This week has involved a lot less class time than these sixth-grade students from Drake Middle School expected. The rough weather brought on by Hurricane Irma led to Auburn City Schools closing Monday and Tuesday, and today, we have one group of students who are excited to stay out of the classroom for an extra day. A group was scheduled to visit Camp yesterday, but due to school cancellations, that will be rescheduled for a later date.
Today’s group of students came ready to brave the group elements, conquer the morning chill at the waterslide, and much more. Once the groups arrived by charter buses, all the students quickly headed to the gym to meet up with Outdoor Education Director Cody Graham for some direction on where to split into their groups. Once they received instructions and found their buddies, each group was led to their first activity of the day.
One of the greatest memories of the day happened at the zip line this morning. One student immediately told the ASCCA staff that he did not want to participate in the zip line before the group had even gotten out to the program area. We do remind the students that the zip line is a challenge by choice activity, so if they do not wish to ride, that is okay. However, we have found that the zip line is a great place for individuals to conquer their fears.
With his classmates cheering behind him, this particular student pulled himself to the top of the tower where he met Nurse Abbey. He was very unsure about the ride ahead of him and asked if he could get back down. However, Nurse Abbey and the support of his classmates motivated him to take a seat on the edge of the platform and take the ride of a lifetime.
Once he was flying through the air, a smile came over his face, and he began to yell at the top of his lungs with excitement. At the end, he was greeted with cheers and high fives from parents and ASCCA staff, and it was a moment that he plans to share with his family and friends and a memory that will last forever. We value moments like this because it shows how Camp ASCCA is a place for anyone. We all come with our own fears, but they can be conquered by the help of a friend.
If you are interested in bringing your school or organization to ASCCA for a day, contact Camp Director Matt Rickman at matt@campascca.org or 256-825-9226.
Located in Alabama on Lake Martin, Camp ASCCA offers campers a wide variety of traditional recreational and educational activities with a unique design for accessibility.
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