Camp Manu gives kids survival skills and adventures in nature

By Casey Russell

Toigo organizes adventure day trips, hosts sleepaway survival week camps, has done a number of camps with the Girl and Boy Scouts, provides nature programs and field trips for some schools and also offers after-school hiking programs.

Toigo started her business after she noticed that many Los Angeles kids were “confined in their schools and homes… It felt like they were losing connection with nature.”

“We can’t save our planet or our wildlife if we lose our connection with nature,” she said.

Toigo knows a lot about nature and wildlife. She was raised on a sugar cane farm outside of Ingham, Australia, and she grew up exploring and learning from nature. She has experience in desert, jungle, mountain and urban environments and, as a wellknown survivalist teacher, has appeared on top survival and nature platforms, including the Discovery Channel and National Geographic.

For her day camps, the outdoor enthusiast picks kids up

E.S.L.A.

By Isabel Viola 12th Grade

After a relaxing and well-deserved spring break, the ESLA community is back to school and prepared for the last stretch of this semester. Our seniors are thrilled for their upcoming prom and everyone is excited to see how they execute the chosen theme, Met Gala. With all college decisions now released, we are so proud of our graduating class and where they have chosen to go. We know that they will continue to uphold ESLA’s virtues as they take their first steps into adulthood.

The freshness of spring has inspired ESLA to introduce a brand new program into our curriculum: peer tutoring! Hosted by the Academic Council, council members will assist their fellow classmates on schoolwork while providing a focused and designated space for people who want to get ahead of assignments. This is a great opportunity to receive extra help by people you are familiar with while simultaneously strengthening connections throughout the community. We are all looking forward to seeing how it goes!

at Griffith Park and takes them to the day’s location. Campers visit areas of Malibu and the Santa Monica and San Gabriel Mountains and areas in the Angeles Crest National Forest. (Parents are always provided Google Maps of locations.)

The day starts at 9 a.m. and ends back at Griffith Park at 3:30 p.m. Upon arrival at the day’s site, everyone partakes of organic, gluten-free foods, which Toigo brings to sustain

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The Oaks

By Amelia Goldberg 6th Grade

The campout is an absolutely core part of my experience at The Oaks. For one weekend each year, the whole school camps out together in Hurkey Creek near Idyllwild.

We have an Olympics event, with three-legged races, relay races and other fun activities. Kids always bring bikes to get around the campsite, which is divided by grade. We have a lot of potlucks and community meals. There is also a concert of sorts, where the community sings songs that carry tradition and meaning for the school, such as “Big Yellow Taxi,” “California Dreaming,” “Imagine” and others.

Last year the 6th grade class hosted several events at their campsite, and our 6th grade class hoped to live up to the sound bath they hosted. The nearby lake is also a huge draw for some classes. It’s so cold!

The campout is a time for traditions and nostalgia for many students, teachers and parents. It’s a great way for all of us to spend time together before the close of the school year.

Camp Manu

(Continued from page 16) energy and strength throughout the day. Toigo teaches kids how to prepare for a healthy day and why it’s important. She also encourages campers to drink lots of water. “It’s all about safety, preparedness and educating kids to be observant and aware of their surroundings.” She has one or two other experienced adults with her on all adventures, and she carries an emergency beacon that, when set off, instantly activates a rescue. She has never had to use it on any camp outing.

After running through safety protocols, the group sets off to explore. “It’s an adventure, but they’re also learning life skills in order to be safe in their environments. As we walk along, there are lots of stops because I notice things and I show them and we talk about it.” Kids are introduced to local flora and fauna. “Yucca

Pilgrim School

By Allison Pak 9th Grade

Pilgrim school had a great spring break, but it’s great to be back and see everyone. We will be welcoming the new families on campus at the New Family Reception on April 20. We are so excited to welcome them.

The musical “Matilda” will be from April 27 through 29, and tickets are already sold out.

High school students have been working really hard to prepare for the AP exams that start in early May. Seniors have received admissions to many wonderful colleges and universities like Brown, USC, Howard, UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, Carnegie Mellon, Berklee School of Music and many more. We are so proud of our seniors.

Oakwood School

By Scarlett Saldaña 12th Grade

With a month left in the school year, many of our annual events have started to build up. Students will attend IDEAS Summit, a themed, threeday event that features discussions surrounding identity, diversity, equity and action. Last year, our theme was “Building Coalition for Racial & Social Justice,” and students spoke about effective ways to build unity to help sustain change at Oakwood and beyond.

The secondary school will come together soon for one of the most gets a lot of returning kids and loves to hear kids who have adventured with her for years now talking about wanting to go into careers like marine biology or anthropology. is one of my favorites,” said Toigo. “The flowers can be eaten, the stalk can be used as a fire tinder or as a cooking container or musical instrument. The spiny leaf, I have kids unravel, pick open and separate the tiny strands. If you rub these with water, you have a wonderful soap. You can also use the strands to make cordage and rope… I teach kids things like this and they’re fascinated by it… I’ll have parents call me, and they can’t believe their kids know this stuff.”

CAMPERS getting nice and dirty exploring.

The camp leader says she beloved Oakwood traditions, Arts Festival. It is a day celebrating students’ work in visual and performing arts. There are activities like a silent disco and karaoke. After exploring different installations, everyone gathers in the gym to enjoy a variety of music and dance performances from students and faculty.

While it is certainly a bittersweet moment for the seniors as they experience their last Arts Festival and truly embrace the moment, it remains my favorite event. It reminds me of the supportive community at Oakwood.

ST. BRENDAN

By Jack Byrne 8th Grade

St. Brendan had a great month of April.

We began by celebrating an Easter tradition as 8th graders helped their kindergarten little buddies dye eggs. It was very fun and there were so many cool designs.

A new tradition began as the 8th graders presented the Living Stations of the Cross. We recreated and reflected on each Station.

St. Brendan School will present the “Matilda, Jr.” musical! Students from 2nd to 8th grade are performing April 28 and April 29. Some of the actors include 8th grader John Gonzalez as Ms. Trunchbull, 8th grader Noah Fox as the escapologist, 6th grader Alyssa Lee as Miss Honey and 3rd grader Avyn Lee as Matilda.

Lastly, St. Brendan held an auction to raise money for its new TK program. Thank you for reading the St. Brendan section in the Larchmont Chronicle

Toigo believes that the more time people spend outdoors, the healthier they’ll be. She notes that kids with behavioral issues and immunity issues are helped by time in nature, and she encourages kids to get dirty.

Overnight camping

The overnight, weeklong camps are located at campgrounds ideal for survival training. Kids learn how to start a fire, find and cook food, stay warm, find water and make shelter. They learn navigation and do a mock search-and-rescue. They sleep on cow hides under shelters they make themselves from tarps and ropes. All food is included in the camp’s price, and parents are allowed to come along for the weeklong camps at no additional cost.

While campers sleep at the campground, they get to spend their days at one of two exotic animal sanctuaries and get time at a river learning how to build a bamboo watercraft. Clearly, Toigo loves her job. “We got to see a vulture today! It was beautiful! It’s their first time seeing these things. It’s [the kids] that make me so excited about what I do.” An Adventure Day week starts at $590 per person, and an overnight survival week is $990. For more information, visit manutoigo.com.