Lights, Camera, ACTION!

by Jessica Newley.

Some of my favorite Mountain School memories come from those made during the evenings of Mountain School. Night activities may include; a walk to the dam, night hike, legends, Ranger program, trivia and my favorite, campfire. It’s during campfire where us instructors get to really act like kids again and go all out, peeling the banana and singing our favorite songs.

Students from Roosevelt Elementary "make rain" with graduate student Sarah Bernstein. 

Most of the campfire shenanigans start with a Ranger Program starring our very own Mountain School Ranger, Carolyn. She gets the kids pumped up with her “Boxes of Doom”, or carnivore skulls. After students break up into groups and investigate a skull, Ranger Carolyn reveals all the skulls and leaves the kids wanting more.

 Ranger Carolyn challenges students to draw the teeth of carnivores and herbivores. 

After Ranger Program, its time for Light, Camera, Action! Sometimes we have a few legends to start the campfire tradition, or we go straight into the madness. Whatever the night brings, it always a good time!

Roosevelt Elementary students preform legends in the amphitheater. 

Roasting marshmallows with Open Window students. 

One of the most special campfires I participated in was with Open Window students. This was a special campfire because their teachers brought s’more fixings! The students were so excited, and of course us instructors too. So, we sang around the campfire while students took turns making their perfect s'more, and memories to last…

The perfect s'more!

All photos contributed by the author.