One of our biggest "events" of the year.
Over twenty 7th and 8th graders. Three days. One Community Service Project.
Last Friday afternoon, I piled my car with four of our Packwood kids and a trunk-full of luggage and we headed out to the boonies of Cispus. Any 7/8 grader in any of our service areas can apply to go to Civic Engagement Camp but because the result of camp must be a student-led project, planned with focus, motivation and responsibility, the kids ultimately have to make it through an AmeriTeam application screening. We don't reject too many applicants but there are some we deem not-quite-ready and some that are questionable. One of our Packwood kids was the latter. Rowdy and prone to showing off for his friends, D was never one I would have thought would even want to apply to camp. But I had heard that when he was removed from the group, or focused on work, he was intelligent, and fairly respectful. We gave him the benefit of the doubt and after reasserting that this would be a work experience, he was the first waiting for my ride that day.
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| The kiddos voted on the group name "Pinequin" which was interpreted a couple different ways when Corey drew up the logo |
Immediately, his attitude was comparatively mellow in our small commuting group. It was this and other behavioral shifts witnessed throughout the weekend that made for one of the best part of camp. As we moved through each of the six units from talking about a sense of place and the importance of community to exploring the power of the kid's voices, votes and actions to effect change and ultimately to create a project of their own, there was a lot of opportunity for on-the-spot participation. I watched a boy who acted unabashedly outrageous in his friend group finally nix his Family Guy accent and nervously deliver a campaign argument. I saw kids that I'd never thought were friends form bonds. And over the course of a weekend, I watched an incredibly rambunctious and distracted group of middle schoolers gradually become more transfixed on the purpose and meaning of the camp. Not to say that they took a 180 or that we didn't hear whines about the work involved here and there, but it was a shift.
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| My rendition of our CE Journals that we decorate in Unit 1 (front) |
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| Back |
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| The Hiking crew |
While we did have "down time" during infirmary shifts - alone in a room at attention for any emergency calls - it had been foolish to think I'd be journaling every day or finally finishing the letter to my brother. The days were long - launching right into our first unit on Friday, rising early and going to bed well past 11pm each night - but I learned a lot in reflecting on how I've come to teach and interact and on how my teammates teach and interact. Even when I was burnt out, I was taking mental notes on what my teammates were doing to keep the kids motivated, the kind of language each of us uses, my strengths and weaknesses. Mary and Mackensie and I had our first unit on Friday and so for the rest of the camp, I was mainly the support team. Saturday, I co-facilitated (well, not quite since Ainsley knows the ropes better) the challenge course for a group of the kids and later on, took some on a hike with Ainsley and Lou.
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| Tower of Tires on the Challenge Course |
Another perk was the reminder of Summer Camp. We had a movie night on Friday where I thoroughly enjoyed "How to Train Your Dragon" and on Saturday, we did campfire songs. Corey asked me to help lead "Zum Gali Gali" which he'd learned at a Catholic camp and a few unexpected ones of my camp past came flooding back to me. We also had a 3-way sing-off of "Mmmm-AAH went the little green frog": Washington, Virginia, and Michigan style. There were quite a few in favor of Virginia's brutal froggy-death ending but the official verdict that night came out in favor of the Michigan truth: that frogs most definitely go "BANANANANANA". : )
The final project that the kids chose was "Trail Navigation" which has since morphed more towards "trail maintenance". The majority of Sunday was spent on Unit 6 during which the groups split up into "task forces", set a date and plot their course of action to make the project a reality. Our White Pass group originally wanted to clean the Packwood Lake Trail and eagerly took their first step of contacting forest service before we'd even arrived home. Under the Forest Service Advice, they are now considering one of two more "high-need" trails. We're pretty proud of them for navigating the logistics.
While it was advised that we give ourselves an "easy week" after the camp, that didn't really end up being feasible for any of us. Monday through Thursday, I felt like I'd hit my head, my mental wit all but depleted. With the team meeting in Mary and I 's hands for Friday, we declared a "potluck and pajama" meeting and I diligently wore my plaid flannels EVERYWHERE for the entire day.
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| I went a bit overboard....sleeplessness-induced crazy? |
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| NOM |
Feeling a bit more rested now. : ) 
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