FRCS at NC 2011

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Day #2 - Octobe12, 2011

The day dawned sweatshirt-cool, but great for being outdoors on this beautiful campus.

Everyone enjoyed the French toast-and-sausage breakfast, with the additional choices of fresh-cut fruit and Chef Tom's yummy homemade coffee cake.

The breakfast ORT report was a disappointment, as a considerable amount of liquid waste and uneaten plated sausages added up to more than 30 pounds, so the group set a goal of lowering it considerably at lunchtime. (And they succeeded, by the way, with only 14 pounds of lunch ORT!)

The GaGa pit was a flurry of activity during the morning transition time. (See next blog post of Gaga game photos). then it was time for everyone to spend two hours with their respective field group leaders for a variety of hiking, exploring, team-building, and discovering activities. (See pictures included in this blog.)

Lunch was a huge hit, featuring fresh-baked, warm cornbread, scrumprious "Rice Krispie " baked chicken, and, of course, the delicious salad bar.

Right now the kids are in a variety of one-hour classes for which they signed up during this morning's field groups:projectiles (physics and things that move),sculpt the Earth (forces of nature), one-sided-magical-strip-of-Awesome, Yoga, pumpkin dissection, critter battle (survival in one's habitat), volcanoes, roller coasters, and tree identification (make a book to take home).

Then there will be a half-hour transition to prepare for our two hour trip to the Beach, 3:00-5:00. More later!!!!!

Day #1 Post Script!

Last night's QUEST program was a great success as the children participated in a variety of activities that required them to work together and to S-T-O-P : Stop - Think - Organize - Procede.

They also learned that IALAC is a "value" here at NC. The letters convey the spirit of positive interactions with the anachronym that stands for "I am loving and caring". On a big poster board in the dining room, children are able to record their positive encounters with others during the week, such as "Terry lent me a day pack for the hike."

All teachers and chaperones began the week here yesterday wearing an "IALAC bead" on a piece of yarn. As each adult has observed a good deed being done, we've each passed our IALAC bead necklace onto a child. Last night the kids all learned that they are to enjoy the honor of wearing the IALAC necklace for about an hour and then should try to notice someone else who deserves to wear the IALAC bead, giving it away.

A "quiet sing" song session, accompanied by five NC teachers playing guitars and ukelele, a light Goldfish cracker snack, and it was time to end our big first day.

It was a busy, exciting, tiring day, and the full Harvest Moon was shining brightly as everyone began to settle down and sleep took over in our cabins.