Photo By Darcy Marlett | Campers at Kids’ Annual Training clear an obstacle on the Confidence Course at Camp...... read more read more
EDINBURGH, Ind. - The sound of cadences, screams of excitement and a chorus of “hooah” echoed through Camp Atterbury in Edinburgh, Ind., June 23-29, as children took over the installation for Kids’ Annual Training; a week-long summer camp.
Going strong in its 21st year, Kids’ AT offers children of Indiana National Guard service members a chance to experience and better understand the life their parents lead when they leave for annual training two weeks every summer.
While most summer camps offer activities like archery, swimming and canoeing, Kids’ AT adds to these with rappelling, completing a military obstacle course, learning self-defense and practicing marksmanship. Not only do the children get hands-on experience, but learning basic military culture is a focus as well.
“We take them out to the ranges and they get to rappel, and they get to do all the fun stuff that we do as soldiers, but at the same time I think it’s really big because we teach them leadership skills, we teach them life skills and we teach them things about the flag and our country that might get overlooked or that we might ignore day to day,” said Ashley Almaguer, a Kids’ AT staff member and former camp counselor.
Adding to the military atmosphere, campers are broken down into platoons where they undergo a variety of activities. “I always encourage kids to come back because every year is going to be different,” said Almauger.
A highlight for many of the older campers, who are put into the orange platoon, is an off-site stay at Bradford Woods, Indiana University’s learning and outdoor education center in Martinsville, Ind.
For Valleri Strange, a sixth-year camper, Bradford Woods was a great experience. Getting to be on an older team and help the new campers taught her teamwork and leadership, she said.
“I plan to come back next year to be a counselor to help the other kids out, and make sure they’re having a good time like I did as a camper.”
A volunteer-driven program, Kids’ AT is full of counselors and staff who had great experiences as campers, and have stuck with the program all of these years.
Lincy Jones, a counselor for the orange platoon and former camper, plans on coming back again next year to help out.
“Someday maybe I’ll move up to admin or hopefully come back on the medic staff, but I always want to say involved in this program because I really do believe that it’s making a difference in these kids’ lives in so many ways.”
With campers from northern Indiana, near Michigan, to the tip of southern Indiana, Kids’ AT brings together a diverse group. Having all the military kids in the state of Indiana come together, bonding, to share their experiences or talk to one another about what they’re going through is a unique factor of this camp, said Jones.
“This is our home away from home,” said Jones. “We all have something in common. All of the kids, the staff; we’re all bonded by the military life and that’s what brings us together.”
Campers concluded the week with an awards ceremony with presentations done by newly appointed Assistant Adjutant General, Col. Wayne Black, in which they were recognized for different achievements throughout camp. From the biggest fish caught to most improved camper and leadership awards, nothing was overlooked.
| Date Taken: | 07.01.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 07.02.2013 09:51 |
| Story ID: | 109611 |
| Location: | EDINBURGH, IN, US |
| Web Views: | 185 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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