This year, Outdoor School had over 60 fifth and sixth grade students from our conference elementary schools and several homeschools.
The weather was hot, but it was a blessing because we were able to add swimming to our activities this year. Several Sunnydale Adventist Academy students who are trained lifeguards took time away from their own schedules to help us have a fun and safe event. Iowa-Missouri Conference ministerial director Lee Rochholz even planned some Water Olympics games which students loved.
Students were able to take three classes while they were at camp: Animal Tracking, Nature Crafts and Orienteering. Each activity was focused on helping students have new encounters with their Creator in nature.
In Animal Tracking, led by Kathy Rowe, students learned how to look for signs of animal life and studied the different tracks animals make. Students especially enjoyed using special presses to make their own animal track cookies.
In Nature Crafts, students painted positive messages on Kindness Rocks and were able to place them all around Camp Heritage. They also painted nature scenes on wood slices and made nature mandalas with items found in nature.
Jeff Fender, pastor for the Sedalia and Warrensburg churches, and his wife Misty, led out in Orienteering where students learned to orient themselves with a compass and read a map.
The theme for Outdoor School this year was “Seek and Find.” Attendees were blessed to hear messages from speakers who challenged students to spend time every day seeking to know God more.
