The first annual StreetSquash camping trip was a resounding success! On Tuesday, September 2, 48 high schoolers and 12 staff departed from Harlem bright and early to spend two days and one night in Hickory Run State Park. We took over Camp Shehaqua, a large campsite with a dining hall, craft lodge, tons of cabins, activity fields, volleyball, and scary scary woods. When we arrived each team played the Awesome Game (winners: Living Life, Food, and Diversity close second), then piled into the dining hall for lunch. After that we headed out for color wars, where teams competed in a hilarious obstacle course, tug of war, capture the flag, and a water balloon toss, culminating in the now traditional staff vs student tug of war.
After that, kids split up among hiking, basketball, volleyball, arts and crafts, yoga, and baking. Then came an adventurous game of Manhunt, tree-climbing included, while the dinner crew composed of staff and some student volunteers cooked up a storm. Everyone ate some delicious healthy tacos, followed by the brownies made by the baking crew and then the inevitable s’mores. Some kids hung out by the campfire, admiring the stars and getting scared by some sneaking staff and students, while others played twister and cards in the dining hall. Then teams headed back to their cabins for some much needed sleep.
Thursday started bright and early, with everyone pitching in cleaning up and cooking breakfast – a huge amount of scrambled eggs, pancakes and bacon. Breakfast eaten and chores completed, we all drove over to Sand Spring Lake, where kids had a blast splashing around and relaxing. There was volleyball, a handstand contest, and some swimming practice. We ended with a picnic lunch, a quick group photo, and then hit the road back to the city.

[layerslider id=”38″]