Challenges and team bonding activities opened the eyes of students in the Blan/Mitchell advisory, among others, which allowed them to bond and gain each other’s trust when the Fort Worth Country Day freshman class all took a trip to Camp Thurman earlier this month.
According to the camp’s website, Camp Thurman is a Christian summer camp established in 1969. It hosts around 6,000 kids every summer. During the camp’s offseason, it functions as a challenge course where many groups come to gain skills needed in life.
Before the trip, Upper School Librarian and freshman advisor Sarah Blan was asked how much she thought her advisees trusted each other. She said she thought they trusted each other a little bit, but not a ton.
“I see a little bit of familiarity and comfort,” Blan said. “The boys are comfortable with each other and the girls are comfortable with each other.”
The day at Camp Thurman functions as a way for freshmen to begin to grow comfortable with their mentors and peers for the year. They grow through many challenges to break the ice. They zipline, compete against other advisories, play gaga ball, and swing on the Tarzan Swing.
Member of Blan/Mitchell advisory, Lucy Sell ’29 said that she trusts her advisory so much more after visiting Camp Thurman.
“I definitely didn’t think that we would have the abilities to do the activities that we were able to fulfill at Camp Thurman,” Sell said. “Then after Camp Thurman, I thought my group was capable of anything, and I’m proud of them.”
Another member of the advisory, Marcos Zamorano ’29, said he too thought that Camp Thurman was beneficial for his advisory.
“I think the team building activities that we did built the bond between us,” Zamorano said. “I didn’t really talk to a lot of people in my advisory, so to be able to get to know them was fun.”
Sell also said that she thought she grew closer to one of her advisors, new Upper School English teacher Bennett Mitchell.
Next, both students were asked what skills they thought they gained.
“Definitely to not hog things,” Sell said, “and to just learn camaraderie.”
Zamorano said his advisory really learned how to work together.
“I think I learned how to communicate better,” Zamorano said, “just making sure everyone’s voice is heard in the group.”
Overall, many students said Camp Thurman was a great experience that they really enjoyed.
“I loved it,” Sell said. “It was really sweaty, really dusty, but other than that, it was really great.”
Many students said their favorite part was the zipline and the ropes course. Even some freshman advisors, including Mitchell, participated in the ropes aspects.
“My favorite part was just getting together on a Friday,” Zamorano said, “just having fun with people that I wouldn’t normally have fun with.”
After being asked what surprised her about her advisory, Blan said her advisory was very optimistic and willing to have fun.
“In the past, not everyone’s been excited,” Blan said, “I felt like everyone in our group was ready to participate and excited, and they enjoyed it and had a fun time.”
Mitchell added that he thinks the respect within his advisory surprised him.
“Just how well they listened to each other’s ideas about how to attack a challenge,” Mitchell said. “No one was shut down. Everyone listened, then they talked through some things together.”
Both Mitchell and Blan said that the pipeline activity strengthened the bond between the advisory. This activity consisted of each member of the advisory having a piece of pipe that they would have to connect together in order to carry a marble across a distance. It took patience, focus, and collaboration to do this. Eventually, the Blan/Mitchell advisory figured out that once the marble rolled across their individual pipe, they would have to quickly go to the end of the line to catch the marble again.
“I do think that there was a little bit of courage involved,” Mitchell said. “I know that quite a few students stepped out of their little safety zone and did the ropes portion and they weren’t used to that.”
Freshman Class Dean and Spanish teacher Molly Risewick said the goal of Camp Thurman is for advisories to bond to make the transition to Upper School easier. She said she sees the growth already starting to happen.
“Several advisors have mentioned how good the day was with their advisory,” Risewick said. “They have already felt cohesiveness growing between their advisory.”
The Blan/Mitchell advisory grew closer together and learned essential skills to help them tackle freshman year at Camp Thurman. The advisory hopes that they will continue to trust each other and create meaningful relationships between each other that will sustain them throughout their high school years.
