| Stamp Camp USA | History Stamp Camp USA was first introduced in 1995 in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, in the Northern Tioga School District area. The program encouraged campers to combine their artistic and creative talents with organized philately, stamp exhibiting, and open exhibit competition. The fundamentals developed by Knoxville, now Nelson, Pennsylvania Postmaster, Cheryl B. Edgcomb, with the assistance of two elementary school teachers, Suzzane Harer and Sylvia Wood. The philatelic experience expanded on Mrs. Wood's classroom project Manatee Stamp Letter writing campaign with her third graders. Four years later, that activity culminated in the issue of that stamp as part of the Endangered Species Issue, and opportunity for these small- town students to participate in the first day of issue ceremony at Sea World in Florida. Stamp Camp USA conducted the first four years in Knoxville, Pennsylvania. As interest increased and the program developed, with the assistance of the United States Postal Service and the American Philatelic Society, CEO and founder Cheryl Edgcomb was detailed from her postmaster position to postal headquarters in Washington, DC to pilot Stamp Camp USA on a national level. In 2003, Stamp Camp USA became incorporated in Pennsylvania, and by 2005, it achieved IRS designation as a non-profit 501c3 educational organization. Today, Stamp Camp USA operates as a non-profit entity that relies upon strong community and individual collaborative partnerships intent upon generating youth learning experiences. Various partners include Scouting, 4-H, YMCA, Headstart, Homeschoolers, Center for Independent Living, National Association of Postmasters, National League of Postmasters, American Stamp Dealers Association, National Stamp Dealers Association, Experience Works, Partners in Progress, Senior Citizen Services, Northern Tioga School District, and others who want to see children develop in positive ways. In 2006, Stamp Camp USA became part of the Washington 2006 International Stamp Show Committee, providing youth and adult leader stamp camps for the two-week duration. This opened the door for international program expansion, and Stamp Camp USA is expanding its youth programming outreach to Cayman Islands as a direct result of this collaborative effort. Northern Tioga School District continues to provide valued support, and Stamp Camp USA's national headquarters was relocated in 2007 to the district’s administrative building, were a larger field office helps to more adequately serve this growing educational outreach. Cooperative efforts between the two have included senior community projects, pictorial and cachet design, exhibit competitions, as well as web site development, and affording district students with hands- on learning opportunities that will help propel them into the business world arena. As more and more people become aware of Stamp Camp USA's mission, a wider range of program expansion is transpiring. With the incredible support that Stamp Camp USA has seen thus far, coupled with the vision of Stamp Camp USA's board of directors field office staff, this unique effort will continue for many generations. |
| | Home | News | Training | Stamps | Kidz Zone | Contact Us | Copyright © 2010 Stamp Camp USA | Sitemap | |
| | Top | |