August Specialty Camps and Stress Reduction at JCC of Mid-Westchester

As local day camps and sleep-away camps draw to a close, what's a mother to do? One option is to sign the youngsters up for an End-of-Summer Specialty camp at the JCC of Mid-Westchester.

For the week of August 12th to 16th, parents can enroll their children in one of three specialty camps: baseball, cheer-tumbling or drama-dance, all of which are held in the JCC's air-conditioned, well-equipped facilities.

The 3-up 3-down Baseball Program will teach kids the fundamentals of fielding and hitting, using batting cages and baseball diamonds at Scarsdale's Supply Field. Snacks and a dip in the JCC pool will round out each camp day, which run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m, August 12th to 16th. There will also be a surprise celebrity guest on the final day of camp, bringing the week's festivities to a close. The camp is for children ages 6 to 12 years, and the activities are grouped by age and ability. Cost is $400 for the week. For more information, contact Roy Emlet at 914-472-3300 x254.

The Cheer-Tumbling camp, for pre-teens ages 7-12, is great for those who want to learn to tumble for their school's cheerleading squad or an All-Star team. Cartwheels, round-offs, back handsprings, and back tucks are some of the skills taught with proper progression, as well as jumps and conditioning. This specialty camp runs from 9:00 am to 1:00pm, August 12th to 16th. Cost is $300 for the week. For additional information, contact Chon Smith at 914-472-3300 x324.

At the Drama Dance Mini Camp, children ages 4 to 7 years will gain confidence by acting and dancing with their peers in a safe, supportive environment. Professional acting instructor Kerri LuBell encourages cooperation, coordination, imagination and fun! The program runs from 9:00am to 12:00 noon, August 12th to 16th. For details, contact Jayne Santoro at 914- 472-3300 x320.

These specialty camps are not the only happening at the JCC this summer. On July 30th, the JCC of Mid-Westchester will host Juna Bobby, M.D. and founder of MindBodySpace. Dr. Bobby will present a lecture on improving children's emotional and mental health through stress relief.

The lecture will include an explanation of "good" stress versus "bad" stress, the physical and cognitive effects of stress overload, and how such overload can affect academic performance. Focusing on "Stress Reduction for Your Child's Peak Performance," Dr. Bobby will discuss the unique challenges and everyday stresses that children face today, and she will introduce the Extra Edge program for students, which is adapted from a program created by the Benson Henry Institute's Education Initiative at Harvard Medical School. In addition, Dr. Bobby will teach how to elicit the Relaxation Response -- an antidote to the stress response – through experiential exercises derived from cutting-edge scientific research in the field known as Mind-Body Medicine. Mind-Body Medicine is based on the concept that we can improve health and well being through self-care or "mind-body" techniques, such as meditation, guided imagery and deep breathing exercises.

Dr. Bobby, a graduate of the NYU Medical School, is a Board Certified radiologist. She also trained at Montefiore Medical Center, at St. Vincent's Hospital in New York, and at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital Psychiatry Academy continuing education programs for Mind Body Medicine and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Her expertise lies in teaching positive thinking skills and tools to break cycles of stress and promote health and inner well being. Her program website is www.mindbodyspace.com.

This event will run from at 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM on Tuesday, July 30th at the JCC of Mid-Westchester, which is located at 999 Wilmot Road in Scarsdale. The cost for this event is $25, payable at the JCC in Scarsdale. For more information, contact Academic Center Director Lisa Itzkowitz via phone at 914-472-3300 ext.275 or via email at itzkowitzl@jccmw.org.