Our last day at College Settlement was beautiful.
The day started as all the best days do – with early morning games of Gaga. We ate breakfast and found out great news! We were named “Waste Masters.” What does it mean to be a Waste Master? Well, on our first night we wasted 3 pounds of food. At breakfast this morning, we wasted 0 pounds of food! We had an award ceremony that consisted of silly outfits, a victory lap, and a round of the Cha-Cha Slide! It was a fun way to begin our last day at camp!
Then, we headed out for another two rounds of choice time! Many of us chose to fish, cook, visit the animals, or climb the wall. We were surprised with the option to take what we assumed would be a peaceful hayride. Instead, we were thrilled that our counselor PJ was a wild tractor driver! We zipped around the 23- acre property, taking tight turns, zooming down hills, and racing across the fields. It felt like a roller coaster!
Before having our lunch, we gathered together for a closing Meeting for Worship and our tree-planting ceremony. We reflected on our time together with silent worship and then planted our own tree on site. We named her Patricia, or PJ, Jr. or Demetrius Octavius … After singing the baby tree “Happy Birthday,” we all took turns covering it up with dirt. Hopefully it grows tall and strong! After a picnic lunch of hoagies and apples, we said goodbye to our counselors, who felt like family.
We returned to school, wrote in our journals, and closed the day with a gratitude circle. We were thankful for: our chaperones and counselors, the campfire, the tractor ride, the fishing lake, the tetherball court, the chefs, the rock wall, the good weather, our friendships, our resilence and bravery, the opportunity to get to know each other, the mashed potatoes, the Gaga pit, and the memories we made together. We will never forget our days at College Settlement: the lessons we learned, the laughs we had, and the friends we made!