By Rachel Williams and Elizabeth Boden – Grand Junction … Hiking, rock climbing, rappelling, CPR, and water ecology were included in the 2022 outdoor school activities for 5th – 9th grade students from Adventist schools in Grand Junction, Delta, and Cortez. The school was held at New Beginnings Ranch, September 25-28. Attending this year were 29 kids and 12 adult volunteers.
One of the first activities was hiking to the top of Lone Cone Mountain. Part of the group stayed at the base of the mountain to study the flora of the forest, while a smaller group climbed to the summit. The Lord was with them during their climb, blessing them with sure footing as rain on the decent made the rocks slick and the ground muddy. All arrived at camp safely, though tired. It was truly a great experience and a blessing to be able to enjoy God’s creation.
The group enjoyed stories and worship by the fire before a good night’s sleep, excitement building as they looked forward to rappelling and rock climbing the following morning. Breakfast came early at outdoor school, with many activities to fit into the schedule. Tuesday morning, the decision was made about who would get to climb first. As kids separated into groups and headed off, many helpers were there to guide the way. Rock climbers and rappelers were in the hands of Dr. DuWayne Carlson, Brian Montag, and David Hanes; those interested in water ecology went with Joel Reyes; and those wanting to learn CPR and first aid gathered with Brandon Hart, RN.
A pond at the New Beginning Ranch was perfect for water ecology, with students examining living organisms under a microscope and being taught about the benefits of water. The CPR class was filled with valuable information on assessing an emergency, the ABCs of CPR, how to avoid getting injured while helping someone else who has sustained injury, how to treat a burn, and how to help a person who is choking.
At the end of the first aid class, Brandon Hart held a Q & A with many students interested in what it’s like to work at a hospital and deal with medical emergencies. “Safety first, when climbing or rappelling,” was explained as a great opportunity for kids to be able to receive instruction and on how to accomplish it. The students were blessed to have quality instructors to facilitate activities like rock-climbing and rappelling.
On the final day, everyone was involved in camp clean-up, and most tasks were completed quickly. Rachel Williams and Elizabeth Boden reported, “We had a few students go above and beyond what was asked of them. What great examples they were. We opened each day with worship by the fire and closed each evening with worship, stories, S’mores, and time with friends.
There are not enough words to express appreciation to Dr. DuWayne and Karen Carlson for their dedication to keeping the Ranch open and providing a wonderful learning opportunity for children to learn about God’s world.”
— Text and photos by Rachel Williams and Elizabeth Boden
