A tradition that lives on

High school students become counselors for seventh grade Camp Tecumseh trip

Lainey

Akins

Every year, seventh graders from across the district attend a three-day field trip at Camp Tecumseh (‘Camp T’), located in Brookston, Indiana. The trip includes a variety of outdoor and indoor activities, both educational and recreational. When these students reach high school, many decide to carry on the Camp T experience and become counselors during their sophomore, junior and/or senior year.

To become a counselor for Camp T, students first have to fill out an application, attend an interview and participate in multiple training sessions to prepare for guiding and helping the seventh graders. Sophomore Noopura Nambiar completed these sessions along with many other counselors.

“Every Wednesday, the counselors go to a training session where the teachers teach us about the lessons we are going to guide the seventh graders through at camp,” Nambiar said. “We also learned how to help them through the process of solving problems without telling them the answer and how to respond and react to certain situations that might come up super special to experience.”

Similarly, junior Jackson Lusk wanted to help the junior high students and be a role model for the younger kids.

“[My seventh grade trip] was a great experience, spending time in nature and with my friends,” said Lusk. “It helped me connect with others and I wanted to help provide that experience for the seventh graders.” during our time at camp.”

Along with the educational outdoor projects, campers and counselors also participate in other activities such as canoeing and dancing.

“My favorite part is the square dancing just because you see everyone is tensed at the beginning and then they all kind of loosen up and start having a good time,” senior Malaika Ansari said. “It’s just humans being humans and very sweet and wholesome.”

This year was Ansari’s second year as a Camp T counselor. To her, and many others, being a counselor is about giving back to the younger students.

“You’re learning outside instead of in a classroom and it’s a really special experience,” Ansari said. “To experience it as a seventh grader and have fun with your counselors and then be able to give that same experience back to the seventh graders once you’re older is first time with him.”

While juniors and seniors may want to re-experience their memories from seventh grade, many sophomores did not have the same opportunity. Since the pandemic began during the time that current sophomores were supposed to go to Camp T, many had different motivations for becoming a counselor.

For Ansari, becoming a counselor was about reconnecting with her junior high school and sharing her experience with the seventh graders.

“I’m super attached to Fishers Junior High,” Ansari said. “I really loved my teachers and I they really felt like they could trust us and they were talking to us about their hopes and dreams and even home life things. Being able to be a trusted older person or a role model for them was super special. counselors and campers allowed for a sense of trust that enabled the counselors to better work and connect with the campers.

Although Camp T only lasts three days, it is a tradition that is talked about years later. Older siblings and students share their experiences with the younger ones and help provide them with a similar experience.

“It’s a time for kids to be kids and also for high schoolers to re-experience what it’s like to be a kid and it’s super stress free because of all the activities,” Ansari said.

“Two [girl campers] actually had a very special relationship with us,” Ansari said. “At the end