{photos by Pamela Burdick}
We have an inspiring wonder moment to share with you, and it involved a whole day, not just a moment! Our Upper Middle School students once again participated in a Leadership Day at the beginning of the school year. One of our parents, Huc Ambrose, chaperoned for the day and wrote to tell us all about it. We know you’ll appreciate hearing about one more way that our UMS team is intentionally investing in our students, building leadership skills and community. If you have a student who attended, enjoy this first hand account from a fellow parent. And if you don’t have a UMS student yet, read on and see what you have to look forward to!
Huc, his wife Erin, and their daughter Taya (8th grade) are a Track B family in their 2nd year at SLOCA.
It was a great time at the UMS Leadership Day on Friday, September 9th. 64 students from 7th and 8th grade met out at Lopez Lake for activities and challenges with the theme of leadership and community building.
The morning started bright and early for the 8th graders. The drive to Lopez Lake was scenic, and slow through the campgrounds – where deer apparently get in free and bring all their friends.
After meeting at Vista Lago Adventure Park to check in, the students gathered on the grass with Katie Morales and Mrs. LaBine for a discussion about leadership, with topics such as:
- What are characteristics of leaders?
- Who do the students look to for leadership in their lives?
- Who have been the most influential leaders in history or present day?
- What can they take from their experiences with older students so they can be good leaders of younger students?
Then came the tarp challenge. The students were separated into two groups, each group with a small tarp to stand on, only large enough for their collective footprint, packed together like vertical sardines. The goal was to turn the tarp over while keeping everyone on the tarp and not touching the grass – which was of course hot lava now. A variety of strategies and ideas were suggested within the groups, and attempted with some students naturally directing and all members working together on this seemingly impossible task. Afterwards the groups talked about what it was like leading, following, working together, and having your voice heard when you’ve got one foot hanging over hot lava and the person calling the shots is on the other side of the tarp.
Soon the 7th graders arrived to check in, and all the students geared up for the ropes course and zip line. Helmets, harnesses, a briefing of using the equipment, and everyone made the short hike up to the course.
It’s a fantastic course, with two levels of elevation and four levels of difficulty. The climbers took the opportunities to challenge themselves, encourage each other and face any fear of height, or carabiners.
The zip lines were a thrill for anyone who was up for it, with some optional goofiness of flailing limbs, air-walking, and extreme selfies. Mrs. Labine participated in the ropes course and zip line too, and some talk of physics was overheard.
The weather was perfect. Warm but not too hot, with a breeze that helped keep it mild. There were several comments that the only feature that would have improved the experience would be a full lake for the zip line to cross.
With everyone suitably exhausted and ready for a break, the group shed their adventure gear and settled on the deck for lunch. The park crew inspected all the equipment, put it away, closed up shop, and thanked us for being there. The employees there are great with kids, and the enthusiasm was reciprocated – there were consistent comments of appreciation from the students. They had opened just for our group, providing a VIP status for all the students there.
And the same with the Mustang Waterpark. A quick change and short walk, and the gate was opened just for us. The water slides, the raft half-pipe, and the pool were immediately put to exuberant use. It was a refreshing way to wrap up a great trip, and every participant demonstrated their natural ability to be a leader, in having fun.
Thank you Huc, for being a chaperone that day and for sharing your thoughts and observations with our blog readers. What a special experience for our students!
