N E W S * R E L E A S E

Contact: Dana Leventhal Phone: (713) 306-3980 E-mail: dana@houstonculture.org www.cultural-crossroads.com Houston Institute for Culture 5555 Morningside Drive, #204 Houston, Texas 77005 May 23, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


SOUTHERN ARIZONA LIFE-CHANGING
FOR AT-RISK STUDENTS

Cochise County, AZ - The Chiricahua Mountains in Cochise County may soon be a key reason why at-risk 10- to 12-year-olds from Houston decide to stay in school and even continue their education through college. This stunning natural setting is the backdrop for Camp Dos Cabezas, an innovative new camp that offers underachieving fourth graders with economic hardships the rare opportunity to leave their regular home and school environs for an intense, early-intervention educational adventure. With support from local museums, parks, and historical sites, and developed by Houston Institute of Culture, a nonprofit organization devoted to cultural advocacy and education, the camp motivates young students to champion their education. The extraordinary geology of the region excites the campers each day on hikes through dramatic rock formations, and during visits to museums and monuments. The diversity of the cultural history and environment shapes their future interests.

Camp Dos Cabezas was created to utilize the knowlege of park rangers and museums across Southern Arizona. With their help and with highly personalized, one-on-one support from adult volunteers including educators, professors, and University of Houston School of Education Ph.D. candidates, the students will learn about the history, geography, politics, ecology, and anthropology of this diverse and culturally rich area. By participating in hiking, field research, teamwork, and other activities, the children will find subjects they are passionate about and compile their research in presentations and essays. Upon returning home, students will extend the impact of the camp to the community by giving presentations about their experiences for area schools, churches, and community centers. Their academic progress will be monitored into following years and ongoing academic incentives will be offered to help sustain their success.

Mark Lacy, camp organizer and founder of Houston Institute for Culture, explains, "Dos Cabezas, Spanish for 'two heads,' is a peak and historic landmark in Cochise County, Arizona. Its name is symbolic of the education partnerships between students and their mentors, that is, businesses that provide education scholarships and volunteer educators. Camp Dos Cabezas is a tremendous educational opportunity that draws on the dramatic history, multiculturalism, and geography of southeast Arizona."

On their fully-funded excursions, students will spot deer on the trail through the Silver Spur Meadow; experience the habitat of more than 1,200 species of plants and hundreds of migrating birds; learn about Faraway Ranch, the pioneer cabin of Swedish immigrants Neil and Emma Erickson; and try on Spanish armor at the Coronado National Memorial.


Get more information about Camp Dos Cabezas:
http://www.houstonculture.org/camp

Use the following links to learn more about the subjects, museums and parks the children will enjoy while they develop interests in education and their futures on their great adventure in the "Land of Standing Up Rocks":
http://houstonculture.org/camp/campmap.html
http://houstonculture.org/camp/topics.html
http://houstonculture.org/vc/azmextime.html


Contact information:

email: info@houstonculture.org
phone: 713-521-3686
online: www.houstonculture.org/camp.



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