After School Program Kicks Off!

On the afternoon of February 4, Camp War Eagle and The Jones Center opened the doors to a bus full of excited, chattering children. How is this any different from a normal week? These children were the first participants of the newly opened Camp War Eagle After School Program (ASP). 

Each week, 52 1^st-5^th graders from Jones Elementary School leave their campus on a school bus and head for The Jones Center. Upon arrival, students are greeted by energetic staff, many of whom have ties to the Camp War Eagle family, whether having been summer counselors or current volunteers with the year round program. Backpacks and jackets bearing the image of Hello Kitty, charismatic cartoon cars and others are hung on hooks as students line up to enter the ASP space. After a nutritious snack, groups assemble for their first rotation. On a given day, one of the three groups may participate in a variety of exciting activities. In the gym, students engage in recreation with new games like freeze tag, helicopter or basketball bowling all purposed to encourage an active lifestyle and teamwork. In the learning center, the staff read stories to the students, assist with homework and host fun, educational activities. Recently, students celebrated the week of Presidents Day by reading the biography of Abraham Lincoln and writing letters to our current president. The crafts room teaches fun and useful crafts each week to stretch the creativity of each kid.  The game room hosts a “game of the day” like Uno, musical chairs or Carpetball. This is a wonderful chance for kids to interact with one another constructively. Additionally, to improve their reading comprehension, the students are required to read the rules of the game aloud and then help explain them to one another. The playground is another opportunity for student to engage in healthy peer interaction outside of a classroom. Each group rotates through multiple stations daily, building a pleasant mix of learning, recreation and creative fun into each child’s schedule. Each day ends with a time of focus on the Camp War Eagle Core Values taught through entertaining stories. Through a fun narrative storybook or skit the staff encourage the students to develop integrity in every area of life. 

Parents of the children taking part in the after school program have appreciated the program as well, stating, “I like that he gets to spend time with other kids outside of school, he usually just goes home and sits in front of the television playing video games.” Also, “I know his mother really loves the After School Program because her work hours are later. It works out perfectly.” 

Amazing Camp War Eagle is excited to be in collaboration with The Jones Center and Jones Elementary to provide this fantastic resource to kids and families in east Springdale. We hope this is only the beginning of lasting relationships and personal development for these wonderful students. 

Bentonville Birthday Club

It only took Samantha Chase two swings before the colorful contents of the dinosaur piñata exploded onto a nearby wall. A frenzied spree to collect candy and prizes ensued below a dangling curtain of crepe paper streamers. And with warm hearts, every single person in the room was wished a happy birthday for the fourth or fifth time.

Now in its third year, Bentonville’s annual Birthday Club is an exciting diverge from usual club nights as a means to specifically celebrate the life of each individual.  The themed night graces both Primetime and Summit groups with its presence each year, with the goal of every student feeling celebrated simply for being alive.

The evening takes the shape of a child’s silly birthday party. Decorations are bright and bountiful, with the responsibility of making the club venue look “completely awesome” given to the students upon arrival. Without hesitation, streamers fly and balloons inflate. Within minutes, a simple room becomes fantastic. Party games are played and a raffle is held to decide the 8 students who will, blindfolded, decimate an oversized, overstuffed piñata.  Cheers break out as a whistle is blown and “BIRTHDAY!” is yelled, a Camp War Eagle tradition observed almost daily in the summer to commemorate camper birthdays, followed by clapping and a birthday wish.

In Summit, high school students were challenged with throwing each other 5 minutes birthday parties. Girls in one room, guys in the other, the two groups had a bag of supplies and a few minutes to work together and plan a meaningful experience for the other group. Guys were treated to a “Mission Impossible” themed birthday, complete with obstacle course and glow sticks.  The guys returned the favor with a birthday gift performance for the girls, a choreographed dance to “One Thing” by One Direction.

The goal of Birthday Club is always reached in a fun and memorable way. Kids are reminded of the appreciation and thankfulness staff has for each of them, as individuals, simply because they were born. And all of that comes with a cupcake on top.

Summit Worship Night, February 2013

The scene: a room gently accented by Christmas lights, worship music playing lightly in the background and the smell of a home-cooked meal lingering in the air. High school students from Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale and Fayetteville made their way to the Jones Center last Friday for the first semiannual all-city high school worship night. The evening began with students socializing over an Italian meal of pasta, salad and breadsticks. Providing a family atmosphere for students around a dinner table taught in a moment a value often lost in current times. That being, the importance of warm discussion between members of a camp family, coming together to continue forging the loving bonds of listening and encouragement over the simple but necessary task of eating. Through the everyday activity of being fed, students and leaders were not simply filled with food, but with the sustenance of holistically nourishing relationships. 

Students then transitioned to the worship segment of the night, as Ozone leaders Jonathan Chavez, Allison Meads, Sean Fuller, Jackson Hoyt and Springdale Director Wes May led in worship. The band's songs, which spoke of the great things that God has done, were interspersed with testimonies from various leaders. Bentonville intern Liz Harter shared about how God has helped her through hard times, including the passing of both of her grandmothers within the past few months. Fayetteville intern Ryne Pruitt talked about how we are saved by God's grace, not through our works or trying hard to earn our salvation. Students had the opportunity to gather in small groups of friends to share about God’s work in their lives as well as prayer requests for one another. Discussions about noticing how God had been evident in both the obvious and not so obvious blessings were a common theme. 

A small group discussion

The evening ended with a time of coffee, hot chocolate, cookies and games. As one of the few all-city events throughout the year, worship night served as a fun opportunity for students from around Northwest Arkansas to spend time with one another, reconnect with old camp friends, meet new people and enjoy the community that Ozone provides.

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