After breakfast, we had a parliamentary workshop, the campers sure learned a lot! We learned how to make a motion the right way. After the workshop, we opened nominations for our first Camp Council president! Camp Council is similar to student body government (SBG), except it is for YLC!
Jonathan Kessel introduced us to a guest speaker for our Outdoor Living Skills (OLS), Jesse Woosley. He came to talk to us about "Leave No Trace" (LNT) and being prepared in the woods. LNT basically follows the motto "take only pictures, leave only footprints!" Basically, Jesse taught us about safety in the woods and being prepared for the environment. If you are hiking through the forest, it is important that you stay on trails, if you go off the path you can get lost or you could ruin a special plant that grows on the ground if you step on it. Most importantly, respect the environment! If you see a beautiful flower then take a picture of it! Don't pull it out of the ground. Many people like to take rocks as souvenirs, but that could destroy a lizard's home. If you respect the environment, the environment will respect you back! So, be sure to have fun and be safe whenever you are in the forest!
“I love to camp! I learned how to take care of the environment. Jesse was a good explainer and he was easy to understand. I believe that the idea of LNT is helpful and applies to all of our experiences related outdoors” – Mary Ann Peterson
Oh, as for Group C? With all of our might and with fresh innovative ideas, we decided that the group name, 'Callus', is beyond amazing! All of us stood on the stage in the Leadership Hall with a bunch of butterflies swimming in our tummies as we prepared to perform for our fellow campers and staff.
Luckily, there was no shaking in our knees, or sweat dripping down our faces, or any passing out on stage! Because we were positively confident with 'Callus'!
Our motto: “Struggle today, get stronger tomorrow.” Reason: Calluses are the thick patches of skin that come after raw blisters of hard working. So, it is a metaphor of our transformation from struggling, to creating different ways to succeed and becoming stronger the next day.
Approval rang out from our staff and administration and Callus was born!
As was Firefly, formerly known as Group D. Group D performed after us, they walked on the stage with plenty of confidence and we knew the play was going to be awesome! Some group members acted as trees, others were campers lost in the dark. A firefly (performed by Esther Fass) appeared and guided them through several obstacles until they were safe and sound! Thus, introducing their new team name: Firefly! Their motto: "Small light, big impact!" The YLC staff and administration approved and Group D jumped and cheered as their life depended on it! We were excited to see another team accomplish their group name! We are betting Group A and B will come up with two even more terrific team names!
“I was glad that we finally got our name! I was shocked and I am pleased to have our new name!” –John Hanger, Firefly Member
For our Evening Program activity we played Knock-Out on Leedle court. Knock-Out is a basketball game. To win, you must shoot the ball from the free throw line, if you miss you have to try to make a basket before the person behind you does! Congratulations to Joshua Ralstin for winning the first match and to Anthony Finocchio for the second match! We were impressed with the skills of the campers and staff who played in the game, especially Cesar Ayala, who never played basketball before! We had a fun competition with a few mishaps, Jennifer Wrenn fell and hurt her arm. She was brave enough to finish the game, though! What a great sport!
“I love the game, I just enjoyed playing, and accepted when I got "knocked-out". It was a time to have fun with my new friends. Then I won the second game!” -Anthony Finocchio
Our experience of blogging with Vivienne Schroeder was interesting. We were scattered around in first couple minutes. Eventually we became aware of what we were supposed to do and everyone was doing her or his own part: writing, taking pictures, or interviewing people. We created an outline and assigned everyone a job. When the writers were done with writing, they gave their papers to the typers, and then the typers went on the computers and try to type as fast as they could. We were finally satisfied with our work approximately an hour and half later. We were so committed to doing an awesome job that we skipped our Rec hour to finish!
At Fireside, Callus was in charge again! We began the evening with our traditional way of greeting the audience by running through the bleachers and shouting! After that, we had another skit! It was a humorous one. It was about LNT with a twist! Aliens were involved in the skit too.
The evening was special, because when the play was finished, Megan Bernella and Ashley Bergeron introduced four guest speakers! They came from different parts of United States and Canada to work together for one common goal—Deaf Youth Camp for Color (DYCC).They came all way to YLC to see what our program is all about, and to give us a chance to talk to them about diversity issues!
Let us start with the first guest: Laurene Simms! She graduated with B.S. from University of Nebraska, and she also went to West Maryland College for her M.E.D. Lastly, she went to University of Arizona to receive her Ph.D. Her favorite hobbies are reading, travelling, and watching movies.
The second guest was Tim Albert! He attended National Technology Institute for the Deaf (NTID), then he entered and graduated from Gallaudet University. Reading, cooking, exercising, and reading (he wanted to emphasize how much he loves reading!) are his favorite hobbies. He currently resides in Georgia.
Diana Cho was our third guest! She was born and raised in Ontario, Canada! After graduating from Ernest C. Drury School for the Deaf, she attended Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), where she graduated. Her favorite hobbies are enjoying nature, and being with her partner and her bald cat. She also enjoys studying spiritually. She currently lives in New York City, New York.
Our last (but not least!) guest was Ivy Velez. She was born in Puerto Rico, and then she moved to Connecticut with her family. Her mother registered Ivy into the American School for the Deaf (ASD) because her mother thought the first deaf school in America meant it was the best school! She graduated and then went to Gallaudet University. Later, she transferred to a college in Springfield, Massachusetts. Currently, she works at Deep Human Services, where she works with people of different races. She mentioned that she enjoys collecting Coca Cola products, hiking, and being involved in organizations.
The interviewers wrapped up the bonfire with giving YLC t-shirts as gifts to each guest speaker to show our appreciation for their presence at YLC and their contribution to us.
“I enjoyed Callus’ play at the fireside. My favorite part of the play was the time machine, it was interesting to see what earth would look like in the future if we continue to litter!” –Meri Goldman
“I liked the guests’ idea of DYCC. They inspired me and I am going to spread the word to my school. I want to help!” –Megan Bernella
