On May 9th through May 13th in Big South Fork, Tennessee, 24 Christel House students, four Christel House Academy staff members, and four Camptown staff members, enjoyed the annual four day backpacking and whitewater rafting trip.
Many of these children have not gone outside of the Indianapolis area, let alone their own neighborhoods. This trip allowed for them to see opportunities for themselves outside of their comfort zone, and to teach them how to work independently.
During the students’ fourth quarter, they learned how to provide and rely on themselves to survive in the wild. The training also provided safety tips, which students used throughout their time at Camptown.
Camptown staff worked with Mrs. Selle, a teacher at Christel House Academy, to set-up student training in the following areas: menu planning, packing, and trek trips (map reading). Camptown and Mrs. Selle also helped create a student journal for students to record their experiences and lessons they learned throughout the week.
Reflections were filled out daily that discussed different highlights, and how they could relate a specific skill that they learned at Camptown to their own home life. One Christel House student wrote,
“I was challenged by having to walk so far with the heavy bags and having to cook our own food. I accomplished a lot; I finished the walk and was able to cook my own food. I learned that not everything is easy. I learned that we need other people and those people need to be treated with respect.”
8th graders that remained at Christel House Academy for the week worked on planning their own imaginary road trip that was similar to Camptown. The imaginary trip gave students something to strive for once they finished their education at Christel House. This journey that students planned out for themselves shows them that opportunities exist beyond their backyard.
Labels: Academy, Camptown, Christel House
posted by Christel House Blog @
12:08 PM
