My week at camp

Camp. A place for cheesy songs, smelly kids, sleep deprivation, and memories. I spent the last week at lovely Camp Storer with my new favorite 5th graders from good old Toledo, OH.

For over a year now I've been putting off the dreaded EDU 266 at lovely Heidelberg University. EDU 266 is simply a 0 credit class that requires we spend a week at Camp Storer as camp counselors. I've been avoiding it because taking a week off is just not easy for me to do with a limited amount of vacation days and a ton of responsibilities that are hard to step away from.

So it wasn't the above mentioned songs, smell, or sleep deprivation that made my week so memorable. It wasn't the bedwetting kids, the constant concern over trying to keep 8 boys from hurting themselves or each other. I'm pretty sure it wasn't the general disagreement every day over the camps insistence upon the observance of "rest hour" and lights out. I doubt it was camp food, muddy shoes, or any of those things.

It had to be something. Maybe it was the talented staff, or my fellow counselors who were all really pleasant and nice people to hang out with for a week.

No, those were nice, and certainly "long, boring meetings" with friends and music made things much more tolerable, but it had to be something else.

I guess that leaves the kids. Names like Jayvon, Kenny, Degeon, Diantae, Dawson, Clarence, Davian, and Mohammed. Names that have becomed etched on the flesh of my heart because behind the behavioral problems and the facades fifth grade boys put on to fool each other were 8 kids looking for love, a listening ear, and a chance to be kids for a week.

All week I struggled with trying to be fun while keeping their safety and well being in mind. All week I tried so hard to be enthusiastic and disciplined for them.


So maybe I will be instinctualy waking up at 6 for a couple of weeks hearing the sounds of Opray Pigfrey in my mind. I might have a ton of things to do this week to make up for the week off. But I love how the best memories come from loving and being loved. Giving of yourself while expecting nothing in return is where purpose truly comes from. So I suppose this is the song of my week.