F.C. Bulletin: Letters, Launch of Innovative Boys' Camp, Abundance Movement; Art by Courage
Lifelong Falls Church Local Launches Camp to Help Teens Build Strength, Confidence, and Character.
I grew up in Falls Church. I walked the halls of every school here — Mount Daniel, TJ, MEH, and Meridian. I still live here. I recently graduated from Virginia Tech, and even though I’ve spent time elsewhere, this area has always been home.
But something’s been bothering me.
I look around at kids — especially boys — in that fragile, early-teen stage, and I see a generation in limbo. Boys who are good kids, smart kids, capable kids, but adrift. Too much time inside. Too little challenge. Too few spaces where they’re asked to be more.
At that age — 13, 14 — you don’t need someone to talk at you. You need someone to believe in you. To push you. To show you what you’re made of.
That’s why I built Forge.
Forge is a summer camp for rising 8th and 9th grade boys, designed to build strength, discipline, confidence, and character. It’s part fitness, part life skills, part team-building — but more than anything, it’s a challenge. A wake-up call. A place where kids learn what they’re capable of.
Each day starts with morning workouts that develop strength and grit. Then we hit the classroom — but not the boring kind. We dive into real-world skills: communication, time management, leadership, personal organization, goal-setting. After lunch, we shift into activities that get kids moving, thinking, and connecting — team sports tournaments, group theatre trips, leadership challenges, and even a D.C. scavenger hunt where they’ll learn how to navigate public transportation and lead each other through the unknown.
There’s no fluff. No filler. Just pure growth — physically, mentally, emotionally.
“Forge isn’t about babysitting kids or burning time until school starts again,” I tell parents. “It’s about lighting a fire under them. It’s about giving them a foundation.”
The response so far has been overwhelming. Families from all over Northern Virginia are already signing up. Some of them heard about it through word of mouth. Some through a flyer at a school. But almost all of them say the same thing: “There’s nothing else like this.”
Camp runs from July 7 to August 1 from Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Families can sign up for any number of weeks, with discounts for multi-week registration and a $50 referral bonus for each new family they bring in. We’ll be operating out of George Mason University and their premier facilities, and I’ve made sure the camper-to-coach ratio stays small so each kid gets real guidance and attention.
The camp is called Forge for a reason. Because that’s what we’re doing — putting kids through pressure, structure, and heat in the right ways, so they come out stronger. Sharper. More sure of themselves.
This is a grassroots project, built from scratch. I’ve put everything I have into it — not because I want to run a camp, but because I believe this age matters. I believe what happens during these years can shape who a kid becomes.
We say we want strong kids. Resilient kids. Leaders. Let’s actually build them.
If you want to learn more, visit www.forgecamps.com or email me directly at info@forgecamps.com.
By Marco Ferrara,
City of Falls Church
Is It Time for The Abundance Movement and a Third Party to Connect?
Recent coverage of the Abundance Movement has been one of the more encouraging developments I’ve seen in the news lately.
I agree that our country has been distracted by provocative cultural battles instead of demanding that our leaders meet our basic needs and secure long-term prosperity for the United States.
But how can the Abundance Movement truly bridge our deep political divide while operating under the umbrella of the Democratic Party? In its admirable quest to be inclusive and flexible, the party has also alienated large swaths of Americans — a reality that seems unlikely to change soon.
The Democratic Party has also repeatedly failed its base. For those upset that President Trump is back in office, do we remember how we got here the first time?
In 2016, the people rallied behind Bernie Sanders. Yet party leaders pushed Hillary Clinton forward instead. Many in the political center rejected that choice and viewed the party’s actions as undemocratic. The same may have happened with Kamala Harris — except this time, we didn’t even get the illusion of another option. Now President Trump has returned, and he seems even more controversial and more influential than before.
So how does this tug-of-war end? Both major parties increasingly rely on fear, otherism, and ideological extremes to drive turnout. But that approach is unsustainable. The two-party system has become so broken, it risks breaking the country itself.
Maybe we're finally ready for a strong third party. The Forward Party and the Abundance Movement, while different in origin, share a desire to rise above division, reimagine what’s possible, and restore functionality to our democracy. One brings vision and optimism; the other brings reform and structure. If they can work together — combining bold ideas with practical solutions — they could offer Americans something we desperately need: a future grounded not in fear, but in possibility.
By Jennie Jerez,
City of Falls Church
Art by Courage Donates to Inova’s Arts & Healing Program
In the spirit of AAPI Heritage Month in May, Art by Courage, a small local art studio, is proud to donate a framed print of Organ Donors to the Inova Schar Cancer Institute’s Arts & Healing Program 8095 Innovation Park Dr., Fairfax.
This limited-print digital painting was locally exhibited at the PARC at Tysons Art Gallery before being jury-selected into the prestigious Society of Illustrators' 67th Annual Exhibition in New York City.
“I believe that art has the power to heal, inspire, and connect,” said Regina Chua, co-founder of Art by Courage. “We are honored that our institutional piece, Organ Donors, can contribute to Inova’s mission by offering patients and their families a moment of solace, a reflection of resilience, and a reminder that their journey—no matter how difficult — is seen.”
The Arts & Healing Program at Inova Schar Cancer Institute integrates the transformative impact of art into patient-centered care through a permanent art collection, exhibitions, performing arts events, and creative workshops. By donating, Art by Courage hopes to support this vital initiative and offer comfort through artistic expression.
For more information, please contact Regina Chua at regina@artbycourage.com.
About Art by Courage
Art by Courage is a NoVA-based studio specializing in graphic novels and illustrations. With a commitment to community engagement, Art by Courage creates works that spark conversation, evoke emotion, and bring diverse narratives to life.
For more on Art by Courage, see our recent article below:
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