For Grade 11 student Emma Lu, Palmer secondary's Camp Squamish was a unique experience on two fronts. First, the Incentive student had never been on a school camping trip. Second, she had never taken on the official role of a mentor for younger students.
"I was extremely excited, but I was also a bit concerned," said Lu.
The whirlwind three-day experience at the Easter Seal campsite on the shores of the Squamish River in Brackendale proved to be a success for close to 100 students in Grades 8, 9 and 10.
Lu was one of several senior students who mentored the younger ones at the camp, which aimed to teach leadership skills in a fun and thought-provoking setting.
This year's theme was to create connections with other students, despite the fact many didn't know one another.
Students, from the school's Incentive and Pre-Advanced Placement programs, were split into various teams that went through a series of activities designed to promote team building.
To keep things interesting, students from three houses were able to accumulate points in order to win the Camp Squamish Grafton Cup as the 'Top House' at the end.
Lu said the most interesting activity the students partook in was a game called Bafa Bafa.
In the Bafa Bafa game, students were split into two groups thatformed imaginary cultures, each with its own belief system and language. Each side sent representatives to the other side in order to figure out the rules and customs of the opposite culture.
"In a creative way, through this activity, the students were able to learn the importance of respect, diversity, and living as a global citizen – all of which are values that the Incentive program emphasizes," said Lu, who initially had some trepidation as to whether or not she could, in fact, guide and lead her team.
But, Lu's leadership shone through brightly, like the sunlight that penetrated the towering fir trees above the riverside lodge for the entire trip.
"An incredible bond between the students developed as they were challenged to put their heads together to overcome the problems thrown at them," said Lu.
Grade 8 student Eleen Yang said the camp was a good opportunity to meet other students, particularly since it had only been about a month since she started attending Palmer.
"It felt like my first real experience in actual high school," said Yang.
"Camp Squamish makes up for this exhausting and overwhelming month of adjustment. Leaving behind the life bound in homework, if only for a few days, was exhilarating," added Yang.
