Picture it….the mountains above Santa Barbara, California.
Clean clear air, stunning environment; you awake to birds chirping and fall
asleep to cricket and frog melodies.
It’s the week before school begins. Myself and two other teachers actually plan
ahead to spend four days away from hectic city life….with nearly thirty
teenagers! Before paranoia
sets in, let me warn you…these are the four most fun filled days a teacher can
have. There is so much
laughter during this time that the memories and jokes that arise, linger
throughout the year.
ASB camp, headed by Mrs. Linda Wyatt, Modern Language
Department Chair, occurs the 3rd week of August and the 4th
week of January. The Associated
Student Body needs ample time to plan the numerous activities that take place
on campus throughout
the academic year. Ms. Tanya
Baronian and I, both faculty in the English department, accompany Ms.
Wyatt. I find it thoroughly ironic
that I attend ASB camp with our students, since when I was a student here, I
was not part of ASB.
These four days, the students spend time in meeting after
meeting, assembled in a large circle.
They generate ideas, write down suggestions and assign job titles,
dealing with events as early as the back to school dance, the first spirit point
event of the year, to the ever popular Theme Day. They also have intervals of specialized group work, where
they partake in activities that test one another’s strengths and weaknesses,
learning how to work best as a whole. It is wonderful to see the growth in the students’
relationships with each other, between day one and day four.
They have periodic brakes throughout each day, aside from
breakfast, lunch and dinner. Ms. Baronian
and I do the cooking and love seeing the kids wander in and out of the kitchen
every once in a while, saying how good everything smells. Each meal begins with a prayer and the
students set the tables. For many
of them, it’s an opportunity to have meals that are not fast food, frozen, or
out of a can or box. They refer to
each “feast” as “amazing” and the “best ever.” They profusely say “please” and “thank you”.
The real fun comes in twice each day; recreation time and in
the evening, as “lights out” approaches.
Rec time, a two hour block of freedom each day, is where they have the
choice of a hike, swimming, ping pong, board games, sleep, Rock Band, or plain
old fashioned laughter and conversation.
Ten O’clock is when they wind down, having finished the agenda for the
day. Bedtime is midnight, though
often enough we go past that, since the kids keep us awake with their humor,
stories and life experiences.
There are times Ms. Baronian and I laugh so hard, our stomachs are sore
the following day.
The four days away is comparable to other vacations, in that
it feels long yet goes by quickly.
Some are anxious to go home and sleep, while others wish they could stay
longer and enjoy the experience and environment just a bit more.
There you have it…reasons why we continue to attend ASB camp
with our students. I am amazed
more with each passing year, at their wit, maturity and talent, as well as well
their triumphs and struggles. Our
students are some of the best company to have. Luckily, they bring their personalities with them to class
everyday, something I am ever grateful for. It is easy to say, being an alumna of Providence myself,
that we acquire such wonderful young men and women each year; the proof is in
the many student centered activities that take place and the results they
garner, ASB camp being one of them.
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