🎧 Wave Reads For You
It was getting close to the end of the school year for Mrs. Thomas and her Grade 6 class. Everyone was very excited! There was lots of chatter about two whole months of freedom! Vacations! Sleeping in and hanging out with friends!
But underneath all the enthusiasm, the teacher sensed a certain uneasiness. These boys and girls were now old enough to be aware of what was going on in the world. It seemed these days that there was no escaping the bad news – from natural disasters to man-made conflict. They may not understand economics but they sure felt the tension of financial insecurity within their community and, for some, within their own homes.
Mrs. Thomas decided to veer off her lesson plan. Instead, she started discussing these troubling topics. But rather than focus on problems, she led her students to think about solutions. “What can we all do in our own way to better the world we live in? To protect our country, our community, and our families?” She asked them to become influencers for good. Then she suggested that they write about their findings and experiences to share with the class as their first assignment in the Fall.
Fast forward to September. The kids rose to the challenge. These are their stories:
Catching Cabin Fever… and Loving It!
By Tikka, age 12
Oh no! The summer hasn’t even started and already I have to worry about writing a report. It’s a LOT of pressure on a kid like me. You see, every September, the rich kids come back wearing new outfits and matching shoes. They bring shiny cell phones and trendy new backpacks. They stand up in front of the class and read their stories about cruises and plane trips and fancy resorts.
For me, it’s not so easy. My Mom and Dad don’t have much money. They both have two jobs and work all the time. They love us very much, but cannot afford to take time off for a vacation. How could I ever write a report that would be interesting enough?
We hear all the time about very young kids already making a difference in the world. Some are activists for a greener planet. Some are way talented musicians or dancers. Some are already being heard by thousands of followers.
Me… I got nuthin’.
One evening, while waiting for my Mom to get home from the late shift, I decided to have a daughter-to-Dad talk. Should I try to find a job to help him with his budget? (He was always worried about his budget.) If I need to change the world, don’t you think I’d better get started?
Dad did not laugh, or make a silly joke as he usually does. Instead, he gave me a big hug and said, “Honey, I can think of at least ten ways you make this family better. You will find your passion – or it will find you – and I guarantee you will do great things with it.” I drifted off to sleep with his words dancing in my dreams.
I’m telling you this because the very next day, he got an email from the local newspaper. They raise money during the year to help send kids to camp and guess what? They chose my little sister and me to go to a camp on Georgian Bay for a whole week! It didn’t take us long to put labels on our clothes and pack two big duffle bags with everything we thought we might need. We sat on those bags every day, making plans and waiting patiently.
When the day finally arrived, we jumped out of bed and got ready for Mom to take us to the drop-off spot. There were many big yellow school buses parked and Mom made sure we got on the right one for our camp. Before she left, she slipped an envelope into my pocket. “Off you go!”, she said. “Have fun!”
I had seen movies aboutth kids at camp, like The Parent Trap. Just like in the movies, the first day was the hardest but the most exciting. As soon as we got off the bus, I felt like I belonged, like I had been there before. I didn’t know why, exactly. Maybe it was the smell of the pine trees. Maybe it was the smell of breakfast waiting for us in the big hall. It was so cool to be in a big group of girls, not knowing anyone and looking for a friend. My little sister already had a BFF from the bus, so she totally forgot to be nervous.
The counsellors made sure we were all assigned to our cabins and helped us settle in. Our cabin was right beside the lake, and we were told we’d hear the loons calling all night. “Cool”, I said, even though I had no idea what a loon was. My three cabinmates were the same age as me and we quickly became The Fearless Four. Arm-in-arm we headed back to the big hall. Those pancakes and sausages with maple syrup were the best breakfast I ever ate!
Then there was a big welcome meeting. We were amazed at how friendly the leaders were, and at the lists of activities planned for the week. They said that Rule #1 was to have fun, and we liked that rule a LOT! They also talked about safety, about being kind to each other, and about respecting nature. “More on that, later,” they said. “First, we’ll play a game where you follow a bunch of clues to find your camp-week buddy.” I had a great time meeting others and eventually getting to know Sasha.
The tour of the campgrounds after lunch was eye-opening for me. I learned so much about trees and birds and flowers. I found out how to respect the animals’ natural habitat and how to always leave a spot exactly as we found it. We learned how to tell which plants we could eat and which ones were dangerous. I kept writing all this new information into the notebook that Dad had packed into my stuff. I laughed so hard when I turned over a page and saw Dad’s question: “What would you do if you saw this plant?” He had drawn a picture of poison ivy that I had just seen.
Two days later, on a nature hike, Sasha almost picked a beautiful purple flower. “Stop!”, I shouted, “I think that’s a foxglove. It’s poison!” The hike leader gave me a big like sign. That made me proud.
The days flew by, filled with arts and crafts, swimming and pickleball, music and laughter. On the last night, my counsellor came into the cabin and told me that I was a “natural”. She asked if I was ready for a test: She would leave me in charge of the cabin so she could go to a meeting. Yes, I was so ready. As the others were drifting off to sleep, I stayed alert. I used the bird-watching binoculars to keep us safe. That’s when I saw our counsellor jump into a boat with three other girls and paddle away quietly. Must be a very important meeting.
Earlier that last night, we were all sitting around the campfire toasting marshmallows, singing and talking. I told everybody that I had decided I wanted to be a camp counsellor as soon as I was old enough. I loved learning about how to respect nature and also leading others to do the same thing.
I reached into my pocket and felt the envelope Mom had put there a whole week ago. I had totally forgotten about it. I opened it up, and inside were five cards. They said: “Be brave. Obey the rules. Make friends. Look after your sister. Be open to finding your passion – it may be where you least expect it.”
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