Camp Casey

Beginning Monday, March 31st 5th graders in the Tahoma school district will be experiencing the great outdoors adding to their awesome education in the classroom. Each school will hold two sessions. One group will attend March 31-April 2 and the second group will attend April 2-4th. This two-day-two-night excursion has survived budget cuts and has quickly become a rite of passage for 5th graders in the greater Maple Valley area. One fifth grade teacher, Brandon Betlach, at Glacier Park had this to say regarding the experience:

“I love it when April rolls around each year because I know how much students and teachers enjoy Camp Casey.  All year long we (teachers) relate learning to real-world experiences and application, and Camp Casey provides students with this real-world application in a beautiful outdoor setting.  Students experience first-hand the causes and effects of erosion.  They find out what happens when you remove a particular species from an ecosystem and the effect that has on the life web.  And aside from the learning that takes place, Camp Casey provides an opportunity for kids who otherwise never leave their house to get out and experience the Pacific Northwest.  From a teacher’s perspective, I also think it is great for the students from one school to be able to mix with other students from around the district to form new friendships, which is huge as they head into sixth grade.  The main thing that sticks with me each year, though, is the excitement I see on my students’ faces as I pass them on a way to another class or activity.  Those images are burned into my memory, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything.”

Have a wonderful time, 5th graders!