Thursday at LCA

After Akkana’s Gimp talk I met Pia Waugh at the Pavilions to help with setting up for Open Day. It was fun helping set up. I like to be useful and help out.

Open Day itself was awesome!!! I took heaps of photos which are all at Flickr. There were approximately 1200 people present, that’s conference attendees and visitors. I went through the Pavilions where all the stalls were set up about three times and I still didn’t get to see everything. πŸ™‚ There were 40 stalls and 15 talks. Sometimes it was too crowded to get near enough to stalls or to hear talks. What a great problem to have! It’s hard to tell what the most popular stalls were but I think they were (not in order) – Ubuntu, RepRap, Open Source Gaming, One Laptop Per Child, Homemade Rockets and Satellites, Virtual Reality, Digital Audio, Robot Dogs. These were nearly all interactive stalls.

On Friday I started thinking about all the expo’s etc that I go to for Teen Challenge. It would be good to have some form of interactivity for our stall. I’m wondering if there are any blood alcohol level tester programs or similar which could run from a laptop (open source of course). This might be a bit expensive to do with lots of disposable bits for blowing into. It’s something also these lines that I’m after. Something interactive which can be quickly and easily set up at a school or expo. I’ve done demo’s of the materials we teach and how we use open source software at Software Freedom Day and similar events but I want something which more specifically deals with Teen Challenge and what we’re about. I wonder if there’s a quiz on drug knowledge? I could probably create one in Hot Potatoes. I haven’t looked at the Linux version of their software. Maybe even Jessica could do this as a school project – make a quiz on legal and illegal drugs for her age group (early high school). A “Myth Busters” type of thing, multiple choice or true and false. Hot Potatoes quizzes work in a web browser, they can be online or local.

6 thoughts on “Thursday at LCA

  • July 24, 2007 at 4:24 pm
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    My son has been enrolled at Teen Challenge Bonifay since June 2006. It has been a rewarding and life changing experience for him. He had a two-week Christmas visit and a two-week “re-entry” visit back home with family. His reactions to situations and demeaner are entirely different than when he first enrolled and he is returning to the son we knew and loved as a child.

    The ranch is regularly monitored by county agencies and suprise inspections are frequently carried out without incident. This is a military style camp with firm strict rules, but my son has flourished with the consistency and discipline with love.

    I could not see sending my son to a facility that would use drugs to control him nor could I see the benefit of a psychobable facility to rationalize his behaviour.

    This is just what he needed to get his head screwed on straight. There is a proper amount of discipline blended with classroom, bible study and mentorship. As students progress through the program and show improvement they are given the opportunity to lead and mentor the newer students.

    Its not a facility with ex-military drill instructors harrassing the boys 24/7. Its Christian men held to high standards of integrity and peers of the boys who have demonstrated a level of trust and accountability. There are also a number of ladies in teaching and facilitating roles.

    Further, the students are kept busy with regular chores and exercise. This is a working farm and they do supply some of their own food items. Its a good way to give a young man some responsibility and have him gain self-worth through accomplishment.

    There is also free time for swimming or fishing in the lake, playing board games, chess, table tennis, weight lifting, horse riding, reading, etc. My son is teaching himself to play the accoustic guitar.

    The students are rewarded for acheiving school goals with field trips. My son has gone deep-sea fishing on a coulple of occasions, for example. During the yearly rodeo, in town, a large number of the boys are allowed to attend. There are opportunities for community service and missions trips both in the states and outside the U.S.A. as well.

    Yes, the phone calls are monitored via speaker-phone. I haven’t seen the need to discuss anything that couldn’t be overheard by a dorm full of boys and I’ve never been cut off.

    My son is in the best shape emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually that he has ever been.

    All in all, its a great program.

    Reply
  • July 25, 2007 at 10:26 am
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    Hi
    I struck a deal with Karly. I agreed to leave one of her comments if she’d stop repeatedly posting the same comment to my blog. Also I don’t see her blog as a problem. There are always going to be those who disagree.

    Thanks for your positive comments on the Teen Challenge program you’ve had experience with πŸ™‚

    All the best, Kylie

    Reply
  • August 28, 2007 at 8:58 pm
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    For those who have benefited from TC congratulations!!

    For those who trash it when they have only third party knowledge, shame on you.

    It hasn’t been my experience that drug addicts and alcoholics are reliable sources of information.
    If they are looking for excuses to get out of a program that is helping them, do you think they may not be entirely truthful about their experiences?

    Reply

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