Around the Club
Our members set out on foot last week to Sequim Museum &Arts, where they were welcomed with a tour, video and all kinds of Dungeness Valley history.
In the clubhouse, the kids made their own skee ball and paper airplane games. After making their own paper airplanes, they flew them through small and large holes racking up points accordingly.
In the art room our kids made paint brushes from nature, using sticks, flowers, pine cones, leaves and anything they could find creating some unique paintings. They had a lot of fun decorating (unit director) Dave Miller’s office with balloons and handmade birthday cards while he was off on a field trip. They sprung a surprise on their mentor and showered him with birthday well wishes when he returned.
Morning Camp
Our campers had a “Fear Factor” week in the club for those that didn’t go out on the field trips. They were challenged to walk or crawl on Legos, fish marbles out disgusting buckets of “gross” stuff made from common kitchen ingredients like spaghetti sauce and apple bits. Kids really enjoyed sampling baby food and a contest where their blindfolded friends stood behind them to be their arms (because they couldn’t use their own) and “self” feed poorly made sundaes. The week ended with the popular “Bean Boozled” game where weird and nasty flavors mixed with the regular ones, never knowing what you will get.
Several of our younger kids weren’t able to participate in earlier field trips, like the one last spring to our state capital. So this summer we were able take our elementary kids on a special tour of the capital, learning about the Tiffany chandelier, the 42 steps symbolizing Washington becoming the 42nd state, and a chance to sit in seats in both the House and the Senate.
The trip included a stop-off at the WET (Water Education and Technology) Science Center with fun, hands-on activities to learn all about water. The center educates in conserving water resources and our kids were able to visualize just how much water they use personally and what Americans use compared to the rest of the world. Most impressive to the kids was trying to haul a 5-gallon container of water much like the rest of the world does, verses our simple indoor plumbing faucet to get what we need.
Junior Rangers
Our adventurous group went for swim last week venturing 12 miles into the heart of Olympic National Park and Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort.
The members set out on the trail to Sol Duc Falls and took in the unique view from above stream before heading back for a dip in one of four pools. Normally a tranquil place, the hot weather made a dip in the large mineral fountain pool and its hotter counterpart not as desirable at temperatures over 100 degrees.
Quite a bit of time was spent in the fresh water pool trying to keep cool. The mineral springs are made from snow melt and rain mixing with gasses from cooling volcanic rock creating the park attraction.
Brain Gain
“Learning Large” started this week in the library. This program is guided by club staff but developed and taught by a group of four club members eager to help their younger peers. The older group developed academic enrichment activities targeting first- and second-grade children. This week they worked not only on math but time telling and shapes, and incorporated spelling, grammar and some creative writing. They also spent a little time teaching the younger kids how to tie their shoes. This same group is responsible for producing the club newsletter which has really taken off and members and parents both get some insight on what happens in the club from the kids’ perspective.
Activities at the Sequim Boys & Girls Club last week include a “Fear Factor” challenge. Submitted photo
Charlotte Rodgers feeds llamas at the Olympic Game Farm, a close-to-home field trip staff took with some of the club’s younger members. Submitted photo
