Blessed to have been a chaperone once again for our annual 7th grade camp. Each of the three KMS teams participates in a 3-day camp at Camp Erdman in Mokulēʻia for team building. It’s especially important since many of the 7th graders have come from different schools as well as the neighbor islands. Unfortunately, we were not able to stay overnight due to scheduling conflicts. We participated in day camp activities such as Group Challenge and the Odyssey Ropes Course.

The Odyssey is the one experience that the students never forget.

We ended the camp with a 6-mile hike to Ka’ena Point. I joked that it was sooo hot, we didn’t go on a hike. We were deployed….

Everyone had a good experience and made friends. I did too. Imua.

Just got back from 3-days and 2-nights at Camp Erdman in Mokulēʻia with one of our 7th grade teams. Had a great time bonding with the students and teachers. It’s something that I look forward to each year, and I get to do this again with another team next week.

Some people think it’s crazy, but I truly enjoy it. The students at this age just crack me up….

Last year was the first time that I attended all three camps. The really neat thing is that I am able to recognize the students after camp. When I see the 7th graders in the cafeteria at the beginning of the year, they’re all strangers to me. After camp, it’s as if my eyes “have been opened.” It’s like receiving new vision, and it totally changes my experience on campus for the rest of the  school year.

Looking forward to next week and the last one in November. So grateful. So blessed….

….really! Some people think it’s torture, but I absolutely love it!

Some of my best memories are from Camp Erdman: Frosh Camp, Kalihi Y Summer Fun, Leeward District Leadership Camp, and the Kamehameha Schools.

Camp Erdman has been a sort of an “escape” for me. Not so much an escape from the city, but an escape to my “true self.” Yes, I’m really a camp counselor trapped inside the body of an education technologist.

Yes, it can be hot, dusty, and tiring. (And in my old age, it can even be painful.) But what I appreciate the most about camp is the opportunity to bond with other teachers and students. Friendship, acceptance, teamwork, respect, and positive energy are the the modus operandi at camp. Sign me up!

The 7th grade ‘Ohe Team held their camp last Wednesday – Friday at Camp Erdman. It was an exciting time! Here we are on the Odyssey III ropes course. It was much more difficult than I had expected. Our group was able to make it through the course. I only suffered a strained lower back and a bruised arm. My visit to Wahiawa General Hospital was due to a tiny scratch on my eye, and not this…. Unfortunately, I looked like an alien for one night.

I did get to meet a lot of the teachers and students on the team. It was a great camp and a fun time!

Went to Camp Erdman in Mokule’ia with the 4th graders last Thursday – Friday. Still recovering…. I’ll be returning to camp this Wednesday – Friday with the 7th graders. Please pray for me….

Nah. Actually, it’s a lot of fun. It’s a great way to bond with the teachers and students. Camp Erdman is a pretty special place for people who grow up here in Hawai’i.