Grade 6’s have a sweet time

​6th graders from Connect Charter School have an amazing time at Camp Sweet. 

By: Forrest

“One of the greatest experiences of my life!” said Tristan from grade six. Amongst the rolling wheat fields in southern Alberta, grade six students from Connect Charter School have an amazing camping trip out at Camp Sweet. The private camp is just about 10km west of Olds, Alberta, and is located at the intersection of Dog Pound Creek and the Little Red Deer River. The students had fun playing in these two rivers, playing the “animal game”, howling to coyotes, singing by the campfire, and sleeping in nice waterproof tents. Connect is a school in the southwest of Calgary, Alberta. They are known for the Apple Laptops and iPads that each student receives. They also have a new “EXPO” program that lets students learn off the school campus, and that is exactly what they are doing at Camp Sweet. The students are exploring the different trees and leaves in Alberta for science, and built a mini government in the forest for social studies. 

During free time, students went into the small woods. They found all sorts of logs and built a miniature town. Some people built houses, and some people decided to set up shop and sell more logs to people who were building hospitals or cafés. Then, a government was born, since that was what they were learning about in class. Everyone voted for a mayor, and were all given credit cards. But the city of “Forestland” did not last long, and the government was overthrown. One other thing that the students and teachers enjoyed was the amazing food. Prepared by the great parent volunteers who came on the trip with the school, all day they are flipping burgers and chopping vegetables for all 52 students and 8 adults. “The food at Camp Sweet was the best I have ever had!” said Samuel from the 6.3 classroom. The students also had fun playing in the Little Red Deer River, right before it meets Dog Pound Creek. Some years you could fully swim in the river, but this year the water only went up to the kids’ knees. “The water is the lowest that I have seen it in years” said camp owner, Mr. Sweet. Because it was so low, the grade 6’s built a dam using rocks from the shore in the water. They couldn't make it completely water tight, but it definitely held back water. In the river before the rock wall, the water was now up to your shoulders in some parts. In the middle of the dam, they created a makeshift water slide that was actually really powerful. Many who tried to walk up the the rushing stream of water fell down and got swept up in the waves. There were also many small bugs and critters that some kids were catching in a little pool, or scaring other students
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All the grade six students were very excited to get home and tell their parents about how much fun they had camping but also would miss all the fun they had building forts, playing in a river, howling with coyotes and sleeping in tents with their friends. To register your child at Connect, and let them have this experience, visit http://www.connectcharter.ca/.