Every year at BCS, the 10th graders go camping. The first day when getting off that bus we had no idea what to expect. Over the course of four days we did various outdoor activities in our Crew bonding experience. We had to build our own campfires, sleep in the woods under the stars, and cook all of our own meals while telling stories and playing games. We had to take responsibility for our meal prep, cleaning up, and making sure everyone was safe. Being raised in the city, going upstate to Fishkill was a new experience for many in our Crew and a much needed change of scenery.
The first night of our trip, we hiked up the mountain with our camp gear on our backs for the overnight expedition. Once we arrived at the camping site, the sun began to set and we started to see each other in a new light. Prior to this trip we didn’t think it would forge as many connections as it did, but the camping trip created new friendships and strengthened already existing ones.
The first challenge of many was to build a fire. We had to gather sticks and use birch to get it started. The struggle began when the wind kept blowing out our progress, but we persisted. At the beginning of each day we had to assign ourselves roles to keep the Crew in check throughout the day. This included cooks, navigators, leave no trace, safety, and someone to keep morale high.
Nighttime was the highlight of each day. From the appreciation circle to campfires to talking in our cabins before bed, the nights always ended with smiles that were still on our faces when we woke up. At the end of our trip we shared our last campfire, where we were given a pin which felt more like a trophy.
BCS 10th grader Anthony Cangro said, “I learned how to survive outside of the city in the wilderness. We collaborated with different people and got to know them.” This was true for many students. Throughout the trip, we found ourselves talking and connecting with people we hadn’t before.
BCS sponsors the camping trip to connect kids on another level with the school community and to help us grow as better students. During the trip we learned to be vocal. This translates to our class lives and our daily lives because we are now more open with our opinions and questions. This helps us to be better leaders through our participation. We also learned to be more self reflective and aware, this helps us connect with people, even those who didn’t go camping with us. Overall, we are thankful for the experiences and memories we had on this trip and we are so glad to go to a school that offers opportunities like this.
