470 Pound Teen Receives Partial Scholarship to Attend Camp Shining Stars

March 23, 2010 - PRLog -- An anonymous donor, who will match all future donations, generously funded the scholarship that will be used toward this summer’s camp tuition. Hood’s award was selected based on a sincere essay he penned expressing how his success at Camp Shining Stars in 2009 jumpstarted his focus toward healthier living. The 15-year old made headlines in 2009 when he started his first day at summer camp weighing over 500 pounds.  

Pending additional donations, Hood may be one of 100 campers who will spend their summer at Camp Shining Stars on the campus of Barton College. A close community has been shown to promote healthy living as campers motivate each other and learn that they are accountable for their choices. Because of the small camp size and nurturing environment, staff and campers get to know each other well over the 6-week session.

Donations toward Hood’s tuition can be made through the Healthy Children Foundation http://healthychildrenfoundation.org/donate.html. “We’re excited of Anthony’s scholarship award. He had such a successful summer last year; I can’t wait to see what he will accomplish this year,” said Ira Green, Director of Camp Shining Stars. “We are grateful that individuals know the value of our camp and Anthony’s potential.”

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Camp Shining Stars “Where Winners LOSE” is a non-profit, co-educational summer weight loss camp for teens hosted on the Barton College campus. They believe every child has inherent qualities of importance, beauty, and the capacity to enrich and be enriched by the world in which they live, regardless race, sex, ethnic heritage, income or socio-economic class. Unique in size, privacy and independence, Camp Shining Stars is smaller than traditional summer camps, offers a private residence life with two campers to a room, and is the only weight loss camp that allows campers to choose their own activities. Focused on teaching young adults the habits necessary for leading a healthy life, raising self esteem and losing weight, Camp Shining Stars is supported by a distinguished medical advisory board and offers a menu influenced by nutrition majors at Cornell University, University of North Carolina and East Carolina University. www.campshiningstars.org