- A camp circle in the big field at Camp Myrtlewood
At the end of August, when most teens are getting ready for school, Ben and a few of his lucky friends are happily anticipating Not Back to School Camp at Camp Myrtlewood in Bridge, Oregon. It’s a terrific camp for unschooling teens, created by Grace Llewellyn, author of The Teenage Liberation Handbook and one of our first inspirations for considering life without school.
Every year now for the past five years, Ben has enjoyed wonderful camp adventures. He has met new friends from all over the country, learned new things, found mentors to challenge and inspire him, and gained a greater sense of self as he makes his way toward young adulthood. Each year, we look forward to hearing his stories, seeing camp photos, and noticing how he has grown and changed in just a short period of time. Enjoy!
- Ben and friends wait expectantly for the train at the Amtrak station. This train trip travel time together is the beginning of the adventure.
- Ben brought a big beach ball to share for outdoor fun and games.
- More beach ball fun...
- There is always plenty of time to relax and talk with friends.
- A walk in the woods
- Ben's advisee group
- I love that these teens still know how to play.
- After campers picked all these blackberries, Ben worked in the camp kitchen to make several blackberry cobblers.
- Favorite longtime camp advisor Abbi shows campers how to use these silks for some acrobatics.
- Ben and Josh take a little time to do some longboarding on the longboard they built together last year after camp.
- Camp happiness
- Asleep next to a good friend on the bus ride home from camp...
Photo credits: Celina Dill, Kate Geurrero, Sophie Biddle, Sophie Thompson, Benji B’Shalom, Blake Boles, and Qacei Gold
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