DMC is Finished for the Summer

It was a great summer at Durango Mountain Camp. Everyone had a blast - learning a ton, having fun and making friends.  Hopefully we see you next summer!

DMC connects with the White House

Dear Mr. Biden,

You may remember me; my name is Atlas Loutfi, I met you at the embassy meet-and-greet in Tokyo and had you sign my book. Recently I’ve been researching you and have been highly impressed by your political ways, especially with your vote for the Iraq War Resolution in 2002 and your help with securing the brief release of Fathi Eljahmi in 2004.

I am also impressed by your vote in favor of your $700 billion Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 because it takes a lot to stand in front of your nation and vote for anything, let alone over a matter of $700 billion.

I thought that it was interesting that your birthday is only 17 days after mine yet you are 62 years older than me. I was wowed by all of your titles including Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Chairman of the International Narcotics Control Caucus, and United States Senator from Delaware.

I was looking at a chart of your advocacy organizations ratings and saw many high ratings among which public health, progressive taxation, and labor unions played large roles. I am amazed that you have come so far in such a little time.

Yours truly,

Atlas Loutfi

The Final Installment of the Yeti Chronicles by Paige

The Final Blog:

Well, hello all you Yeti lovers and Yeti stalkers. Yedboto and I went hiking the fourteener for Extreme Weekend. He carried me up half-way, and we made it up one fourteener. He decided to come back down to the camp with me because I was not feeling well. I had some altitude sickness, I puked twice the night before and still went up the mountain the next day! Yedboto spent the night outside looking at the starts, then he snuck into my tent because it was cold outside and all the other tents were full. After the hike, we went to the gas station and bought candy. I bought three things of chocolate, two are gone and I’m almost done eating the last one. The Yeti and I don’t do as much now, since it’s almost the end of camp, and I have to leave soon. We did hula-hoop with a really cool hula-hoop. It’s a weighted hula-hoop that is used for exercising.

That’s pretty much it. Yedboto and I are signing off. kbye.

End of Camp Thoughts by Sebastian

This is the best camp I’ve ever been to, I hope I can come again next year. It has been the best year because I was able to finish a really long book with Brittany. The book is Percy Jackson. I have learned a lot and improved in my writing and reading because of her. The activities here are so much fun. My favorite part of camp is the academics because I have fun doing them, not like at school where I am bored. Because Brittany does it in a fun way so that I am happy about what I am doing. My least favorite part of camp is leaving the camp because there are no bad things about camp!

My favorite memory of camp this summer was the camp out and being able to make lots of friends.

Important Snake Info from ENZO

The Western Diamondback snake is a very dangerous snake; it is a poisonous snake found in western Texas through New Mexico, Arizona and into southern California. The diamondback is a pit viper and venomous. A pit viper is a snake that senses body temperature, and a venomous snake is a snake that can eject venom. They live 15-20 years in captivity and 10-15 years in the wild. Because the diamondback can be lethal, it is important to know what it looks like.

A diamondback snake has a diamond shaped pattern on its back that is black, white, and gray. It is 3 to 5 feet long and weighs about 10 pounds. Diamondbacks have a rattle at the end of their tail; the rattle is made up of hollow segments. The rattle is composed of keratin, a protein found in human hair and fingernails. When threatened, the diamondback uses its rattle as its last warning.

Diamondback snakes eat numerous things. They eat chipmunks, prairie dogs, gophers, squirrels, rabbits, mice, and birds within reach. It kills its prey by injecting venom into the animal; the venom destroys red blood cells which makes it fatal. It usually eats one animal every two or three weeks; the snake swallows its prey whole.

The diamondback has many predators, but these predators do not always eat them. Horses, cows, and deer see the snake as a threat and try to stomp on the snake. Some animals do look to eat the snake, like eagles, kingsnakes, and foxes. Humans will also deliberately kill diamondbacks because they think the snake is bad.

Even though many people are scared, diamondbacks do not try to kill humans. Diamondbacks just defend themselves.

Make sure you come with anti-venom when you go on a walk were snakes are located. It might just save your life. These snakes are dangerous but if you have anti-venom you will survive the bite.

            While diamondbacks are dangerous snakes, they are an important species in the food chain. These venomous, pit vipers are decreasing in numbers because of human activity; humans should stop building where the snake lives in order to protect its habitat. Because their bites can be fatal, humans should be careful to leave the snake alone. Most bites occur when people try to capture or kill the snake. As a deadly snake, it is important for people to respect the snake.