more products available to you including gear from Trango and Walkstool. Already registered? Check out the website. To learn how to register, log in to aee.org then check out the member pages
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36th Annual International
AEE Conference Early-Bird Rate
Good Until August 15, 2008
Early-Bird Ind/Org Member Price: $280
Ind/Org Member Price After August 15: $330
Early-Bird Accredited Member Price: $250
Accredited Member Price After August 15: $300
Early-Bird Student/Senior Member Price: $180
Student/Senior Member Price After August 15: $230
Airfare Discount
AEE has negotiated an airfare discount with Frontier Airlines. Attendees may take advantage of this discount by booking online at www.frontierairlines.com
Just use the Meeting ID 4Q3QAZ to get a 10% off all published round-trip fares to Portland, Oregon, in early November.
On Frontier's home page, look for the FLIGHT FINDER link; below that it will read roundtrip and one way. Next to that click MORE SEARCH OPTIONS. The meeting ID code must be entered in the box under the date and city pairs.
If you book your travel through a travel agency, provide the agent with Meeting ID 4Q3QAZ and advise him/her to use the ID at the time of booking. The Meeting ID must be properly applied to the ticket in the Tour Code Box in order for the discount to be taken.
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