Hey, Camp Fans!
It’s that time of year again! Yes, it’s sad to say goodbye to another camp season, but at least now you get to look back on all the fun! That’s what the Everything Summer Camp ‘Share Your Camp Story’ Contest is all about! Yesterday we announced Harper S. as our first of the four $25 winners. And, now, I’m about to announce our second winner.
For today’s winner we have….
Elliot H.! Congratulations! You’re our second $25 prize winner! Elliot wrote in to tell us about his own camp experience at Camp Huawni. Here’s his submission:
When my Mom told me that I was going to camp, I thought spending one of the
last weeks of summer at a camp would be the most dreadful thing EVER! I would be away from my friends and away from my computer. But, Camp Huawni wasn’t what I was expecting. I’m Elliott Harper - artist, 5th grader, and aspiring writer (or engineer...or artist - to heck with it, mom said I can be what I want). Although, maybe I should start from the beginning. This is my story of Camp Huawni, the surprisingly fun place I never thought I’d end up.
When I walked with my Mom and brother towards my cabin, Honey Suckle Hollow, I didn’t have high hopes. It is Texas and it's hot. Upon entering, the empty bunks, and a couple of flies didn’t help my mood. I unpacked. ‘ Well, I guess it’s time for me to leave,” said my mom. “Thanks for helping me to get settled in,” I said. “I guess we’ll see you in a week,” said my brother. “Yup,” said my mom. I so desperately wanted her to take me and my brother back to our grey Toyota Camry, telling me this whole thing was a joke - but I knew that was unrealistic. Plus, my upset stomach had other plans (the fast-food we had on the 3-hour ride to Camp Huawani did not help). After mom left, I bolted to the restrooms.
An hour later we were called to the dining hall for dinner. It was pretty okay. After finishing my meal, I talked with my cabin mates my brother, Cooper, Kevin, Tristan, and Maddex. Tristan was a tall kid who wore glasses. Maddex had on a ball cap and jersey...I knew he loved sports. All of them seemed cool. Anyways, lights out came quickly. I was tired, it had been a long day. But I couldn’t sleep. Do you know how they say ”the first step is always the hardest”? Well, I couldn’t sleep the first night... at all. I was so happy when the first days light shone through our cabin. It was still an hour before everyone woke up.
I went through numerous fun activities throughout that week; Archery, swimming, fishing (although I caught nothing), etc. I was actually… having a good time?
It turns out my favorite activity was the one to fill me with the most anxiety. I cringed when I first heard someone mention ... the Critter. The critter? Here’s the critter in a nutshell; it’s this big rubber floaty in the middle of this pond. You climb a ladder and then jump off onto the floaty. If you’re not careful, you fall off… like I did several times (please ignore my sulking). Usually, the bigger kids would get on the critter with us, complicating things. I made alliances with others to stay on, but the inevitable always happened… I fell off.
Overall, I had a great time at camp Huawni. I made new friends. New experiences are good ways to discover new things you love, and I think that everyone should try something like camp every once in a while. I’ll definitely be coming back next year! I plan to stay for two weeks.
Loved to get your submission, Elliot! Most kid’s camp stories don’t include their leeriness about heading off to camp. But I’m willing to bet a lot of first-time campers have that same skepticism. Summer camp almost always wins kids over, though. I’m glad you ended up having a good time! Thanks for your submission, Elliot. If any of our readers are interested in Camp Huawni, you can check it out right here.
Come back tomorrow as I continue to announce our prize winners. And, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans!
- John
Great submission!