After spending a week sleeping on a cot surrounded by a dozen loud, rambunctious 6th-grade boys, I came home with one realization–6th Grade Camp is an incredible experience.

6th grade is such a crucial and influential time in a kid’s life because it marks the true beginning of middle school, when students start adjusting to new expectations, greater independence, and a wider social environment. It is a year where kids are not only learning important academic skills, but also developing habits, confidence, and responsibility that will carry into the rest of their education.

Because of this, 6th Grade Camp (officially called Outdoor School by Parkway) is especially meaningful; it gives students a shared experience early on where they can build friendships in a natural, relaxed setting before middle school becomes more structured and fast-paced. The bonds formed during this time often become the foundation for relationships that last through middle school and even into high school. It’s a chance for students to grow together, support each other, and start their journey into adolescence with a strong sense of community and where they belong.

Parkway’s 6th Grade Camp at the YMCA’s Camp Lakewood is a great experience for all kids.  You learn survival skills, socialize, make new friends, learn a sense of independence, and also teamwork at the same time.

Kids leave their phones at home and spend a week without them, which I believe is great for this day and age’s generation of kids. After experiencing a week of camp counseling at 6th Grade Camp, I can say it was one of the best weeks of my life. Being a counselor and being responsible for a group of kids and experiencing all the fun it brings was wonderful. 

Unfortunately for sophomore and juniors like me, we didn’t get to experience our own 6th Grade Camp because COVID changed everything for us. My West Middle class did go to Babler State Park for a day as a substitute, but it just wasn’t the same. Plus, I had a migraine and had to leave early. I always wondered what a full overnight 6th Grade Camp would be like. After being a counselor, I was finally able to enjoy everything I missed out on as a kid. Having fun with my cabin and the other counselors brought so much excitement, and waking up every day with a day full of activities planned out is something to really look forward to.

I met some great kids, and some of them were even my friends’ younger brothers and my teachers’ kids. I saw the growth from meeting all of them on the first day to the end, when they all worked really well as a team and tried hard at every activity. 

For any high schooler, I recommend trying to sign up and participate as a counselor if you can.

All the middle school teachers there were really nice and helpful, and all the YMCA workers took really good care of all of us, directed the activities, and even educated us on many nature-related things. 

My personal favorite activity we did was the nature hike. It was about a mile; my cabin and I walked through the woods on a trail with another group and stopped at the top for a lesson on geo-rock mining. We learned about the types of rocks that were in the mine at camp. After we learned and got our equipment, the kids and I dug for cool rocks and got to keep them as well. Some of my kids had some pretty cool stones, limestone, sandstone, and some other shiny rocks. It was an overall fun activity.

Another great part of camp was the food there. Surprisingly, the breakfast, lunch, and dinner was very appetizing. I wasn’t expecting it to be any different from school food, but the Camp Lakewood staff provided some great meals, even offering homemade recipes. 

Walking around the camp while playing music on my speaker with the kids, enjoying the nice weather, and taking beautiful pictures of nature was a great feeling I will never forget. It was something about that environment that felt so peaceful. 

Eddie Mattison serves as the K-12 Health and Physical Education Coordinator and the Outdoor School/6th Grade Camp Coordinator for Parkway.

He said Outdoor School has been a Parkway staple since 1970, and shared some other facts about the camp. 

“We send 1,300 students to Camp Lakewood in Potosi, MO, each year. Over the last 56 years, we have sent more than 73,000 students to camp. The cost for students is $300. This amount is offset by Parkway’s financial assistance (up to $100) and 52 full scholarships from the Cerutti Family Foundation and the YMCA,” Mattison said.

Mattison about my 2020-2021 school year, which I missed due to COVID-19. 

“During the 2020-2021 school year, we transitioned to a one-day camp at Babler State Park. We wanted students to experience camp without the pressure of staying overnight in cabins during the pandemic. Had we maintained the overnight stay at Camp Lakewood, student attendance would likely have been very low given the circumstances at the time. We felt it was important to bring the full experience back because of its long-standing value to the Parkway community,” Mattison said.

After the Pandemic ended and things got back to normal, I’m sure it was tempting for Parkway to just eliminate the Outdoor School program rather than spend all the money to bring it back. Bravo to the district for realizing the value of 6th Grade Camp and keeping the amazing tradition going. 

Overall, after 56 years, Parkways ‘ 6th Grade Camp stands as a defining moment for young students and continues to be a great experience for middle school students.

So students, next year when you’re stressed out with homework, your social life and everything else going on at South High, take a week and spend it in the woods at 6th Grade Camp–you won’t regret it.