Sundays are special here at High Rocks. We want to be sure the boys have some time for reflection and to change it up a little bit. Rest is important. We give the boys an extra thirty minutes to sleep in on Sundays and we also share some important lessons down by the lake. Today was a perfect Sunday morning!
Our first agenda item of the day, however, was laundry. The boys all work together to get their items sorted into three bags, then they are asked to all work together to get those items off to the backside of the dining hall where the laundry is picked up. It’s certainly not something you add to your brochure, but these little steps at camp really help build some independence, accountability, and even empathy. I love watching the guys work together to get these sizable bags off to the pick-up point. In a flash, it’s all back to camp clean, dry, and folded before dinner.
Breakfast kicked off with scratch-made cinnamon rolls! I watched them roll out right on the table, head to the proofer, the oven, and finally the glazing! Of course, it was combined with assorted cereals, scrambled eggs, sausage, oatmeal, and an extended fruit bar with yogurt. A great way to kick off a Sunday.
After some time at assembly, we gathered for our Sunday morning reflective time by the lake. Zoob went over some ideas about Being Brave. Bravery is not something we are born with; you acquire it over time as you gain life experiences. You can practice being brave by acting on what your heart tells you to do and challenging yourself with new experiences, even when you are afraid. It can take a little time and a lot of patience with yourself. Some other key phrases the kids heard were: examine your fears, accept vulnerability, practice accepting uncertainty, attempt difficult tasks, and develop mental resilience. Zoob did a great job of tying it together with the High Rocks community, activities, and day-to-day life at camp. I feel like summer camp at High Rocks is a perfect place to work on this topic. My favorite part was her “be brave for 20 seconds” moment. It’s hard to imagine being brave for a whole day, or even an hour. You can do anything for 20 seconds. It’s all about meeting challenges in a brave way.
The rest of the morning was presented with all sorts of choice period activities and events. Camp looked alive all over the campus with guys, canoeing, waterslide, rope swing, games of gaga and four square happening, tennis, and even some slip and slide. I also enjoyed guys just relaxing in the chair down by the lake with a book.
As if the morning fun wasn’t enough, the afternoon soon came to life after rest hour with the Annual High Rocks Carnival! Complete with all sorts of games and fun including a bounce house and a giant slide. The boys had a blast and so did the staff!
Everyone ran off to shower after the carnival. We then had a great cookout with hot dogs and hamburgers on the lawn. After dinner, we had an all-camp campfire to finish out the day and think about the week ahead. The boys had a hard time believing that there is only five days left of camp. They say time flies when you’re having fun, & we’re certainly having fun!!!
Speaking of fun, below is a quick highlight video from a few days last week.
It’s going to be an awesome five days! I will keep you posted up to the last night. Stay tuned!
Don Gentle
