A unique feature of the Community Adventure Program (CAP) class at STRIVE Prep – Excel is the age diversity of the participants. Half of them are Seniors, driving cars and getting ready for college. The other half are Freshmen, just out of middle school and testing their new high school identities. (Then there is one Sophomore, who goes between the factions as he pleases.) The age groups have entirely different perspectives on the class and on the trips, so for your enjoyment, here are a reflective essays from a freshman boy and a senior woman:

My Weekend – Daniel

On Saturday I woke up at 7:10 AM and got all of my things and went to school. Once I got to school I played games with my friends. Once everyone got here we left and started to head towards the mountains. Once we got there we set up our tents and got our sleeping pads and our sleeping bags.

Once we finished we got ready for lunch. After lunch we decided to play gaga ball. I wasn’t the best at first, but I got better at it. Later that day we decided to go on a hike. When we were hiking we passed by lots of nice luminous trees and some of the trees had antler marks on them. There was also yellow trees. Later on that day we went on night hike… it was really dark and frightening. Once we got close to the camp one of my other camp mates screamed bloody murder and scared us. After that we decided to make a campfire and tell scary stories, and then we went to sleep.

SUNDAY: Me and my tent mates woke up around 7 am. Once we got our jackets on, we decided to go to get some hot cocoa and sit next to the camp fire because it was freezing cold. Later the whole camp decided to play gaga ball. Later that day we to Rocky Mountain National Park and ate lunch and cupcakes there. Then we got our stuff and went home.

Cottonwood – Maria

My weekend of October 1st- October 2nd was super peaceful. I enjoyed myself up in the mountains because I had a great experience with great people and great conversations. I loved being away from my phone and meeting people whom I haven’t had a chance to meet. It’s sad we’re all from Colorado and we really don’t explore Colorado so I’m grateful for this experience.

Saturday alone was already a hands on day. We sat up our tents and began getting comfortable for lunch. After lunch we went on a hike. The hike was pretty much going out of my comfort zone because there was really no trail. We had a 5 minute meditation which I enjoyed, but by far preparing dinner was my role. I liked bringing in my knife skills into our burrito preparing. After dinner we sat around the fire all in terror due to the scary stories. I obviously could not sleep.

Sunday morning was bagel with some granola bar and yogurt morning. I went on a peaceful hike and had long meaningful conversations. The outdoors make people feel different and open up and I appreciate that so much. I found myself knowing I like more than the city, I like adventures. It was so calm knowing I was pushing my body to go on hikes I take but at my pace and now I had to keep going. It was a good weekend. I felt like a new person.

Written by: CI Instructor Erin Angel and STRIVE Prep – Excel CAP Students

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