Thomas Jefferson JR HIGH
Cleveland, Ohio
Cuyahoga River Environmental Education Center
By: Megan Smoot
Mrs.
Lecorechick
The Cuyahoga River!
Cuyahoga River Environmental Education Center
By: Megan Smoot
My report is on the Cuyahoga River Environmental Education Center
(CVEEC). It is a camp to which Mrs. Lecorechick, the seventh grade English teacher, took some of her Computech students. She took about fifty kids and three other core teachers. We were there for an unbelievable four-day long nature experience! When we got to the CVEEC, we did not go directly to the campus. We went first to a covered bridge that stretched over a creek. We sang two songs. They were "All The Rivers Run" and "The Cuyahoga Story" which we did dance steps to..
Covered Bridge
A lady, who was an historical figure from the 1800s, came and told us a story. She said that she lived under the water shed. The story was about a family that she knew that tried to cross the river in the middle of a storm. Back then they did not have a covered bridge, so when they crossed they were swept away by the river current. Everyone survived except one and that was the father or husband. I later found out that the house we were staying in used to belong to that family.
When we got to the campus we went into the building which had our lounge, bathrooms and bedrooms. The girls stayed in one room and the boys were in two separate rooms. We had bunk beds, which I always hit my head on the roof whenever I got up, we also had and dressers. After a while we broke up into four separate groups that were called Huron Superior Michigan and Ohio. The first three are the names of three of the Great Lakes. The last one was named after the Ohio River.
We each received a trail book that had information in which we recorded information like the weather or the health of the Cuyahoga River and other observations. We went on lots of hikes. I was told we hikes any were from ten to twelve miles! One hike we went on was when we returned to the covered bridge. We had to walk down over a 100 stairs! On the way there was lot's of man made ponds. Also on the way we say a lot of rocks that were moved in by glaciers. When we got to the covered bridge we went down to the creek. We got to walk in the shallow water. I accidentally fell in.
The Creek I Fell In!
Another hike we went on was the night hike. But to me it was like a dusk hike. One of the counselors gave us each a mint. We had to grab it in our fist real tight so barely any oxygen was able to touch it. Then we were told by the counselor to put in our mouths and chewed with our mouths open. When we did, sparks showed up in our mouths. My partner saw mine as I saw hers. We also had a campfire. It only lasted like ten minutes but that was okay because Mrs. Lecorechick left behind some kids to see some constellations! We saw the Big Dipper, the Little Dipper, the hunter, Venus, and Mars! On the third day we went to the Cuyahoga River. On the way there we saw a house made all out of sandstone. At the Cuyahoga River we got to step into a lock. A lock is this mechanical device that allows canal boats to pass through to go either to Akron or Cleveland. I learned a lot about locks. Before I didn't even understand the word except for locks as in a key lock.
At camp we played games like "hug-a-tree." It is where my partner had to blindfold me and lead me to a tree. I had to feel the tree, become one with the tree. Then our partner had to lead us back to the starting point and take off the blindfold. Next we had to find the tree being lead to the tree. We also played a game called camouflaged. It is where somebody had to count to fifteen and we had to hide behind trees. Then the person who was counted had to point people out without the person moving. Then the person had to hold up fingers and point us out. Then the person would call everyone in and ask them how many fingers did I hold up. If they did not know how many fingers the person held up they would be out.
We went on lots more hikes we went on hikes like two or three times a day! On a hike I saw an animal "home" in a tree but there was nobody in.
The Animal "Home"
On the last day some other kids and I saw two deer. I had so much fun I wanted the experience to last ten times longer. It was worth paying the thirty-five dollars to go.
Among course work assignments we had to do was a work sheet for Mrs.Baynes for science. It was based on our daily activities during this experience. I am doing this report for Mrs. Lecorechick's class to make up for the work everybody else had to do back at school.
By the way, all the pictures for this report were taken by me, Megan Smoot.
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Me having alot of FUN!!!!
Email me on:
[email protected]
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