JULY 16, 2009 ISSUE
Mountain Adventure Days 2009 a Success
Middle School Students Embrace Community Service, Education and Fun
CITs and staff enjoyed the Ziplines at Hawksnest: (left to right) Austin Tupay, Ryan Buchanan, Austin McKinney, Caleb McKinney Brianna Heaton, Trey Aycoth (staff), Charles (staff), Emma Willard (staff), Elizabeth Banner and Katelyn Hughes. Picture submitted
The 2009 Mountain Adventure Days Program, funded through WAMY Community Action, Inc., this year put a new twist onto an old theme. Using resources, creativity and personal intent, program director Bobbie Willard was determined to ensure students participating in the summer program would work hard, have fun and build career skills all in one move.
Last year’s program, which focused on entrepreneurship skills and experiential learning, served 10 students at Historic Cranberry High School. Students explored a variety of careers, small business options, learned how to write business plans and participated in skill-building workshops.
This year, despite less money in the summertime budget, Willard was determined to make sure middle school students who were referred to the program had an equally high quality option for spending their time. “I had students asking about Mountain Adventure Days back in March,” Willard said, “I knew we were going to have to get creative to make sure there was a program and that it would be one that could live up to their expectations.”
The Summer WOW Program, operated by Avery County 4-H, proved to be the answer. Through a strong collaboration with 4-H, the nine students participating in Mountain Adventure Days this year are also receiving hands on training four days a week through a Counselor in Training (CIT) program. Students in the CIT program learn valuable leadership skills while also earning service learning hours.
As CITs, the students mentor and work with the Summer WOW 5- to 8-year-old participants. Willard expects the CITs to treat the experience responsibly and as if it were a true job. She asks that they show up on time, have fun with the Summer WOW students and help the staff counselors implement various games and activities. Then, on Fridays, CITs come together for an end of the week field trip. “The field trips are a special way of saying thank you to our CITs for their hard work,” Willard said.
According to the Mountain Adventure Day Students, the CIT program has proven to be a hands on learning experience. Ryan Buchanan, Elizabeth Banner, Kaetlyn Hughes, Allie Burleson, Austin Tupay and Brianna Heaton all said that their favorite part of the day is getting to help the younger students and that they are learning a lot through being in a leadership role. “I like being around the teachers because it sort of shows me how I need to be,” said Hughes, who would like to one day be a nurse or a teacher.
Heaton and Burleson, who both want to be teachers one day, said the program is teaching them a great deal, from learning how kids should be treated to how to handle those kids that have a little trouble listening.
According to staff counselors in Summer WOW, the younger students get as much out of the program as the CITs do. CIT Austin Tupay said he noticed that during a program activity when the younger students were hesitant to participate, “when [the CITs] started moving and grooving, all the younger students did too,” he said.
The CITs agree that the younger students look up to them and that the experience has been both fun and rewarding. As if on cue, a younger Summer WOW participant walks over to the table where the CITs are sitting. “I am your best buddy,” he said, “I am your best buddy too.” The 2009 Mountain Adventure Days CITs include: Aaron McKinney, Ryan Buchanan, Austin Tupay, Breanna Heaton, Caleb McMinney, Elizabeth Banner, Allie Burleson, Austin McKinney and Katelyn Hughes.
Community Interest
News & Notes
Events
Arts & Entertainment
