Camp Pocono Trails is actually one of two New Image weight loss camps; this one is located in Pennsylvania---an hour and a half drive from New York City and Philadelphia---while the other camp, Vanguard, is in Florida. These camps are both focused on giving kids and teens the tools to feel better about themselves and to get fit, according to its official site.
Accreditation
Camp Pocono Trails is a member of the American Camping Association (ACA). According to the ACA site, membership is a mark of distinction because to be one of the 2,400 camps in the organization, Pocono Trails had to meet 300 health, safety and quality-of-programming-oriented standards.
History
Camp Pocono Trails got its start in 1992 in Connecticut, according to a May 12, 2010, PRNewswire.com release featuring operator and founder Tony Sparber. Sparber, who began operating weight loss camps in the 1980s when he was in his 20s, moved the camp to Pennsylvania in 1999. Since that time, Camp Pocono Trails has been featured on several documentaries, including two MTV specials.
Principles
In the PRNewswire release, Sparber said he focuses on the fundamentals of making good choices when it comes to the type of food and the size of portions the child eats, as well as exercise. According to the camp's website, there are more than 100 activities available at the camp, including canoeing, kickboxing and jet skiing. Children accepted into the camp range from ages 7 to 19, and are divided into age groups. According to the camp's official site, campers have many opportunities to develop age-appropriate friendships, with an average of 30 kids in each age group during each session. For every four kids, there is one counselor, and the camp boasts two pools---one for boys and another for girls.
Structure
The Pocono Trails' summer camp runs from June to August, and is divided into two-, four- or eight-week sessions. Regardless of the session, each camper is treated to three meals and two snacks daily, consuming an average of 1,700 to 1,800 calories, according to the camp's "Superior Nutrition" section on its website. In a June 4, 2010, news release issued by the camp, which appeared on Enhanced Online News, it was reported that the aim is to lose 5 lbs. each week. Campers are weighed in private on a weekly basis, according to the camp's site and, under the guidance of professional on-staff nutritionists, are also treated to nutritional classes on topics like healthy snacking and good food choices for dining out, as well as cooking classes to learn how to prepare low-fat meals on their own.
Amenities
Though Pocono Trails provides a "traditional" camp environment, its cabins are spacious; each child gets her own bed, and six to eight kids in the same age group sleep in each cabin, according to the camp's official site. Specially selected counselors with training in subjects like psychology and exercise science--many "graduates" of the camp themselves--share cabins with campers. According to its site, the camp also maintains 24-hour security, full-time nursing and medical staff and an on-site infirmary.
Financial Assistance
In an August 15, 2008, New York Times article by Stephanie Saul, it was noted that most insurance companies don't cover weight loss camps like Pocono Trails; however, the camp does offer a scholarship program, whereby kids who want to go to camp but can't afford it can submit an essay. If their essay is chosen, the camp's fees are waived. Camp Pocono Trails also notes that parents whose kids lose weight save money in the long run when considering the costs associated with food and medical bills resulting from conditions caused by obesity.
Member Comments