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Twenty five sixth grade students went to camp the weekend of January 6th through the 8th. They were very excited and happy to go after spending weeks talking about it in Gang Resistance Education And Training class the last couple months. We arrived at camp on the 6th just before it got dark and started unpacking getting camp ready and settling the kids in for the weekend. They were able to play some basketball on the lighted courts along with doing some inside games before dinner was ready. We ate dinner talked with the students who have only been to camp during the summer about expectations. We then had circle and told the students we would be taking them for a night hike later in the night.

Twenty one of the kids decided they wanted to go on the night hike and they prepared themselves. Getting boots and warm clothes on. Myself ,Holly Thornton Chief Leschi teacher and five experienced High school and Middle school campers along with 2 neighborhood dogs embarked on our night journey under almost a full moon and clear skies. While hiking some of the sixth grade students showed me the constellation of Orion showing off the skills they had learned at Chief Leschi during class.

During the hike kids had to use team work to help each other through over and around different obstacles. They also learned about night vision and listening skills. After hiking around for a while we sat for about 15 minutes in silence listening for any other noises. They did very well being quiet for that length of time.

We then crossed the legendary swamp of death on a old footbridge and then made it to a series of other footbridges where the kids again worked on helping each other out and on their balance crossing them. We made it back to camp after about an hour and a half just in time to get everyone to their sleeping areas. The boys slept in the cabins and the girls in the main house.

We got up had breakfast and then decided a hike on the other side of the Lake would be fun. We loaded all the canoes and pontoon boat and headed to the other side. We hiked for a little over an hour and ate some snacks.The High school counselors decided they wanted to go in 2 different directions. Longtime campers Ian Wrolson 6th year and Qwillyn Ward 6th year each took a group of sixth grade students and went different directions to see who had the best way. Ian’s group followed the powerlines and Qwillyn went back the way we came. Ian’s group was the first back to the canoes and boat.

When we got back to camp some kids went to play capture the flag while others played on the lake,played basketball and made necklaces with Shirley Lapointe. We had dinner and then hung out by the fire ,played basketball and a few different indoor games.

When we woke up on Sunday and had breakfast it was wonderful clear skies. They sixth grade students then had to help get the camp packed up and ready for the next group and do their community service. This means they pick up garbage on the road at camp they got quite a few bags of trash and a half dozen neighbors said thank you for doing it. That is really nice for the kids to hear from other people. They played in the sun for a couple more hours and then we went home.

I would like to thank Chief Leschi employees,High school workers and volunteers and the Puyallup Tribe for making this possible.