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11-6 the day in pictures
November 6. 2009 (6 photos)
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WEEK IN REVIEW
Saturday
More snow expected at mountain passes
Suspect identified in Seattle police killing
Thousands honor slain Seattle police officer Ti...
Friday


Officer Timothy Brenton. Gone, but not forgotten
Person sought in officer's killing is shot in head
Thousands to pay respects to slain Seattle poli...
Thursday


Tale of 1916 Everett Massacre retold in style o...
Reservist survived Iraq but not his return to c...
Swine flu suspected in infant’s death
Wednesday


‘Everything but marriage' law close to vi...
Library levy winning by 51% to 49%
Incumbents looking strong in Snohomish County C...
Tuesday


Delayed financial aid forcing college students ...
Slaying of officer reminds police of dangers of...
Edmonds turns over firefighting duties to Fire ...
Monday


Question isn't 'if' but 'how bad' for floods
Slain Seattle Police officer lived in Marysville
Rubatino Refuse allows recycling of food scraps...
Sunday


Signs were clear Boeing isn't tied to location
Swine flu shots draw crowds in Snohomish County
The Boeing buzz in South Carolina
 

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New Image Camp / Associated Press  (click to enlarge)
A camper gets some encouragement from a counselor.
 
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Published: Friday, May 15, 2009

Teens going cold turkey without tech gear at camp

NEW YORK -- Tim Chai keeps in touch with friends through Facebook, listens to music on his iPod and never goes anywhere without his BlackBerry.

So when the 17-year-old was looking for a summer camp, he ruled out a church camp with a no cell phone, no computer policy.

"I just thought it was too much for me to handle," said Tim, of Carmel, Ind.

For a generation used to texting, Facebook and YouTube, going away to camp can be unnerving. Many camps don't allow cell phones, laptops or iPods, and there is no computer lab for them to update their pages.

Many campers are "a little panicked" to part with their cell phones, said Tony Sparber, founder of New Image Camps in Florida and Pennsylvania. Some try to smuggle them in or bring more than one phone in case one is confiscated, he said.

Even parents who are used to having constant access to their kids can experience anxiety.

Kimberley Fink, 40, of Weston, Mass., is a little nervous about her 14-year-old daughter who is going away to camp for the first time. The camp lasts for two weeks and her daughter won't be able to call.

"It makes me slightly uneasy," said Fink. "I will probably be one of the mothers who calls the camp office after a couple of days to check in. Sometimes you just need that reassurance."

Dave Steinberg, owner and director of Canteen Roads Teen Travel Camp out of Huntington, N.Y., said most parents ask about the no-cell-phone policy out of concern for their children's safety.

To reassure them, he gives them his cell phone number and campers a prepaid calling card.

Some like Chai may be reluctant to go to a camp for that reason, said Gary Rudman of GTR Consulting, author of the upcoming 2009 gTrend Report, which focuses on teens and technology.

Sean Hakim, 16, struggled to give up his gadgets for two weeks when he went to Antiochian Village Camp in Pennsylvania. The camp does not allow cells or iPods and campers have no computer access.

"At first, it was scary," admits Sean, of River Vale, N.J. But he said, "once you get there, you realize you don't really need it. You are always with people, doing something."

Plugged in teens are under tremendous pressure to maintain "Brand Me" on Facebook and other social networking sites, said Rudman. Without a cell phone or online access, it's like they are invisible.

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