Have a great Summer Brandon
On Tuesday, we said, “so long, for now!” to our program facilitator, Brandon. Brandon will be super busy over the coming months in his full-time role as Camp Sentinel’s Guest Services Director. Camp Sentinel has hosted the KYC for three overnight trips and several day programs! On Brandon’s last day for the school year, he led a game of ‘death by wink!’ Thank you Brandon!
Brandon Woody is the Kingswood Youth Center’s Program Facilitator from Camp Sentinel. Brandon enjoys leading outdoor games and helping members to explore their individual interests. Brandon was born in Asheville, North Carolina, but was raised primarily in Concord NH. He recently completed his associates degree in Business Administration through Southern New Hampshire University, while working at Camp Sentinel. He has worked at Camp Sentinel since 2011, serving in many roles including maintenance, a counselor, and Boys Unit Leader. He has recently taken up a role as Camp Sentinel’s Guest Services Director. In his free time, he enjoys, woodworking, reading, and hiking in the great outdoors.
Global Art Project for Peace
This year we participated in the Global Art Project for peace. Through this project, groups of students from different countries are paired up to exchange works of art with one another. Last month we sent a work or art representing peace to our counterparts in Bulgaria. We just received the package from Bulgaria and unveiled the students’ work of art!
Students eagerly opening the package!
The masterpiece revealed!
A big thank you to the creative and talented students from Bulgaria! This exchange occurs biannually. We look forward to participating in 2020!
Overnight trip to Cold River Camp!
This past weekend were were invited to take an overnight trip to the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Cold River Camp. Cold River Camp is located in Chatham, NH in the Eastern White Mountains. Thank you Cold River Camp for sharing your wonderful space with us.
We started by going over rules and taking a full tour. The tour ended with a demonstration of Cold River Camp’s famous fog horn.
Participant’s got to sound the horn!
A little drizzle did’nt prevent us from taking a hike to Little Deer Hill!
Crossing the Cold River on the dam.
Cold River Camp is situated just a ‘stone’s throw’ from the ME/NH boarder. On our hike to Little Deer we crossed into ME. Our participants in two different states.
A fine view on the way up.
Our group at the top of Little Deer Hill.
We brought ingredients to make pizza. Zachary and Mara had fun making pizza for everyone!
Job exploration! We live in a region known for it’s summer tourism. A lot of teens get summer jobs washing dishes in the Lakes Region’s many busy restaurants. Zachary talked a bit about what it’s like to wash dishes in a commercial kitchen.
We enjoyed evening group games around the fireplace in the lodge!
7:00 wake up to the CRC horn! Zachary made us all pancakes! He felt right at home in the CRC kitchen…almost like he’s done this before!
Morning trip to Emerald Pool! Zachary stood on a rock at ‘Circle Junction’ and told the group a bit about the geography of the area and went over the rules for a safe and fun swim!
Emerald Pool; one of the region’s many scenic spots! It’s know for its green color and great (albeit cold!) swimming!
Some ‘took the plunge,’ (nice action shot!) others enjoyed the scenery, dipped toes, and encouraged peers. Fun was had by all!
Picnic on the porch and farewell to Cold River Camp!
We concluded with a discussion about recreation, conservation, and education. We all reflected and shared our ‘peaks and valleys.’
What a great opportunity to explore new places, spend time with friends, disconnect from our electronics, and have fun! Thank you Cold River Camp for sharing your beautiful space!
Career Month Continues with a Visit from Community Landscape Company
It’s career month at the KYC! Last week we learned about the restaurant business at Garwoods Restaurant http://garwoodsrestaurant.com/ . Yesterday we learned about the landscaping business from Community Landscape Company http://communitylandscape.com/ .
After making our property look beautiful, our guest speaker, Harry provided an inside look at the business. Harry noted a few key advantages to getting into the industry: you get to spend time outdoors; entry level positions are available with opportunities for growth; there’s lots of work available; there are entrepreneurial opportunities for ambitious individuals who want to start their own companies.
We took a look at some of the tools of the trade. These mowers get the job done for many customers in the community, including the KYC. Harry is on a mow crew, which makes for a very busy summer!
Other tools of the trade: Weed whackers and a blower. A close look at the equipment gave us a feel for what it’s like on the job.
A Ford F-350 with a dump bed and trailer is used to transport the hard-workers, the tools, and the materials around our community. Despite the fact that it was a nice spring day, we also talked about the plowing and snow-removal aspects of the business.
Key take-aways: Harry has been in the business for over ten years and says that he loves the job! Harry says, “two of the most important attributes of a good landscape team-member are hard work and willingness to learn and take direction.” When you’re a landscaper you spend your days working hard outside. When you finish a job you get the immediate gratification of leaving your customer’s property looking beautiful.
Thank you Harry, Community Landscape Company Owner, Phil, and everyone at Community Landscape Company for giving us a glimpse into your business and for working everyday to make our community more beautiful. To learn more about Community Landscape Company, please check out their website http://communitylandscape.com/.
Next week, we learn about careers in banking from TD Bank!
New Toys
Here at the KYC we now have twelve brand new bikes and a 30-foot bouldering wall! With the fine weather we’ve had, it doesn’t get much better!
Bikes were provided through a grant from the Cate Fund and support from Gilford, NH Walmart Supercenter. Thank you!
Our new bouldering wall was made possible through a grant from the Agnes Lyndsay Trust. Thank you!
Last week we went on the first of what will be many group trail rides!
Yesterday, we all tested our bouldering skills!
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Come to the KYC for fun, games, friends, and learning!
BTAS! Campfire
Yesterday we hosted a campfire as our BTAS! program. What a fun night!
For dinner we had a cookout. BBQ chicken, corn on the cob, watermelon, and macaroni and cheese. Tastes like summer time!
We also played games around the fire.
S’mores for dessert!
What a fun night! Thanks for staying KYCers!
Friendly Competitions! `
Last week we hosted a series of friendly competitions. Then the winners faced off in a gaga ball match for the championship!
Egg toss!
Cornhole: best out of five through the hole!
Egg balance race!
Mini Basketball!
The Championship!
Our champion (right)! We love this nice spring weather!
Overnight to Camp Sentinel
Over April vacation, the KYC took an overnight trip to Camp Sentinel! We had a great group and lots of fun; thank you Camp Sentinel!
We kicked off the experience with some time to enjoy the KYC and catch up with friends. This included a group game of Twister!
We worked together on a group art project; building a wooden doormat!
We made a stop to check out Abenaki Tower on the way up.
Zachary’s staff pic on this site is him on Abenaki Tower. Mara chose to take another one to recreate it.
Pool in the Nature Nook is always a popular choice when we visit Sentinel.
Brandon from Camp Sentinel made us a Spaghetti Dinner. Thank you!
We played Fish Bowl!
More Twister!
A great hike to the Oak Hill Ledges!
A big thank you to Camp Sentinel for such a fun time!
Throwback Thursday
Here’s a photo of the work of art we got from England a few years ago in the Global Art Project. Next month we will recieve artwork from Bulgaria!
Straight Talk: Keeping Your Family Safe
On Saturday a group of KYC members volunteered at the Eastern Lakes Region Coalition for Healthy Families Straight Talk: Keeping Your Family Safe event.
Thank you to our student leaders and the coalition!
