B-SAFE does BCH. Ending with a BOOM.

Last week at B-SAFE for the middle-schooler’s was just slightly different from the previous four. For starters, instead of field trips to Carson Beach or the Institute for Contemporary Art, we found ourselves swimming in Otter Lake and painting canvases of the trees and nature around us. We said goodbye to Dorchester and found ourselves at home in New Hampshire at the Barbara C. Harris camp for four nights and five days.

Campers were able to experience new levels of freedom here in New Hampshire. Each one chose two different activities from an extensive list of progression activities that they would participate in every morning, which allowed them to break off from their assigned cabins and surround themselves with new peers who shared similar interests. I taught the swimming progressions and really enjoyed working with young people who were enthusiastic about improving their swimming abilities.

In the afternoons, campers rotated through a variety of different activities including basketball, gaga ball, gimp, and more. The evenings were especially fun because the whole camp got together for evening activities like dance parties, camp fires and talents shows. Campers enjoyed all of the above, despite the frequent but unavoidable encounters with insects.

The last week of camp was a blast. The middle schoolers have been beyond fun to work with, and I hope their memories of BCH are as fond as mine. And overall, working with SSYP for the past 10 weeks as an intern and as a lead has been an eye opening experience to say the least. To work with a program that is so proactive in providing opportunities for young people is an honor and wherever I may work down the road will be held to high standards! 

By Sarah Schrading, A-TEAM and Lead Counselor

Sarah Schrading is a rising senior at Rutgers University studying Linguistics, Spanish and Psychology. She was born and raised in the city of Philadelphia. Sarah has been a part of service abroad trips in both El Salvador and Zimbabwe. Her hopes for the future involve pursuing a career in public service, specifically education policy. She enjoys world traveling, trying new things and Italian food.