Camp Concerns

ANCHOR LEAD IN:
WE ALL KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF TALKING TO OUR CHILDREN ABOUT ONLINE SAFETY.
BUT NOW, THERE'S A TWIST PARENTS MIGHT NOT HAVE THOUGHT OF.
AS THOUSANDS OF KIDS HAPPILY HEAD OFF TO CAMPS THIS SUMMER, CAMP OFFICIALS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THOSE CAREFREE EXPERIENCES MAY END UP POSTED ONLINE...PAVING THE WAY FOR PREDATORS.
_____________HAS A HEADS UP ON WHAT CAMPS ARE DOING... AND WHAT YOU CAN DO.... TO PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN.

TRACK ONE Length: :07
JILLIAN SEIGEL (SEA-gull) CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK TO CAMP THIS YEAR. UNTIL THEN, SHE LOVES RELIVING THE EXPERIENCE WITH PHOTOS...

NATS Length: :02
'That's the campfire, my first campfire."

TRACK TWO Length: :08
JILLIAN AND HER MOM ARE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT WHO SEES HER PHOTOS...
BUT NOT ALL KIDS OR COUNSELORS ARE... MANY POST PICTURES AND CAMP INFORMATION ONLINE!

SOT:
KEY @: :20 Peg Smith, Chief Executive Officer American Camp Association
"As parents and as organizations we're challenged by the tendency of young people to post things on the web."

TRACK FOUR Length: :11
KIDS MAY NOT REALIZE THAT INCLUDING CAMP INFORMATION ON SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES AND INSTANT MESSAGE PROFILES COULD LEAD PREDATORS TO THEIR CABIN DOORS. AND THAT HAS CAMP LEADERS WORRIED.

SOT:
KEY @: :39 Peg Smith, Chief Executive Officer American Camp Association
"The American Camp Association recognizes the popularity of online social networking. So it is our job to make sure that camp owners and directors are educated about this particular issue."

TRACK FIVE Length: :12
MANY CAMPS NOW HAVE POLICIES THAT FORBID CAMPERS AND COUNSELORS TO MENTION CAMP NAMES AND ADDRESSES ON PERSONAL WEB PAGES... AND SMITH SAYS PARENTS SHOULD BE VIGILANT WHEN IT COMES TO CAMP RULES.

SOT:
NO KEY - Covered - Peg Smith, Chief Executive Officer for American Camp Association
"As a parent, do your due diligence and ask the hard questions."

TRACK SIX Length: :13
LOOK FOR POLICIES THAT LIMIT OR PROHIBIT THE USE OF PICTURES ONLINE FROM CAMERAS AND EVEN CELLPHONES. CONDUCT YOUR OWN WEB SEARCH TO MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD'S CAMP DOESN'T SHOW UP IN INAPPROPRIATE PLACES...IF IT DOES REPORT IT IMMEDIATELY.

SOT:
NO KEY - Too Quick - Peg Smith, Chief Executive Officer for American Camp Association
"Child safety is really a shared responsibility."

TRACK SEVEN Length: :05
JILLIAN'S CAMP HAS POLICIES IN PLACE WHICH MAKES BOTH HER AND HER MOM HAPPY CAMPERS

SOT:
KEY @: 1:26 Susan Seigel, Mother of a camper
"The camp does a good job in protecting the children's uh welfare and safety."

SOT:
NO KEY - Too quick - Jillian Seigel, Camper
"It was very, really great, I loved it."

ANCHOR TAG:
SMITH SAYS ONE GOOD WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR SUMMER CAMP IS SAFE AND HEALTHY IS TO CHECK WHETHER IT'S ACCREDITED.THE AMERICAN CAMP ASSOCIATION PROVIDES TRAINING AND INFORMATION TO ITS MEMBERS THAT HELPS THEM UNDERSTAND THESE TYPES OF ISSUES, AND BETTER AVOID ANY PROBLEMS DOWN THE ROAD.

SOURCE INFORMATION:

Peg Smith
Chief Executive Officer
American Camp Association
Harriet Gamble - Dir of Communications
800-428-2267
765-342-8456
Joy Fischer - PR
317-514-6000

Bio: In 1998, Smith became the chief executive officer of the American Camp Association (ACA) in Martinsville, Indiana. The American Camp Association is a national organization representing nearly 7,000 individual members and over 2,400 ACA-accredited camps. ACA is a community of camp professionals who, for nearly one hundred years have joined together to share knowledge and experience and to promote positive human development by enriching the lives of children, youth, and adults through the camp experience.

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND/SOURCE INFORMATION
ACA ARTICLES ON CAMPER SAFETY:
http://www.campparents.org/healthyteens/cyber.php
http://www.acacamps.org/inside/06_03/relevant.php