Wilderness Camp Continues to Provide Life-Changing Experiences for 11th Graders

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The CAJ high school’s annual School Without Walls (SWOW) program in early October features different experiences for each class, with 11th graders experiencing the famed Wilderness Camp.

Wilderness Camp is one of CAJ’s longest-standing traditions, and certainly it is one of the most memorable. Starting in 1980 under the name “Stress Camp,” the program sends out juniors and staff chaperones in groups of about 10 to enjoy a four-day, three-night backpacking trip in the mountains near Okutama.

The name changed from Stress Camp to Wilderness Camp nearly 20 years ago, and program director Ryan Potter (‘98) has been gradually tweaking the details of the experience since then. Potter has taught at CAJ since 2007, spending most of his time in the Bible and industrial arts departments.

While there is still a significant amount of strenuous hiking involved, the intensity of the outdoor experience has been reduced since the days of Stress Camp in favor of more leadership development opportunities. Potter says these changes have generally been popular.

“Now when we ask students to reflect on their experience, almost every student strongly recommends that their underclassmen get the experience, and many students want to go back out again,” Potter says.

While on the trip, rotating student leaders manage day-to-day responsibilities, such as trail navigation and managing team morale. Each day includes leadership activities and multiple opportunities to reflect individually and as a group. The group reflection times are enhanced by the trust and openness that students build through their shared experiences on the trail, Potter says.

“We want this trip to give students time to reflect on who they are, who they are becoming, and also who they want to be,” Potter says. “Hopefully they will learn to understand themselves better, and also to understand who God wants them to be.”

Here are some reflections from our current juniors after they experienced Wilderness Camp this fall, from October 8-11.

Moana
“I learned that a good leader not only has a sharp observing eye, but also a heart of patience and the willingness to serve others, even if it means to sacrifice yourself. Just a small act of service may have a big effect on others.”

Daniel
“I think something everyone took away was that we all are capable of more than we think we are. Wilderness Camp is a great opportunity to push those limits in a safe environment, and people may hold back out of worry that pushing ourselves so much in the real world could possibly come with consequences. But what I took away from this camp was that even in the real world, if I push my limits just how I did during Wilderness Camp, I would likely have the same realization that I am much more capable than I originally thought I was.”

Hanna
“I learned a lot about my teammates. I think the bonding that we had will be long-lasting, hopefully even after graduation. Also, as a person who doesn't really prefer to go hiking or going into the wilderness, this experience changed my perspective on being outside in a good way.”

Nathan
“It's good to be away from busy everyday life to get into God's beautiful nature to walk, talk, laugh, fall, cry, crash out, and suffer with others. You will learn so much about others, and even about yourself. It is definitely only going to be as good as you make it to be, however. So make it good. Make it memorable. Make it so that you want to go back.”

Sakurako
“I learned that it's really fun to accomplish a hard thing as a team. You naturally feel closer when you accomplish something together, and it made us feel really close.”