Camp Tawanchi Journal

For our last week we gave up our reading time to spend time writing a story. We then became authors! We learned that an author gives the book to a printer to be printed and that it can take up to one year to type it, proof read it and print it. So we learned a little about printing, like you have to make your letters backwards so they print the right way. We created macaroni, wood shapes and fabric prints.

We spent two days doing archery and many of us meet our goal we made the first week! Jesse even got one arrow to stay in the target!

It was our last time fishing! We lost Tyler in the river! He got to change into his swimsuit early cause as Miss Elaine says, “Change into your swimsuit, it is dry.”

We took a field trip to Budget Printing. We learned how to make a print on the computer and how it saves time from the old way. We ran a plate and took it to the printer to be printed! You have to give it a bath first! We learned how our books would be bound later this week.

One highlight was playing the alphabet game on the way back from Budget. Some of the kids wrote down that we saw a dead squirrel. We did! This week we also witnessed a cicada coming out of his shell and Ben found a huge toad, which he allowed to rest on his shoulder.

On one of our swim days we got dressed, walked outside and it thundered. Then we waited by playing Tawanchi Auction. The girls won! Then we walked outside again and it thundered. We got to wait by watching a movie and then we finally learned we could not go swimming, but it never rained only thunder.

On Friday we had our last ceremonial of the year! We sang cool camp songs but today they were kinda sad because it was the last time. We each got a certificate with an outstanding personality trait that our counselors will always remember us by!

It’s hard to believe that nine weeks have passed. We all agree, “It was a great summer!”

One-liners from Our Print Making Journey

• (Child standing at the riverside while fishing.) Something smells fishy.
• Squid? Why are fishing with squid in the Saint Joseph River?
• There is a snake in the toilet Mr. Josh.
• Two things always happen at Camp Tawanchi:
  1. Someone falls in the river.
  2. Someone gets caught in a tree.
  3. Someone breaks an arrow.
• Amanda, I think we need math camp again.

What an exciting week! We divided into groups for creating our Air Jam songs for the Annual Parent Night! We had a girl group, a boy group and the cuties (those in 4th grade and under)! We each selected a song and started working with Miss Laurie and Miss Virginia to come up with just the right routine! Miss Hannah and Miss Alex helped us get our costume and makeup right and even the boys used makeup! It was lots of work, but our parents said we did a terrific job when they visited on Thursday. Even the counselors helped us out and did a skit or two. Those old people can act if they want to. Our parents gave us really great snacks and we all laughed when Miss Elaine tired to introduce Mr. Sean and he was nowhere to be found. She suggested he was probably in the kitchen eating and sure enough that is where he was!

We learned to cook by reading and following directions. We made Oyster Crackers, Cupcakes (whatever you do, do not eat the chocolate ones the boys made cause they really lick their fingers) and pudding. We are almost great chefs, but Miss Elaine says we still need practice.

We tried to go fishing again but the storms and really hot weather must have taken the fish out to Lake Michigan. We sure do hope they are back next week. We all agreed that we just enjoy casting and reeling the line back in even if we do not catch a fish. Haig had a chance to really get to know the river well as he fell in! So after that whenever we went to the river, Lacy would put on her swimsuit because she just might fall in like Haig.

We took a hike after a rainy day and everyone enjoyed shaking the tree branches to get a shower. One camper enjoyed climbing a tree until the counselors made him get out.

On Friday we saw a live remote by U93 at the Pool. Some of us got prizes!

Archery was very eventful this week. The Girlie Girls were practicing when a police car pulled up and asked if he could watch their form. Miss Mary asked if he would like to shoot some arrows and he did! The girls all agree he needed to step back into his camping days! We were glad he could enjoy a little time with us. Just think, we will someday be sitting at a desk wishing we could spend our days shooting arrows instead of working.

One-liners from Our Musical Adventure

• The Girlie Girls wearing pink? They never wear pink.

• Graham crackers, Graham crackers, chocolate bar!

• I’ve got some in my car!!!

• Are these the right worms, cause they are not working.

• What do you mean, you can’t eat cake batter because it has raw eggs in it? Do not tell my mother, cause I don’t think she knows.