20 Feb HU J-Term: Serving at United Brethren Camps

Two groups of students spent their January Term, January 8-24, at United Brethren camps–16 students at the Michindoh Camp and Conference Center in Hillsdale, Mich., and ten students at Camp Living Waters in Luther, Mich.

Camp Michindoh. Dr. Bill Bordeaux (right), professor of chemistry, took 16 students to Camp Michindoh, where they worked with fifth and sixth graders from Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana schools. The class was called “Outdoor Environmental Education for Children.”

The students served as cabin leaders for 10-12 elementary students, helped the camp staff in classroom and laboratory settings, and taught team-building classes.

“Throughout the entire two weeks, we were able to be so involved with the kids teaching them, learning along with them, and getting to know them,” said Jordan Wolf, a sophomore broadcasting major from Cherry Hill, N.J. “Getting involved in the classes they were in or square dancing with them really allowed me to get to the kids on their level.”

Not only did the students teach in the classrooms, but they had the opportunity to take the children into a real nature setting where they taught the children about survival. The children learned what to do if they become lost from their group, how to build shelters out in the woods, and how to make fire without using matches or lighters.

“It was a fun time for me because I got to share some of my knowledge of the outdoors with the kids and helped them with their projects,” said Wolf.

Said Dr. Bordeaux, “I hope our students came away with a sense of accomplishment, new purpose to make a difference in someone else’s life, and an appreciation for excellence.”

Camp Living Waters. Connie Updike, assistant professor of recreation management, teamed up with Camp Living Waters Director and Huntington alumna Olinda Barnes to offer a camp leadership class. The ten participating students learned the overall management of a camp, visited other camps to experience the differences in camp philosophies and program offerings, and helped operate the camp and facilitate weekend retreats.

This is the third J-Term that Updike and Barnes have offered this course, which is offered on a three-year rotation for students interested in Christian camping ministry.

Kearstin Criswell, a recreation and sports management major from Pittsboro, Ind., said she took the class because of her interest in programming and coordinating events.

“With my studies also in not-for-profit organization and educational ministries,” she said, “this was a good place to explore possibilities for the future.”

Jessica Deter, a family and children’s educational ministries major from Bluffton, Ohio, said she learned a great deal about running a camp, like the importance of keeping Jesus at the center, the importance of a great staff, and the amount of money and the number of good connections it takes to keep a camp running. She also decided, “It showed me personally that I don’t think running a camp all year round is for me.”

Criswell described her satisfaction of being secluded from the internet and cell phones for two weeks. She said it helped their whole group bond together through their passion for camp and retreat leadership.