From the October 19, 2007 issue of The Cape Codder

Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School News: Visit to Sea Camps

ORLEANS - Bringing students together as a community, interacting across grade levels and encouraging creativity and cooperation are all part of the school's mission. Perhaps no other single event, taking place early in the school year, and melding teachers, students and parents together, can achieve this as well as the two-day overnight at Cape Cod Sea Camps. Dividing three grade levels into tribes for the two-day event, with each tribe represented by a different color or pattern, parent volunteer leaders led each group through games and activities, from soccer to sand castles, creative art to manipulation and sensory games. All the while, groups would periodically break to develop a flag, skits and songs or poems about their color or tribe. Meeting on the big field, each color presented a short act or skit about their theme. Stories ranged from fantasies involving kingdoms and royalty to the value of forests and conservation.

Students' creative gifts were presented to the school's families and friends with an amazing talent show Thursday evening. Students presented singing, dancing and comedy skits, as well as individual vocal and instrumental performances. Teachers and staff agreed that while teaching students in the daily classroom setting offers insight to individuality, observing the other aspects of student personalities through art and creativity, under spotlights, offers a whole new dimension to who these kids are in their world outside of school.

Back to the cabins for some scary stories and a fairly uneventful overnight, students, teachers and parent volunteers awoke to a hearty breakfast, cross grade competition in dodge ball and other games, and of course packing and cleaning up to say goodbye before the long Columbus Day weekend, during which some adults, no doubt, caught up on sleep. A big, hearty thanks to all parent volunteers and especially Bob Chambers who again donated his time and excellent PA system for our talent show.