Kids Can Win DEC Camperships Through OCCA Essay Contest

COOPERSTOWN - Today the Otsego County Conservation Association kicks off a countywide competitive essay contest which will send eight middle-school students to DEC Environmental Education Camp this summer.
Instead of spending time outdoors, today's children are all too often inside, playing video games, watching TV or surfing the Internet. OCCA's new Campership Sponsor Program is geared toward sparking the interest of this county's youth in nature and, ultimately, getting them outside more.
Working with the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society, OCCA will award eight winning essayists - seven from Otsego County and one from Delaware County, compliments of DOAS - with a week-long stay at New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Environmental Education Camp, the main focus of which is environmental education. Campers spend their week immersed in the natural environment and enjoy a balance of environmental education, sportsman education and outdoor fun.
Otsego and Delaware County students ages 12-14 (including 11-year-olds who will be 12 by December 1) are invited to compete for camperships via the essay competition. In 750 words or less, they are asked to consider "Why Kids Need to Experience Nature" and to examine the physical, emotional and social benefits of a healthy, active, outdoor lifestyle.
"Our new Campership Sponsor Program is educational, competitive and interactive," said OCCA Executive Director Darla M. Youngs. "It helps reconnect middle-schoolers with nature through their writing skills and knowledge of science, combined with introspection and real-life experiences.
"Our goal is to strengthen the connection these kids have with the outdoors," Youngs said.
Eight winning essays will be chosen: six from participating Otsego County schools, one from Delaware County entries, and one from Otsego County applicants at large. The deadline for essay submissions is February 17, and winning essays will be chosen by February 24. The contest will culminate with an awards ceremony and open house in the spring.
Complete contest rules and requirements are available by e-mailing admin@occainfo.org or by calling (607) 547-4488. Teachers are invited to incorporate the essay contest into their lesson plans and are asked to call OCCA in order to qualify as a participating school.
OCCA is a private, non-profit environmental membership organization dedicated to promoting the appreciation and sustainable use of Otsego County's natural resources through education, advocacy, resource management, research, and planning. For more information on OCCA, or to support programming, call (607) 547-4488 or visit www.occainfo.org. The OCCA Campership Sponsor Program Essay Contest is made possible in part by funds from the Stewart's Foundation.
Darla M. Youngs, Executive Director
Otsego County Conservation Association
101 Main Street, PO Box 931
Cooperstown, NY 13326
(607) 547-4488; www.occainfo.org
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