Middle Schoolers from Dr. MLK Jr. Early College Step Into the Outdoors—with Courage, Creativity, and Some Impressive Bear Hangs. Written by CI Field Instructor Blaise Miles.
Recently, students from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Early College spent the week immersing themselves in outdoor activities from archery to rock climbing to camping in the foothills.
On days one and two, we traveled to Barr Lake for the day to learn the basics of camping and strengthen our group’s leadership skills. Students built successful bear hangs in the high branches of trees, speedily set up tents, and internalized the practices of Leave No Trace. We even had a few students surprise us with their fashion concepts (a toilet paper stole?), modeling skills, and runway walks (Beyonce’s “Diva” will evidently inspire sixth grade boys to slay) when it came time to show off the 10 essentials of camping.
These awesome middle school students showed up with enthusiasm, kindness, and thoughtfulness as they braved all manner of new activities. Ninth graders were not, in fact, too cool, but did, in fact, fight for younger sixth graders to join and lead their team to a close win in “capture the flag”. Students vulnerably admitted their fears when climbing for the first time, then worked through those fears with unexpected cheering from peers on the ground. They eagerly shared the parts of themselves they wanted to improve, enjoyed sitting quietly alone and journaling, and cooked together like little families (minus the arguing parts… so maybe not like families). They made themselves a loving little home at the campsite. From conquering first climbs to perfecting a bear hang, they embraced every challenge with heart.
A heartfelt thank you to our incredible Cottonwood Institute donors, sponsors, and event attendees—your support makes transformative experiences like this possible.
If you are inspired by this program and want to help make it possible again next summer, consider making a donation to Cottonwood Institute today!
