Achieving Fitness Symposium - Oct. 10, 2008 Marlborough MA

"There is cutting edge research explaining the profound impact that physical activity has on the brain's ability to learn, and on an individual's ability to manage behavior. Yet, scientists struggle with how to make exercise fun. That is a terrible miss, and hte use of adventure and play is the simple solution." Jane Panicucci, Vice President PA

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Achieving Fitness-An Adventure Approach - Practitioner Symposium

October 10, 2008

8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Marlborough MA

A full day symposium exploring the following questions:

How can I infuse an existing fitness program with activities that engage everyone?

How can physical activities enhance my afterschool program, my academic classroom, or my

therapeutic/alternative school?

What are the social components of an effective program?

Can exercise make my students smarter?

Who should attend? Physical Educators, Recreation Therapists, Principals and Adminstrators,

Program Directors, Curriculum Coordinators, Therapeutic Treatment and Program Directors, Fitness Professionals, After School Professionals, Youth Development Specialists and anyone who is new to adventure or experienced but looking for new ideas.

Learn more and/or register here.

Project Adventure and Upcoming Conferences

We are happy to announce our 2008-2009 Conference Schedule. Conferences are a great place to meet PA trainers, consultants and implementation specialists. You can also preview our newest books or look at some of our classic titles.

Also, take advantage of a our attendance at a conference in your area to schedule a one-on-one consultation or have a customized training at your school or agency at a reduced rate (because you save on travel)!

Do you know about a conference, regional meeting or seminar where the audience would benefit from:

• Engaging, exciting and active presentations?
• Content that is brought to life though experiential and adventure methods?
• Teambuilding and community building?
• Keynote or plenary sessions that are engaging, fun and make connections between activity, cognition, behavior, health and wellness?

Let us know! Contact Beth Wonson (bwonson@pa.org) or call 805-556-0895!

We hope to see you at one of the great conferences below:

• Colorado AHPERD 10/16 - 10/18/2008 Boulder, CO
• Maine AHPERD 11/2 - 11/4/2008 Samoset ME
• Vermont AHPERD 11/13 - 11/14/2008 Killington VT
• Virginia AHPERD 11/7 - 11/9/2008 Reston VA
• Association of Experiential Education 11/6 - 11/9/2008 Vancouver WA
• Massachusetts AHPERD 11/17 - 11/18/2008 Worcester MA Jane Panicucci will be signing "Achieving Fitness" 11/18/2008 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
• Pennslyvania AHPERD 11/20 - 11/23/2008 Pittsburgh PA Pre-conference Achieving Fitness Session with Jane Panicucci.
• New York State AHPERD 11/19 - 11/22/2008 Turning Stone NY
• Independent School Adventure Network (ISAN) 1/21 - 1/24/2009 Lawrenceville NJ
• Southwest District Ahperd 1/21 - 1/24/2009 Phoenix AZ
• Annual Conference on Alternatives to Expulsion, Suspension, and Dropping out of School, 1/28-1/31/2009, San Antonio TX
• Association for Challenge Course Technology Conference, 1/29-2/1/2009, Houston TX
• Eastern District AHPERD, 2/4 - 2/7/2008, Lancaster PA
• American Camping Association, National Conference, 2/17 - 2/20/2009, Orlando FL
• New Jersey AHPERD, 2/22 - 2/24/2009 Jane Panicucci, Keynote Address
• American Camping Association, Tri-State Conference, 3/17 - 3/20/2009, Atlantic City, NJ
• National AAHPERD Conference, 3/31 - 4/4/2009, Tampa, FL - email us to receive an invitiation to our P*A*R*T*Y...to win prizes....play "Got-cha"...and join in all the AAHPERD/PA fun! (http://www.aahperd.com/ -subject line - AAHPERD signup!)

Scituate High School and Project Adventure - Getting Kids Motivated About Moving

"We are going with more life long skills than team sports type things" is the quote by Greg Rainer, Health and Wellness Chair at Scituate High School in Scituate, MA. As part of a tax override vote, the school has been able to replace a climbing wall that had been installed by novices with a professionally installed Project Adventure Climbing Wall.

In an article by Brian Nanos of the Wicked Local Website, PA Installer and Challenge Course Inspection Coordinator Alex Kramer is pictured providing an orientation to Rainer of the new climbing wall. In September, Physical Educators and other staff will receive training from Project Adventure on the appropriate use of the elements.

Assistant Superintendent, Jim Kelleher refers to the PA climbing wall and training as tools for continued improvement of curriculum in the district.

Interested in installing a climbing wall in your school or agency? Contact PA today! 978-524-4554 or info@pa.org.

Casa Mia Ranch - Behavior Management through Adventure in the Southwest

Casa Mia Ranch, located in Silver City, NM, uses Project Adventure's licensed model, Behavior Management through Adventure, as a tool for helping vulnerable and at-risk youth realize their full potential and break through perceived barriers to become successful and contributing members of society.

According to the Casa Mia Ranch website, BMTA and experiential ed are implemented to:

"encourage people to learn new things about themselves and offer engaging opportunities for the practice of fundamental life skills".

Through action oriented, hands-on educational methods, the ranch seeks to instill the knowledge that:

• Each of us has the potential to influence our world.
• We can take responsibility for our own actions.
• Most behavioral limitations are self-imposed.
• Planning, teamwork, and determination can over-come great obstacles.

To read evaluation data from other BMTA sites, click here.

To learn how you can use the tools and methods of this researched model, BMTA, contact Beth Wonson, bwonson@pa.org , 978-524-4619.