Grit and Growth on a Mixed Up Monday
August 6, 2018 by Don Gentle
Don’t fret if you see some messed up attire today. It was “Mixed up Monday” and a lot of boys enjoyed have their clothes inside-out and backward today. I even saw a few shoes on the worng feet for a bit this morning! I was impressed with the enthusiasm for the theme today. These boys are a hoot!
I always tell the parents that projectiles and adolescent boys go hand in hand. There are 115 boys signed up for shooting sports. The boys truly love these sports. Even the dads on Father-Son Weekend get excited about this activity. What I also tell parents is there is no other place where you also have the full attention of the boys. They uphold all the rules with the utmost respect. You rarely have to tell them to do anything twice. Part of this is because they want to shoot so much, but the other part is…well they really want to shoot again. There is also no other place where you can see boys focus on just one thing, learn to do the exact same process in exactly the same way every time to get a consistent result. Did you hear about the focus part? Target sports are fantastic and fun activities that help boys focus. The staff down here are incredible. I really enjoy seeing these boys’ eagerness to learn. I’m sure they will want to bring you down to the range on parents’ day. Be ready!
We had a couple of High Rocks climbing trips head out today to our very own High Rocks boulders. What a great place to climb and it is only a short hike away! The boys really enjoy getting out on real rock.
Our other trip out today was another canoeing trip down the French Broad right here in Brevard. A great moving flat water section to learn new skills that will take them to the next step. Our paddling program always starts out in canoes and always on flatwater. The canoe gives the boys a good vantage point for when they first hit the river and it gives them a bigger craft that is not as edgy as a solo canoe or kayak. It is a tried and tested tradition in these parts that go back for over a hundred years. The boys will learn both the bow and stern positions on the lake and on the river. All of their strokes and maneuvers are designed to take them down the whitewater river progression. Once the boys have moved up to the second or third rivers in the canoeing progression, they can move into a solo boat like a kayak, C-1, or OC-1 (solo canoe). They will continue their progression in the canoe and the solo craft. Year after year these boys are challenged on new rivers with new skills. It is still one of our most popular activities. These boys in the two-week session are just starting along that progression that can eventually take them to Class II and IV white water a few years down the road.
Speaking of awesomeness. You could see a different swagger in the boys today. I think they are really starting to find their place here at High Rocks. You can just see the confidence as they move around camp from place to place. The beauty of camp, especially at a place like High Rocks, is that these boys ARE doing a lot for themselves. Sure it is a nurturing environment, but we provide purposeful opportunities for these guys to work it out on their own. Sometimes I don’t even think it is fair for parents to compete with what can happen at camp because these counselors are the coolest thing in the world to these kids. The coolness factor along with the “fun” factor of camp creates a perfect environment for growth, self-reliance, and a little grit. The “grit” is the ability to work out the day to day events of life that happen. It could be getting to your activities on time, or it could be deciding what trip to go on. Sometimes it could be working through a disagreement in the cabin. I really enjoy seeing the growth. So today I saw some of that grit and growth. They make their way out of assembly with confidence and courage. They know where they are going and they know how to get there. When they get to their activity, you can see them put on their equipment and be ready for the event. It always happens this way; you just see the difference one day.
Darby (our extraordinary office manager and director of marketing and communication) made me promise to remind you of a couple closing session items. First, if you plan on having your son’s trunk shipped home, please contact the UPS store in Brevard for details and payment. You also need to let us know that you would like your trunk shipped. We will deliver your trunk and/or duffel to the UPS Store in Brevard on closing day for shipment.
The UPS Store | Brevard
102 College Station Dr. Ste 3, Brevard, NC 28712
Phone: (828) 883-4701
Fax: (828) 883-4801
Email: store3439@theupsstore. com
Again, please contact Darby in the office at office@highrocks.com if you decide to ship a trunk and/or duffel and we will deliver the item(s) to the UPS store after Closing Day. Second, if you would still like to download high-resolution pictures or purchase a USB drive of pictures, be sure to let Darby know.
Don’t fret if you see some messed up attire today. It was “Mixed up Monday” and a lot of boys enjoyed have their clothes inside-out and backwards today. Tomorrow is going to be another day of awesomeness. The boys are really in a groove. We have more climbing, paddling and hiking trips all heading out in the woods tomorrow!
Have a great night!
Don