As educators, we are asked to measure students’ successes and failures as a way to assess accomplishments. The successes at Blue Jay Point really measured up! Students began the first day by playing Backbone Boogie. They had to identify reptiles, birds, mammals and fish. Everyone was able to play, and that is a huge win! We moved into the lodge and set up our bunks and put food away. After that, the students went on a hike. We explored the trail and the lake shore with new eyes as we looked for things to draw. When we got back to the lodge, students played board games and explored the lodge property. There were no electronics in sight and no one asked for their phone or a movie! Students helped prepare dinner, and we all learned that Aldi mashed potato mix is not the way to go! We all laughed as we used the potatoes to glue our silverware to our plates!! All was made right again at the campfire where we had s’mores and sang with Mr. Tommy.
The second day was full of fun and movement! We played kickball, wiffle ball, went geocaching, fishing, hiking, explored the “Who’s Who at Blue Jay” box, did some inspecting with binoculars and made delicious sandwiches for lunch! We had a little excitement at 4 when we realized the refrigerator wasn’t working!! We had to throw away a lot of food, but everyone rallied, and it was Papa John’s for the win!! Then we studied astronomy, set up a telescope, made another campfire and had more s’mores! Cleaning up the next day was a breeze!
Certain student’s successes were so huge that we want to shout them out: #1 Vincent Griffey – Vincent had never stayed away from his parents before, and he stayed 2 nights!! #2 Dominic Williams – Dominic loves his electronics and he made it through 2 days of camp and never asked for them once! #3 Craig Hester – Craig was an amazingly good sport and put up with merciless teasing from the teachers for 2 straight days! and #4 Taylor Hodges – Taylor kept getting put in hard situations, and he kept making good choices and being a great helper!
Extra big thank you to the following teachers who stayed from start to finish: Ethan Brown, Terri Zobel, Lise Minzes, Tommy Freeman (though he slept more than the rest of us) and Coach Jackson. Honorable mentions go out to Virginia Stanley, Katie Zobel, Roxanne Huffman, and Landon Johnson!
