In This Issue
Scarlett Academic Mentoring
Reach Out! Alumnae/Alumni Updates
Bryant Science Club
Accomplishments 2002–2003
Pfizer Support
Meet Our 2002–2003 Mentors
Website Usage
Our Mission and Goals
Pinelake Science Club
Arrowwood Science Club
Pattengill Science Clubs
Hikone Science Club
Our Contributors
MRO! Board of Directors
Printing info
Camp Discovery
In July of 2003, fifteen elementary students and many volunteers each spent two days “on the farm” during three sessions of Camp Discovery. The point of camp is perhaps best illustrated by the camper who expressed alarm at the thought of swimming in a pond before we had caught all the fish living there! Camp Discovery is intended to close the experience gap a bit, to open many windows on the world for children who do not have the richness of experience to draw upon that upper-middle-class youngsters enjoy. We provided them with good times, congenial company, and plenty of new experiences to think, talk, and write about.
We spent our first day at the Burkhardt farm exploring crafts and critters. We met four horses (two of them miniature), two donkeys, a fainting goat, cats, dogs, a rabbit, and even a hedgehog. The animals really liked it when we fed them apples, although some of them were tall enough to steal them right off the tree. Many of us had a chance to ride the donkey, some of us learned how to play the banjo, and others climbed trees for the first time. We finished off the day making dream catchers out of horseshoes.
Contacts
Jeannine LaSovage, e-mail
Executive Director
734.747.9280 - voice mail
Debra Hamann, e-mail
Elementary Program Coordinator
Martha Toth, e-mail
Technical & Research Coordinator
For our second day, we were off to the Meeks farm for some fun with fishing. Many of us learned how to hook a worm or release a fish for the first time. Then we took a little break from fishing to do a nature scavenger hunt and make bookmarks out of leaves and flowers. When we got hungry, we cooked hot dogs, fish, grilled cheese sandwiches, s’mores, pies, and even popcorn on the campfire. The perfect end to our day was taking a dip in the pond to cool off.
Our free summer day camp was conceived of by Reach Out! members Debbie McCartney and Aarti Raheja in 1999. They raised funds; arranged transportation, tours, and demonstrations; recruited and trained volunteers; solicited food and material donations; and oversaw the implementation of their plans. They chose to work with youngsters from Ann Arbor public housing sites, treating them to a week of enriching experiences on the UM campus and at local parks. 
We have continued this model every summer except our first as a non-profit organization—when we missed it.
We recognize this year’s volunteers on our “2003–2004 Mentors” page. Even though their service was short, the relationships with children were intense and personal—characteristic of true mentoring.
Camp Discovery was our first completely (UM) student-driven program, and it exemplifies the Reach Out! model of empowering young adults to take on leadership roles. 
The two directors dealt with typical program planning obstacles and difficulties: the weather, discipline problems, respect and attitude problems, partners who changed their minds about contributions, liability issues, medical care concerns, and general health and safety issues. They developed daily assessment and program evaluation components. Once again, it was driven home to us just how capable and responsible young adults can be. Coordinators and volunteers reach new levels of commitment and resolve to better their communities, now and in the future; they obtain a visceral understanding of some of the obstacles faced by children of another economic class; and they gain assurance in their ability to plan and run programs of real responsibility.
Grace Kim (1995–98), still in Kansas City, finishes her MBA this month.... Alicia Pinderhughes (1995–97) is planning on a PhD in either neuroscience or immunology, somewhere in the northeast.... Aarti Raheja (1996–2000) is doing her pediatrics residency at Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor.... Debbie (McCartney) Hamann (1996–present), MRO! Elementary Program Coordinator, is expecting her first child in January 2004.... Karyl Shand Askew (1997–2000), after working for Sylvan Learning Centers in Atlanta, is now applying to educational psychology master’s programs in Virginia.... Roselle Herrera (1997–2001), after working last summer for a federal court judge in Laredo, Texas, will finish law school at MSU next May.... Ben Kaufman (1998–2000) is a GM engineer and VP of the MRO! Board of Directors (and expecting his first child in January).... Amy Marcotte (1998–2000), after two years with Teach For America in North Carolina, is in her first year of med school at MSU.... Reulonda Norman (1998–2000), after teaching in Atlanta, moved last summer to Jacksonville, Florida, where she teaches third grade and is planning a March 2004 wedding.... Stephanie Steele (1999–2002) is doing Teach For America in Baltimore.... Dave Coleman (1999–2003) has joined the family business in Chicago ... where Geoffrey M. Dietrich (above right, 2002–03) is doing Teach For America.
