The end of the school year is approaching, and the sixth graders from Canaan Middle School are preparing for a trip to remember.  Every year, Jonathan Alder sends the sixth grade students to Camp Oty Okwa located in southern Ohio.  This year, the students and counselors will be staying at the campsite from  Wednesday, May 18 through Friday, May 20.  Among those three days, the campers will experience memories that last a lifetime.

    The students of Canaan Middle School will be chaperoned not only by Jonathan Alder staff members, but also juniors and seniors from Jonathan Alder High School.  There are a total of 26 counselors.  The sixth grade students who attend the camp will be learning different things about nature and the history of Ohio.  When asked, junior Lily Hess said, “They will make new friendships and hopefully they will discover new things about themselves.”  Hess stated “I want to go back and council because the counselors when I was a camper, encouraged me to not be afraid to try new things and to make new friends.  I remember looking up to them, and I want to go back so I can make a difference in kids’ lives too.”

    Each counselor is assigned an activity to teach the campers the ways of nature.  Although the camp is for learning new things about the outdoors and Ohio, it is also a time to create new memories with old and new friends. When asked, senior Timmy Harmon said, “I didn’t get the chance to experience sixth grade camp, but I want to be a counselor because I would love to help the children enjoy their experience at camp and learn new things along with them.”