Rising above and leading the way
Stronger in numbers, seventh and eighth grade DCSM students rise above their fears as they learned to trust one another while building a team based on compassion and unity. Enjoying the sites from atop Tomahawk Ranch, this team is ready to lead its peers by example, display acts of kindness and empathy, while enjoying new found friendships.
By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of DCSM
Today’s youth are our future. Their future policies and decision making will one day impact our world in substantial ways. DCS Montessori (DCSM) believes in its future and students. At the beginning of the school year, seventh and eighth grade students spent four days at Keystone Science School at Tomahawk Ranch where programs were designed to help students become familiar with critical thinking skills and to encourage students to be engaged citizens.
The biggest lesson these students learned was how to work as a team. As students learned and recognized each others’ strengths of compassion, unity, kindness, empathy and friendship, they were able to help one another accomplish difficult tasks while at camp. They all started the school year as a strong community of leaders.
Throughout camp, students learned they were similar in many ways. One team building activity asked students to write down their fears and weaknesses then crumple the papers up and throw them away. They each then dug one out of the trash and shared it with the group, giving them the opportunity to anonymously recognize that they all had similar fears.
Additional team building activities were designed as fun games that required problem solving and teamwork. Capture the flag and the 4 a.m. stargazing hike were a few favorites.
While sleeping under the stars, students created their own constellations in the night sky and shared their stories of the stars as if each was coming to life. For student Olevia Kemm, the stargazing night program was one the best team building activities.
DCSM hoped to instill the importance of community and team with these students; Tomahawk Ranch was the key to unlocking skills that will serve our future leaders well.
