Spiritual Growth

Parable Players: Participants will be able to show their creativity while learning how Jesus’ parables taught others how to live a Christian life. They will also discover the connection between the parables & their own lives.

Talking with God: It can be difficult for to find the words to pray. During this class, students will utilize Tibetan prayer flags to help them express their prayers.

Power of Prayer-Rosary: Praying for others is a powerful action of love & in the Catholic tradition, we can pray for others & ask for the intercession of our Blessed Mother using the rosary. In this class, participants will make a rosary while learning how to pray it.

Choosing Priorities: Making choices in life is hard! Participants will learn to follow their values and God's way when making big and little choices each day.

Affirmations: See God in yourself through the eyes of those around you - discover the wonderfully uplifting world of affirmations!

Letter to Self: It is important, to take some time for reflection. In this class, participants will take time to write a letter to themselves that they will receive at a later date.

Prayer Service: (led by school/church staff or by camp staff): Groups can choose to lead their own prayer service or have one led by the staff. Please speak with the School Year Program Coordinator about what your group would like to focus on.

Mass: (Bring Your Own Priest): Groups can celebrate mass at camp. Camp has all the materials needed except a priest & their vestments.

Walk in the Woods: As they hike alone in the peace & beauty of the forest, participants will reflect on their relationship with God, guided by a series of questions & activities.

Outdoor Skills

Compass Challenge: Participants learn to use a compass from Fred’s shed and Directional Dan. This is a great way to work on understanding the degrees of a circle. Meets IN Standards: - 5.2.7, 5.4.1, 6.4.4, 8.5.5

Survival: What would you do if you were lost in the woods with nothing but the ten essentials? Participants will learn this & more in this exciting class.

Fire building: Types of wood, fire safety, and styles of building are included.

Team Challenge - activities meet IN Standards 7.7, 8.7

Ground Based Initiatives: The first level of teambuilding, the ground based initiatives are puzzle-like challenges participants must overcome together. These facilitated scenarios bring to the surface group dynamics that can be processed by staff in order for the students to learn leadership & teamwork skills.

Low Challenge Course: (pre-requisite Ground Based Initiatives): After working on their teamwork in ground based initiatives, participants will enter the Sonrisa Challenge Course. They will be able to explore the skills of leadership & teamwork on various low elements in a deeper way.

Low Circuit Course: Elements all in a row; meant for the individual to accomplish feats of balance and strength while friends cheer them on!

Challenge Olympics: With patience, understanding, & openness, students can complete these challenges & build community amongst their peers.

The Beast: How do we communicate? How can we communicate better? Participants learn the answers to these questions & more in this challenge as they try as a group to recreate a beast they cannot see.

High Ropes (6th grade & up): Participants will have an opportunity to step out of their comfort zone while climbing to new heights on our high ropes course. The whole group has jobs to support & encourage each other.

Climbing Wall (4th grade & up): It takes a lot of encouragement for a participant to climb up our 35 foot climbing wall. The climber is not there alone, the whole group will help support the climber as they complete this challenge.

Team Challenge Lunch: Participants work as a team to locate their lunch, by using only a compass & a list of directions.

Zoom: In this challenge, participants each have one small piece of the pictorial story & must work together to put it all in order using clear communication, patience, & leadership.

Improv to Improve: Designed for adults, this class focuses on very specific leadership principals when working with young people through interactive learning

Evening Programs

Astronomy: The skies at camp are b-e-a-utiful & a great place to grow in knowledge and appreciation of the vastness of God’s creation. Participants will learn various constellations & folklore as well as certain science principles involved in the starry nights. Meets IN Standards 4.3.1, 5.3.2, 7.3.2

Night Hike: Meets IN Standards 4.3.1, 4.4.3, 5.3.2, 5.3.3, 5.6.1, 7.3.19, 7.3.20, 8.3.15

Underground Railroad: Taking on the role of escaped slaves, participants have just crossed the Ohio River into Indiana & they are on their way to Canada in the late 1850’s. Who can they trust & who can they not? Participants will find out this & more as they meet historical characters on their journey. Meets IN Standards 4.1.7, 5.1.18, 5.1.19, 6.1.16, 6.1.18, 6.1.21, 7.1.21, 8.1.20, 8.1.21, 8.1.22, 8.1.30

Life & Death in the Forest: Herbivores, Omnivores & Carnivores are the roles students will fill as they begin their quest to survive in this game in the camp’s woods. Meets IN Standards 5.4.4, 5.4.7, 6.4.9, 7.4.8

Leadership: Participants will be challenged with various teambuilding activities as a large group in this team challenge evening program. Meets IN Standards 7.7, 8.7

Group Led Time: Plan your own evening of learning & fun!

Large Group Game: Various games are played by your entire group for fun & frolic!

Campfire: Yodellers, princesses, & centapedes all come together at the CYO campfires. Enjoy a program of singing, skits, & other jocularity.

Recreation

Archery: Small archery range for learners & experts alike.

Canoeing: Small pond boating; also includes playaks & paddle boats. A great way to recreate on the water.

Fishing: Small pond, big fish! Just try to catch the big one.

Lanyard Making: Weaving in & weaving out…create a keychain & make a keepsake.

Candle Making: Just like in the old days. Melted wax and wicks come together to make your one of a kind creation.

Camouflage: Game of surviving in the animal kingdom. How well can you hide?

Sports & Games: Various old favorites & new “soon to be favorites” will be played!