Every year during fall, JH teachers Terry Richards, Hallie Rojeski and another teacher take the 8th-grade class to Calvin Crest Outdoor School for a week. However, due to the Railroad Fire, camp was postponed twice and rescheduled for a weekend, as it was the only space available. Two of this year’s leaders, sophomore Logan Lewis and junior Kamryn Schultz, share their experiences.

Kamryn Schultz

Towards the end of my sophomore year, I heard rumors of the junior high teachers choosing counselors for their annual trip to Calvin Crest. Ever since I had attended the camp in eighth grade, I always wanted to be a counselor; someone the kids looked up to and respected.

Hallie Rojeski eventually asked me to become one, and I responded with an enthusiastic “yes.”

Prepping for the trip was definitely an inner challenge. As Terry Richards and Hallie Rojeski discussed the rules, regulations, and expectations of the nine leaders, I began to get nervous. The counselor I had in eighth grade was not the best role model and didn’t have a big impact on my life.

I wanted to be a better more responsible leader but was scared of saying the wrong things or not living up to expectations. Also, since the camp was shortened to two and a half days, this made it seem especially hard to establish a connection with the kids in such a short amount of time.

As the leaders and students drove up to the camp, they unloaded their luggage and went through orientation. The leaders were taught how to run basic jobs around the camp, like the rock wall, boats, and the general store. After the groups got the rundown of the camp, they met back to find out who their cabin leaders were and eat lunch.

I had the privilege of taking care of five girls in the Manzanita cabin. At first, I wasn’t sure if they would be loud and obnoxious, or too quiet. But I asked them basic questions, and soon enough we connected over favorite TV shows and food.

The first day was successful overall. We had one class, and I supervised with Alexander Rurik in the survival training led by Terry Richards. I remember building shelters and learning about how to make a fire in eighth grade, so standing behind the kids and watching them experience the same things made me very happy. We went on a night hike with our girls and got to experience God’s creation through nature and the stars above.

Getting the opportunity to lead kids at this amazing camp changed my perspective on the way junior highers learn and act. They were all surprisingly accepting of each other and wanted everyone to be involved in the activities, which made me very happy.

The weekend overall was very successful. I learned how to be more of a leader to younger students and teach them to grow closer to God. I went through activities such as Rock Your World and the Miwok trail, walking away knowing more than I thought I did. I learned more about what God has in store for us, and how special each and every one of us is.

I am very thankful for Terry Richards and Hallie Rojeski, who organize the trip each year for the junior highers. I’m grateful to have gotten the opportunity to lead as a Calvin Crest counselor, and I hope to continue to do so next year.

Logan Lewis

My experience at Calvin Crest was phenomenal. My students were very well behaved. I was super proud of them for always keeping the cabin clean and doing what they needed to get done.

Even though our full week was canceled due to horrendous fires, this weekend was just enough. Each day was filled with plenty of activities, we were all exhausted at the end.

Terry Richards did a great job training and preparing me for this opportunity. There was never a time where I felt unprepared or worried. The staff did a fantastic job of running the camp. The classes they taught were highly educational and even the cabin leaders got something out of it.

One of my highlights of the weekend was the night hike. A staff member named Zed led all the male students on a journey through the wilderness in the dark. We were able to see an awe-inspiring amount of stars due to the lack of light pollution. He taught us about astronomy, how animals function in the dark and explained how God’s love is greater than we can ever imagine.

I am very thankful for Terry Richards and Hallie Rojeski’s passion to organize this trip. It would have been easy for them to give up due to all the obstacles that occurred. However, they persevered and made this trip possible.

These authors can be reached via twitter @schultz_kamryn, @logan6300 and via email: Kamryn Schultz and Logan Lewis.

For more about Calvin Crest, read the article written by Reese Brown and Alexander Rurik about their return to the camp Calvin Crest counselors muse over 2nd-year experience.  For more articles, read COLUMN: Freshman writer shares perspective on journalism.

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