Nation & World

<< Previous   of   Next >> New Image Camp / Associated Press  (click to enlarge) A camper gets some encouragement from a counselor.   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Do you have a news tip? newstips@heraldnet.com | 425.339.3400   Published: Friday, May 15, 2009 Teens going cold turkey without tech gear at camp Associated Press 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. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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