716 Squash recently embarked on its second summer of camp adventures. Ten new team members joined the existing twenty-two to forge new friendships, experience the fun of the summer, and create memories that will last a lifetime.
Week One kicked off with a trip to Lasertron where students quickly formed new bonds to come together and strategize against the opposing team. Although the red team put up a good fight, the green team conquered and came out victorious. Students then turned their focus to the theme of the week: journalism. Channel 7 welcomed 716 Squash into their studio to explore the realm of reporting. Future newscasters took to the spotlight and were featured on the 5:00 news later that evening. Throughout the rest of the week, students analyzed newspapers to master the art of writing and eventually tried their hand at creating their own news-worthy articles that featured hard-hitting subjects like “The Lasertron Battle”, “Pool Party Palooza”, and “716 Squash Opening Day”.
After students got the scoop on journalism, they were ready to make a splash with Water Week! Long-time volunteer Patti Dwyer-Lasher and her husband, Gui, opened their home to host the annual 7/16 day pool party! Cannon-ball contests were conquered, water balloons took flight, and Mr. Softee’s ice cream truck was a huge hit! Later that week, 716 squashers traveled to the distant Niagara Falls to experience the Maid of the Mist. For many, it was their first time on this grand voyage. After getting thoroughly soaked, everyone enjoyed a riverside picnic before returning back to squash practice. Students also learned about the earth’s vast oceans, its creatures, and all of the threats it faces from pollution and humans.
Before heading off to MUSC (Midwest Urban Squash Championships) in week three, students returned to Greg’s U-Pick Farm where they learned a lot about greenhouses, farm animals, and how to create their very own farm-fresh salad to enjoy. Some students even had the opportunity to hold Lenny, the world’s calmest goat! On Wednesday, July 24th, thirteen team members traveled to Kenyon College to compete in MUSC. 716 Squash had an incredibly successful tournament and walked away with 4 trophies! Averyan took 2nd place in the Boys Under 13 B Draw, Snow earned 3rd place in the Girls Under 13 B Draw, Nazon won 3rd place in the Boys Under 13 A Draw, and Mariya finished with 1st place in the Girls Under 13 A Draw!!
After the tournament, students were encouraged to pause and inwardly reflect for Week Four: Mental Health & Wellness. Connie Hanel started the week off with a lesson on mindfulness, positivity, and communication. Next, Health & Wellness Coach, Mama Pauly, returned for a fully packed day of fun where students prepared a healthy meal from scratch, took a hike through Reinstein Woods, and learned about visualization and grounding. For the final part of the week, students learned about the effects of social media on their mental health and how they can use it positively and not abuse it.
For the grand finale, 716 Squash had a jam-packed final week complete with 3 field trips! We started off with a trip to WNED/WKBW to experience another side of television and radio. On Tuesday, we had our second pool party to celebrate the end of an incredible summer! Richard Lynn, 716 Squash Board Chair, hosted the students at his house and provided shelter when a crazy thunderstorm hit halfway through! On Wednesday, the students attended the Buffalo Zoo where they learned all about the animals living there, got to experience the Dinosaur exhibit, and met the new baby Rhino! After a long and crazy week, the final day of camp brought an in-house squash tournament amongst all 716 squashers. Three draws competed: Boys, Girls, and Rookies (new team members). In an ultimate showdown, the top three students won their last games seconds apart. For the girls, Mariya came out on top and Audriana took second. For the boys, Nazon won a close match against Josh. In the rookie division, Samuel arose victorious up against Dawit. Final summer camp awards were handed out as students said their goodbyes after a phenomenal summer.
716 Squash is ecstatic to have had such a successful second year of Summer Camp. Overall, the students participated in a collective total of 969.5 hours of squash and fitness, 288.5 hours of reading, 93 hours of math, 164.5 hours of health and wellness, and a whopping 1,148.5 hours of academic enrichment. Our summer was able to run smoothly with the help of 20 volunteers who assisted on the courts, in the classroom, and for field trips. 716 Squash excitedly looks forward to the upcoming 19/20 school year and hopes for the fun of the summer to continue!
-Madison Hanel, Academic Coordinator