The last week of camp was CSI week! The van with the food for Eurekathon (the party at the end of camp) mysteriously disappeared. All of the staff were suspects in this crime, and it was the girls’ job to find out who stole the food and save Eurekathon. Belanie and I taught a lesson about the reliability of eyewitnesses and the malleability of memory. At the end of class we had an eyewitness come in and the girls asked questions about what she saw. Other lessons included fingerprinting and a breakout-box. In the afternoons I helped facilitate the college bound class. The girls learned about different types of degrees, the difference between colleges and universities, why going to college is important, and what they should do in high school to get into college later.
Electives this week included self-defense/soccer, trebuchet building, and bread baking. Friday was Eurekathon! In the morning we played games on the field. After that, we all bussed over to a convention center where we ate lunch. There was a DJ, a photo booth, and a display including some of the things the girls built during camp. At the end of camp was the Girls Inc. talent show. Some girls sang, some danced, and one girl even showed off her scarily realistic dog bark. When it was time to go home, many of the girls cried. It was really touching to see how much the girls had bonded with each other and us, the staff. After teary hugs well-wishing smiles, Eureka camp was over.
This summer has been a truly amazing experience for me. I went in to this expecting it to be relatively easy and fun, but I was met with many challenges. However, those challenges and how both I and our group overcame them was what made this summer unforgettable. I truly feel like I was able to have an impact on the girls at camp. I know for sure the girls definitely had a profound effect on me. I have grown more confident in my leadership and facilitation skills, formed new friendships, and overall spent my summer doing something meaningful for both myself and, most importantly, the community.