Events & Updates - Young Scholars Academy

Introducing Mandarin Chinese!

April 3, 2017 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

Here at Young Scholars Academy, we are now teaching our staff and children Mandarin Chinese!

We believe communication is vital–no matter what part of the world you come from, live in, or travel to! And being able to connect to other cultures can do so much good in the world — it can create meaningful connections, promote deeper understanding and awareness, as well as inspire new friendships to flourish!

Young minds have the wonderful capacity to learn languages faster and easier than when they are older. (It’s why we also teach American Sign Language here as well!) Enjoy–and Xie Xie!

Top 12 Reasons Why Summer Camp is Important for Children

March 30, 2017 by Admin 8 Comments

Summer offers children a well-received break from structured learning. A Summer Camp provides children with the opportunity to build their character, confidence, and other interpersonal skills while indulging in fun and entertaining activities.

Camp doesn’t just apply to school-aged children! The benefits of summer camp for preschoolers include school preparedness and independence. Children adapt quickly to their camp communities and flourish under the positive pressure of group activities, free play, and community events.

In a safe environment, free from parental interference, children make their own decisions and fulfill their duties as a member of a working group. While traditional schools reward growth in reading, writing, and arithmetic, soft skills, such as social etiquette, communication, and cooperation often fall by the wayside.

At camp, daily challenges and group activities can help stimulate personal growth by pushing children to new boundaries. From first-day introductions to end-of-summer farewells, children get countless real-life opportunities to practice their interpersonal skills.

Summer camp is a safe, supervised environment filled with freedom and opportunity. For parents who have their own camp memories, it is an investment that goes without question. For children looking to flex their wings, it is the opportunity of a lifetime that only comes around once a year!

Benefits of Summer Camp for Youth

Friendship: One of the key components of summer camp is friendship. As part of a camp community, children are encouraged to work together and rely on the support of others.
Confidence: Children take part in many character building activities that promote positive self-esteem and self-worth.
Leadership: Children are encouraged to participate in group activities that reward valuable leadership skills.
Independence: While camp counselors provide ample supervision and guidance, children are encouraged to make positive decisions on their own.
Fresh Air: At home, the lure of video games and air conditioning can sometimes be overwhelming, but at summer camp there are plenty of outdoor activities to keep children active outside.
Discovery: Children walk away from camp with a variety of new skills. Some skills may even become a lifelong interest.
Freedom: While there are many preplanned activities at camp, some of the children’s time is filled with free play. Children cherish the opportunity to build upon their newfound friendships.
Nature: Many camps provide a gateway to the natural world. Hiking, canoeing, and water play are just a few of the enjoyable outdoor activities your child may take part in at camp.
Talent: At camp, individuality is celebrated. Oftentimes, a variety of activities will offer children multiple opportunities to discover and nurture their individual talents.
Belonging: Children often yearn to be accepted and cherished by their peers. At camp, they will discover that many tasks require a team effort.
Tradition: From camp songs to secret codes, summer camps often develop their own culture and traditions to match. For this reason, children often desire to return to the same camp year after year.
Education: Educators stress the importance of bridging the gap between school years. Summer camp, while incredibly fun, offers activities that encourage creative thinking, problem solving, and even encourage skills such as reading and math. Early childhood educators stress importance of summer camp in school preparedness.

Benefits of Summer Camp Statistics

According to Psychology Today, a survey given to 300 summer camp directors revealed that summer camp makes children more resilient to life’s stress.

There are many social and emotional benefits that can be attributed to a positive summer camp experience. Without parental interference, children discover their own voice and how to independently navigate social situations. Moreover, campers often assume greater responsibilities than they would at home.

A recent study by the University of New Hampshire confirmed that outdoor education helped children develop positive qualities and capabilities. With today’s children spending more time than ever on screens, embarking on an outdoor adventure can be a pivotal opportunity. According to the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, children between the ages of two and five spend an average of 2.2 hours on screens every day!

While it is difficult to measure a child’s emotional growth, the nation’s continued demand for summer camp speaks for itself. With over 14 billion people enrolled in summer camp programs each year, there is something wonderful to be said about this seasonal tradition.

Contact us at Young Scholars Academy for more information on our exploratory summer camp program. Young Scholars Academy is an award winning Colorado Springs preschool which also offers a specialized camp experience for 4-year-olds. Give them a call today to hear more about the benefits of summer camp for preschoolers!

Creating Community Leaders

March 21, 2017 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

The biggest goal for the Young Scholars Academy Spring Break was to help these kids become self-aware of what they could do here at school and in their communities.

We partnered with the Colorado Springs Police Department and they were able to come down and help us in this plan! We discussed all kinds of safety, being road safe, gun safety, and ways to advocate for themselves and friends- we even had kids coming up with plans after their visit!

Another way we incorporated a “giving” mindset was by making hero sandwiches with the kids and delivering them! They loved seeing the direct reaction that the officers had, they were able to work hard and show how just a simple act could change someone’s day!

“Am I an example for my child?”

March 21, 2017 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

Growing up I had simple ideas of who I wanted to be or what I wanted to do as an adult. First it was a singer, then maybe a basketball star, or maybe a photographer of some sorts. I dabbled in all of it.

My parents took me to auditions for television, I played on nationally competitive ball teams, and my parents bought me my first camera. They fostered and cared for my every passion- no matter how frequent it changed.

Of course, I didn’t quite realize their drive for my success at the time but now, as an adult, hindsight shows me just how important of an influence my parents had on my interests. And now, as a mother, I understand it.

It wasn’t until the end of high school I had more of an understanding of what it was I truly wanted to do; I wanted to help people. I entered a university as a psychology major and growing up in a large military community, I thought the Veteran Affairs Office was where I was headed. Of course, my parents supported this dream too and I hit the ground running. I networked with the right people and worked hard in school. But, I still felt myself wanting to do “more” and feeling that maybe I wasn’t focusing on the right goal.

My desire to do more all started about my second year of schooling- I became a mother towards the end of my sophomore year and all of a sudden I was someone’s protector. Suddenly I had a little boy who looked up to me and the pressure of finding my “calling” was ever-present. However, there’s more to life than fulfilling ideas of how to make a living. The vital piece of information, that many miss, is finding who you are. Understanding the concept of self-actualization helps form a better realization of what you’re doing with your life, and where you want to be.

Self actualization means being all you can be, honoring your unique gifts and talents, and living a life of passion and purpose. In school, I was taught Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Basic needs need to be met, like food and water, then safety, love, self esteem- then self actualization becomes available. Of course, this is something I subconsciously was always striving for, but now I wanted to be an example of it for my son.

Sarah Lendt, a nationally certified counselor, states “Self-actualization is looking outside ourselves to do good for others, and receiving satisfaction in life for such behaviors.” She also states that people who have reached self actualization utilize their passions and talents in a realistic manner.

After having my son, I realized my talent was connecting with children. I had already been in early childhood for four years but becoming a mom only strengthened my ability to understand youth. My passion, still lied in psychology and I earned my BA after many night, Saturday, and online classes. When I graduated, I unexpectedly lost sight of what I wanted to do. See, that’s the thing about understanding yourself, it flows in seasons just like the rest of life. Events happen, you grow, you learn, and you readjust. My readjustment lead me to my end goal of elementary school counseling, my passion and talent finally collided.

There’s a lot of mess in finding yourself. A lot of struggle, a lot of questions, and a lot of those readjustments. I’m happy my son was a part of all of that this first time around. I never want to pretend to be anything less than human in front of him. I’ve learned that children learn best by example and all I hope is that I am a realistic one, with a touch of drive and beating the impossible.

I was blessed with parents who encouraged my every dream but also let me see the humanness in them. My goal, for myself and as a parent, is to set an example of enjoying the journey of life while reaching self-obtained goals. I need to show my boy how to find himself in this world by showing him that I find myself, time and time again.

~ Ms. Caitlin, Wellness Director

It’s National Kidney Disease Month. Read These Tips for Better Kidney Health

March 21, 2017 by Admin Leave a Comment

Your kidneys are very important organs in your body. Taking proper care of them will help you live better and longer. Many people don’t understand kidney disease or how to prevent it. For National Kidney Disease Month, you can learn how to better care for your kidneys and prevent disease.

Get Tested

Kidney failure is a slow and progressive disease that usually has no noticeable symptoms. Kidney disease awareness is important. Unless your kidneys have been injured in an accident, you may not know you have kidney disease without medical testing. Your doctor can perform a few types of tests to determine kidney function. These are usually blood tests or urine tests.

The blood test for kidney function is called glomular filtration rate or GFR. This measures the amount of creatine in your blood. Creatine is a waste product produced by working muscles. Your kidneys are responsible for filtering this waste from the blood. If the kidneys are not working properly, this acid will build up to unsafe levels in the blood stream.

The urine test for kidney function is called albumin-to-creatine ratio or ACR. The urine is tested for the protein albumin. This protein that should not be found in urine. If the test is positive, it indicates your kidneys are not functioning as well as they should.
There are five stages of disease that lead to kidney failure. There is no way to correct full kidney failure, so it is a life-threatening disease. The best option for a person in the advanced stages is a kidney transplant. Health can be maintained with dialysis, but this does not heal the kidneys.

Diabetes and Sugar

Diabetes is one of the leading causes of kidney failure. When you have diabetes, your body has trouble maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. Your kidneys are responsible for filtering your blood, so when you have high blood sugar your kidneys are under a lot of pressure to balance your system. They eventually become overloaded and begin to fail.

There are many things that may contribute to developing diabetes. Sometimes the disease is genetic, and there isn’t much you can do about that. Most diabetes, however, is brought on by a poor diet. Excess sugar in the diet is one of the leading causes of diabetes. It is important to avoid excess sugar. The American Heart Association recommends that children consume no more than six teaspoons of added sugar per day. This is also a good rule for adults to follow. Diabetes can affect a person of any age. The sooner you take steps to avoid it, the healthier your kidneys will be.

Salt and Blood Pressure

Blood pressure also has a major impact on kidney function. When blood pressure is high, more blood is forced through the sensitive tissues of the kidney faster. Over time, this may damage the kidney tissue that filters the blood. This tissue is very difficult to heal once damaged.

Too much sodium in the diet contributes to high blood pressure. Salt may also pose a danger to the kidneys directly. Sometimes minerals like sodium will harden in the kidneys. The result is a kidney stone. The kidney eventually forces the stone through the kidney tissue. The process is very painful. It may also damage the kidney tissue, which reduces function. The damage caused by passing a kidney stone often does not heal. A scar will form that is never able to filter any blood.
You do not have to eliminate all salt from your diet, but you should keep it to a healthy level. This means not adding salt to most foods and avoiding processed foods already high in salt. You can help balance sodium levels by also getting plenty of potassium from food and drinking plenty of water each day.

Drinking Too Much

Your kidneys are responsible for getting toxic substances out of your blood stream. Alcohol is highly toxic to the body, so your kidneys work extra hard to get rid of it. When you drink too much, you put strain on your kidneys and may damage them.

Alcohol also dehydrates you. Your kidneys’ other job is to maintain the right balance of water in your body. Consuming alcohol can make this job much more difficult. Over time, this may result in lost kidney function.
It is important to know how much is too much. Three drinks or less per day is considered safe for your body and is unlikely to cause serious problems.

Your diet has a lot to do with your kidney health. By maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding alcohol and smoking and choosing healthy foods most of the time, you can keep both your kidneys functioning for your entire life. Many of the conditions that lead to kidney disease are preventable.