After our tour of the fort, we had a meeting and introduced everyone. Mr. Rick talked to us about the Old Stories, New Voices camp and its goals. Then Mr. Lawrence, the camp director talked to us about expectations for the week.

After the meeting we all went to bed. Whew we were all tired.

Tomorrow is American Indian day. We are going to learn all about the American Indians who lived here. We are going to hear the music, learn about the dances of the Sioux Lakota and eat Indian food. In the afternoon we are going to go for a hike, fish, play shinny (an American Indian game) and try our hand at archery. It is going to be a very full day.

After dinner we had a wonderful horse-drawn wagon tour of the entire fort. It was a great finish to a great day.

Movin' In

In our t-shirts and hats. Lookin' good

We are living in Comanche Hall for the week. We love it! We all have comfortable beds, bathrooms and the best thing is that we are all together under one roof.

Comanche Hall

Nebraska camp begins!

We all arrived at beautiful Comanche Hall at Ft. Robinson State Park on Monday, August 11 at 5pm. Mr. Lawrence, our director, put us into four companys. Company A is headed by Mr. David and Ms. Katie; Company B is Ms. Tessa and Mr. Ezra; Company C is Mr. Patrick and Ms. Linn and Company D is Mr. Brandon and Ms. Amelia.

Graduation!

You would have thought five years ago that I was going crazy

Over a hundred kids to this day,

and I'm still not getting lazy.

Some of the best counselors to this day, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Booker

these guys taught me a lot, especially how to be the "good looker"

Ms. Hultin averaged a new lingo each year.

You would've thought with all the Riggs, they would have cracked the first tear.

It never fails me, we get great kids each round

12 years of this camp, and they still make the same sound.

Whether they are the big kids to the little,

quite to the loud, mean to the nicest,

They all make me proud.

And I am happy to say whatever company I'm in.

All you kids are champions, and you all deserve to win.

So remember this week, remember everything you learned

for you are the future and this what you have earned.

Arthur Laster, Old Stories, New Voices camp counselor 8/07/08

Comments on the day from campers....

"I like the Sand Dunes! I learned that the dunes were created by the wind. They are huge and I think that is funny that the wind created the dunes" Eugene


"I made it to the top of the Sand Dunes" Gabriel

Climb to Glory! We climbed the Great Sand Dunes!

Wednesday afternoon we drove to the Great Sand Dunes National Park and pitched our tents. We then got to meet some really cool park rangers who taught us about bears, clouds, surviving in the woods and lots of other stuff.

After our cookout dinner we had a big bonfire and a ranger sang us some songs. Then Mr. Booker sang his silly moose song. It was then time to go to our tents and go to sleep. It rained a little while we were in our tents, but we stayed warm.

This morning we got up early, had breakfast and then began to climb the biggest sand dune in the park. It was really hard work and took two hours. But every single one of us made it to the top.

We are swimming now and tonight we are going to have a talent show. Tomorrow we graduate.