For three mornings straight, 30 high school students and 15 middle school students dedicated their time and energy to attempt to bond the sixth grade class of Wydown Middle School.

Each year during late September and early October, the whole sixth grade class travels to Sherwood Forest Camp for camp.  The campers are joined by the teachers, high school counselors and middle school CITS or counselors in training.

For the four day, three night getaway, the campers are split up into different cabins with other peers from their school team. There are two counselors and one CIT per cabin that leader their group of students.

The age and experience of the counselors ranges from sophomores with no previous sixth grade camp counselor experience to seniors having been a camp counselor for three years. This past year there were a total of four, three year counselors, who were also known as “three peats.”  The three peats knew right away from their sophomore year that they wanted to be counselors.

“I really enjoy the atmosphere and getting to know the kids. I really like helping the kids have a really awesome time,” senior Adam Garrett said about wanting to become a counselor.

Not only do the counselors develop a lasting relationship with the campers, but with the teachers, CITs and other counselors as well.

Senior Stephanie Getz said, “[Sixth grade camp is] time to be friends with people you wouldn’t normally talk to necessarily.  It is really nice to see the middle school teachers because I have a really good connection with them and sometimes camp is the only time of the year I really get to see them.”

Before the campers arrive on the Tuesday of the week, the counselors and travel down to camp on the prior Sunday to help prepare. They go through long, rigorous, but yet enjoyable training sessions. During those sessions, the counselors have a chance to bond with each other.

“Becoming friends with the counselors is really fun [during the training sessions],”  Senior Carly Osherow said.

Although the counselors have to miss a week of school and make up all the work, they seem to find it well worth it. The learning, relationships and entertainment is one of a kind that only comes from sixth grade camp. Garrett summed up the whole experience, “going to camp you get kids to worship you and you get awesome new friends and there is free food.”