Service Learning at Camp Ketcha For my service learning, I volunteered in their nature-based preschool that is open to children with developmental disabilities, though not all of the children have disabilities. Camp Ketcha is dedicated to showing kids and adults the value of the outdoors:
Camp offers a world of experience that no other classroom can. At Ketcha, we strive to create this world every day! Ketcha was established in 1964 and has created wonderful memories for youth and adults alike throughout the years. Our Ketcha team currently has a wealth of camp & outdoor experience that guides our work each day. We value what the outdoors has to offer for our community. (Camp Ketcha, 2015)
While volunteering at Camp Ketcha, I spent my time working with kids between
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These activities included playing on the playground, picking gourds, ground cherries, apples, raspberries, and tomatoes in the garden, planting bulbs for the spring, taking a walk to the pound, and saying “hello” to the horses and the donkey, Elmo. While outside, our biggest concerns for the children was to keep them away from the electric fence used to keep the horses in their pin. Most of the kids were very good about staying away from the fence and encourage the others to stand back when they get too close, but we had to give a few of the kids extra reminders.
I very much enjoyed my time at Camp Ketcha, and would definitely volunteer there again. This was a great site for my service learning because I believe in the principles of the organization, but I am not sure if this would be the right place for a TR student because there is no certified CTRS on site. This is, however, a perfect site for community recreation students interested in outdoor recreation because you are able to experience how professionals immerse young people in the outdoors, which can ultimately shape how they feel about outdoor recreation later in their