Sixth graders participate in Camp Superior

By RICHARD JENKINS

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Ironwood Township — Sixth graders in Ironwood, Bessemer and Wakefield-Marenisco are taking part in a local tradition this week as they attend Camp Superior at Little Girl’s Point.

Ironwood’s students arrived at camp Monday and will leave today, while Bessemer and Wakefield-Marenisco students arrive today and will be at the lodge at Little Girl’s Point through Friday.

Over the three days the students are at camp, they will participate in a range of activities — including a shooting range, high-ropes course, low-ropes course, orienteering, primitive fire building, agate hunting and more.

The students also complete their boater and hunter safety certifications before they attend camp as well.

Along with the scheduled activities, Camp Superior coordinator Jason Hofstede said he also makes sure the kids have free time where they can do what they want.

“It’s good to see the groups break apart in an environment like this. A lot of the relationships that are a constant in school are not out here,” said Hofstede, who also teaches sixth grade in Ironwood. “(Being at camp) shakes things up a bit and changes the point of view for a lot of the kids out here, I think.”

Although the camp experience will likely teach the students a variety of lessons and skills, Hofstede hopes that if nothing else they realize they can accomplish things they didn’t think were possible — especially when working together.

“To me, the team building thing is the one that really (sticks). Whether they know it or not, I think they carry that through more than than they probably even realize,” Hofstede said. “I think the things they learn out there on that low-ropes, team-building course are really life-long lessons — having a common goal, working with someone you don’t necessarily get along with, maybe someone you thought was really going to have your back didn’t — all those things happen out there in a few hours.”

Hofstede credited the volunteers and community support with making the camp run, saying it wouldn’t be possible without their time and donations.