Project Adventure at Moraine Farm Christmas Tree Sale

Project Adventure at Moraine Farm

Christmas Tree Sale

Wreaths - Greens - Bows - Refreshments

Saturday & Sunday

December 5 & 6, 12 & 13

From 10AM to 4PM

Project Adventure Corporate Office

701 Cabot St.(Rt.97) Beverly, MA 01915

Support Project Adventure’s Youth Programs!

Questions? Call Amanda M.

978-927-3708

Attend the AEE Annual International Conference!

The AEE Annual International Conference is a time for unparalleled professional development and renewal. Join more than 900 experiential educators from around the world in unsurpassed networking, professional development, continuing education, and community building, with workshops, internationally recognized presenters, an exhibit hall, and world class entertainment.

This year's Annual International conference will take place in Montreal, Quebec, Canada! The "joie de vivre" is palpable and contagious in this vibrant, culturally diverse and cosmopolitan city of two million inhabitants. Whether sipping a cappuccino at an outdoor café, gambling at the huge Casino de Montreal complex or exploring historic Old Montreal, you can't escape without experiencing the excitement and energy that pervade the entire city.

For more info: http://www.aee.org/conferences/annualIntlConf

To register: http://www.aee.org/conference/list

PE4life’s 3rd Annual PEP Grant Resource Conference

Are you looking for resources to enhance and sustain your physical education program? Regardless if you are a new, current or hopeful PEP Grant Award recipient, or you are just looking to enhance your current program, PE4life can be your resource partner in this complicated process. PE4life is a one-stop-shop for professional development, program assessment, equipment consultation and much more! Don’t miss this opportunity to meet and network with experts who have been through the PEP implementation process, equipment vendors, and PE4life Academy Directors.

PE4life’s 3rd Annual PEP Grant Resource Conference
Overland Park, Kansas
October 4-5, 2009

Learn more at www.pe4life.org.

PA's Annual Spring Fundraiser Bigger and Better than Ever!

PA staff and friends are looking forward to a evening of food, music, and libations -- and it's all for a good cause!

Savour, our annual Spring Fundraiser, promises to be an evening no one should miss. On the menu are culinary delights from Boston Area chefs and spirit-lifting rock 'n roll from the Fabulous Clams. All of this takes place at our beautiful campus overlooking Wenham Lake on Thursday, June 25th.

Proceeds support Project Adventure's teacher training programs and direct service educational programs for children and young adults. Tickets are still available, so invite all your friends!

PA Employees are Sparking their minds and Achieving Fitness!

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader."

John Quincy Adams

In an ongoing commitment to practice the very philosophy we teach at Project Adventure, the office and support staff has decided to get moving! For 15 minutes each day, staff are invited to engage in activities that increase heart rates and jump start minds. The activities happen in the afternoon, when we see ourselves "dragging" and in need of a pick-me-up.

How it works:

• At a designated time in the afternoon, anyone who can leave their desk are invited to engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity.
• A variety of activities are encouraged so everyone can join in, whether it be a brisk walk or a group Adventure Activity.
• 15 minutes is all it takes! Everyone is on their honor and tracks their own time.

We view this effort as an opportunity to have fun, get moving, and improve health and wellness. Every person is different, and we are striving for a program that allows for individual progress, but at the same time encourages inclusiveness and group unity.

We continue to be inspired by Dr. John Ratey's book, Spark, which has made a definitive case for the relationship between exercise and increased brain activity. In the short time we have implemented this company-wide policy, the evidence is clear:

"After just a few minutes of activity, I get back to my desk and am buzzing with energy. I dive back in to emails and projects that, previously, I couldn't focus on. Who knew jumping around and laughing with my co-workers could help me get more work done!"

"What I've noticed, after just a week, is a heightened sense of clarity, an ability to prioritize and concentrate. No more black coffee!"

We all know what it's like to be buried in piles of work; some know it all too well. It is encouraging to know that taking a little time out for physical activity can actually help get through those piles of work!

Have a similar program? Tell us what is working for you! Looking to start one? It's easier than you think! Adventure activities can help you jump start your staff and we are happy to help. Email info@pa.org or call 978-524-4556 to hear more about the publications and equipment that inspire us!

Champions for Physical Education Partner to Answer the Call!

PE4life, the nation’s leading advocate for quality health and wellness based physical education programs, and Project Adventure, Inc., (PA) an innovative teaching organization providing
leadership in the expansion of Adventure-based experimental programming, have signed a strategic Program Partnership that will impact the health and fitness of children and youth across the United States.

Find out more about this exciting new partnership here.

Nike Innovation Grants Program

Nike - Jordan Fundamentals Grant ProgramThe Jordan Fundamentals Grant Program recognizes outstanding teaching and instructional creativity in public elementary and secondary schools in the United States that serve economically disadvantaged students. Innovation Grants, averaging $5,000, are available for individual teachers for projects that impact classroom innovation and improve instruction. Inspiration Grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 are available to teams of teachers to support scaling-up the implementation of successful approaches developed with Innovation Grants. Applicants should create and implement an educational approach that supports improved student academic achievement and/or social, emotional, and behavioral interventionsApplicants from all 50 States and the District of Columbia will be considered with priority given to communities where the Jordan Brand or Nike, Inc. has a significant presence. At least 50% of the school’s student population must be eligible for free or reduced school lunch at time of application. Deadline: March 30, 2009Please Note: The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools (CHHCS) does not administer this funding opportunity.Contact Nike directly for more specific program and grant details:http://www.nike.com/jumpman23/features/fundamentals/overview.html

Southwest District Ahperd Conference, Phoenix, Jan 09

Southwestern District Ahperd was a great event! Renee Cavaluzzi presented two workshops:

Social and Emotional Learning through Adventure and Achieving Fitness. Both were well attended and a huge success! Project Adventure sponsored the AZ Past President's Dinner at the Cork and Cleaver Restaurant.

Attendees were excited to see Spark, by Dr. John Ratey as a book offering at the PA booth. Many educators had heard about this great book through their administrators. We sold out by early on day two!


Achieving Fitness Activity Guide and the Adventure Curriculum for Physical Education also sold out.

It was great to see old PA friends including Shelley Fey, from the Punahou School in Honolulu, all our friends from the Kyrene School District, Safford Unified School District, Jennifer Reeves of The University of Arizona, Drisha Leggitt of CA AHPERD to name just a few.

Thanks to Donna Moore of Payson Unified School District who put on a great conference!

We always love to spend time with our friends and partners from Flaghouse - John Ruggiero and Eileen Avato!

New Project Adventure Training Site in Lake Williamson Christian Center

Forgive me if I sound like a commercial plug here, but I am THRILLED
to announce that Lake Williamson Christian Center is now the first
mid-states training site for Project Adventure! I started attending PA
classes 3 years ago, working on my Masters Degree in Adventure Ed
through PA and Plymouth State University. I've often heard others in
my area say they'd love to take a PA course, but the travel costs were
prohibitive. So it has been my desire for some time to help bring PA
to the central states. Lake Williamson is only 1 hour from St. Louis,
4 hours from Chicago, and 4 hours from Indianapolis. We have food,
lodging (and a hot tub!) on-site.

PA is updating their website for details, but upcoming courses include:

Engaging Activities for Social and Emotional Learning, February 21-22, 2009
Adventure Curriculum for Physical Education, April 6-7, 2009
Achieving Fitness: An Adventure Approach, April 8-9, 2009
Adventure Programming, June 10-13, 2009
Adventures in Building Community and Diversity, September 24-26, 2009
Adventure Based Counseling, October 22-25, 2009

I hope some of you can take advantage of the Lake Williamson location!

Jeffery Gosnell, program director
Lake Williamson Christian Center &
Cedar Creek Retreat Center

Carol White PEP Grant Writing Tips Packet now available

Use this grant writing packet to infuse adventure Carol White PEP Grant application! Contact us for more info or to join one of our three free telelconferences. info@pa.org


Free Phone Consultations
Bill Bates, Project Adventure consultant has himself written, and been funded for several PEP Grants. Bill will use his expertise to integrate Project Adventure into your application. You can reach Bill at bbates@pa.org or by calling 978-524-4658.

**Due to the high volume of calls and emails, we recommend that you first review the grant writing packet and participate in the teleconferences.

3) We are offering three PEP Grant Writing Teleconferences


PEP Teleconference 1 January 27, 2009 2:30 - 3:15pm E.S.T.
Topics: Overview of the RFP, highlights, mandatories and making your case!

PEP Teleconference 2 February 3, 2009 4:00 - 4:45pm E.S.T.
Topics: Questions so far, budgeting overview.

PEP Teleconference 3 February 12, 2009 1:00 - 1:45pm E.S.T.
Topics: Checking in: where are you now? Additional information and updates.

These teleconferences are offered at no cost to you.



All that you need to participate is a phone. You must register in advance by contacting Cara Meeker at cmeeker@pa.org. Call-in instructions will be emailed to you prior to each teleconference. You may register for one or all of them. These teleconferences are your opportunity to receive advice from Bill Bates of Project Adventure and Rosalie Mangino-Crandall of Insight Grants, LLC.

Houston Area Schools Challenge Course Data and Presentations

Thanks to Mary Constant of Fort Bend I.S.D. for sharing info on how challenge courses are presented within the Houston area schools as well as data collected from these programs.

Click here to access Mary's great info.

Carol White PEP Grants are NOW OPEN!

Millions for dollars are available for Physical Education. Since 2006, applications including Project Adventure have made a compelling case for successful funding.

On Thursday, 1/22/09, PA will post a comprehensive PEP Grant writing packet at as well as host three PEP grant writing teleconferences - free of charge. Featured on the teleconference will be Rosalie Mangino Crandall of Insight Grants, LLC and Bill Bates, of Project Adventure. Both experts in writing, receiving and implementing PEP Grants.

To register for the teleconferences or receive more info on PEP, contact us at info@pa.org or call 978-524-4554.

Teleconference schedule:

PEP Teleconference 1 1/27/09 2:30 - 3:15 Eastern Time Overview of the RFP, highlights, mandatories and making your case!

PEP Teleconference 2 2/3/09 4:00 - 4:45 Eastern Time Questions so far, budgeting overview.

PEP Teleconference 3 2/12/09 1:00 - 1:45 Eastern Time Check in, where are you now, additional info.


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Visit www.ed.gov/programs/whitephysed/index.html



Carol M. White Physical Education for Progress (PEP)
is offered by the US Department of Education (ED)—Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools (OSDFS).

Adventures with Youth at Risk, Intro to BMTA now approved for Continuing Education Hours

Project Adventure's workshop, Adventures with Youth at Risk (Behavior Management through Adventure) has been approved for 24 Continuing Education hours for relicensure, in accordance with 258 CMR. Collaborative of the NASW-MA and the Boston College and Simmons College Schools of Social Work Authorization Number D40400.

For more information on Behavior Management through Adventure training at your site or to attend on of our scheduled workshops, please contact PA at 978-524-4554 or info@pa.org. To see the schedule of dates for open-enrollment workshops, go to www.pa.org/workshops.

Jim Schoel Receives Honor from Northeast AEE

Congratulations to Jim Schoel. According to Northeast AEE, "We are happy to announce that we will be honoring Jim Schoel as our Josh Miner Dialogue Series Award recipient this year on Saturday night of the conference. He will be interviewed by Mark Murray. As a founder of Project Adventure, Jim developed his ideas at Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School in Massachusetts. He managed an alternative program in the Gloucester Public Schools for 12 years where he was able to practice and refine those ideas".

Jim has been an innovator and thought-leader in adventure education and PA for many years. Jim is currently a Senior Contract Trainer at Project Adventure and has returned to the Gloucester Public Schools as an educator in their alternative education programs.

Jim is co-author of Islands of Healing, Exploring Islands of Healing, and Gold Nuggets.

Join us in congratulating Jim!

Lemonade - A great activity by Mark Collard

Kristen Okura, coordinator for PA's Master's Degree Cohort in Southern CA and Don Juan Avila Middle School Physical Educator, sent a request for this activity. I'm thinking this is a great way to break back into the blog world after a long holiday break!

Hope you enjoy it. This activity and others like it can be found in No Props book by Mark Collard and available from PA.
Lemonade
It’s charades with a chasey twist.

At a glance
One team faces another team miming an occupation. As soon as the first team correctly guesses their trade, they will chase the second team back to their safe area.

What you need
A large, flat and open space, with boundaries
Minimum of 12 trades-people
10 – 15 minutes

What to do
Mark two “safe” areas approximately 30 metres (approximately 98 feet) apart, and a line which represents the mid-point between the two areas. Then divide your group in half.

Ask the members of each team to stand side-by-side, and face the other team about three metres (nine-ten feet) apart. One team moves forward one step and calls out “It’s as easy as Lemonade” (there’s a beat to it). The other team responds by marching forward one step “Show us your trade if you’re not afraid.” Okay, we’re now through with the preliminaries.

Upon this taunt, the “lemonade” team will immediately start to mime or “charade” a pre-determined occupation or trade. This has been agreed to earlier in the game when you asked this team to huddle and discuss which one occupation they would all like to “be” for the first round. Trades such as carpenters, hair-dressers, nurses, judges, lumberjacks, etc are all good examples.

The observing team is now charged with a responsibility of guessing what the chosen occupation is. Anyone can guess at any time, so long as the guesses are loud and clear. As soon as the trades-people hear a correct answer, they will turn around and retreat to their safe area. Naturally, the guessers will spring into action and attempt to tag as many of the trades-people as possible. All successful tags oblige that trades-person to switch teams.

Note, lepidoptery is a fine occupation, but to be fair, no one is ever going to guess this. So in the interests of time, I suggest you coach your group to exercise a modicum of fair play. Otherwise, you’ll be there forever trying to guess what the heck people who work with winged-insects are called.

Also, you may ask why “lemonade.” I don’t have an answer – it just is!

Variations
Same deal, but each team charades a trade at the same time. First correct answer to identify the trade of an opposing team will spark the chase.