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Capturing the Spirit of Community

Everyone wanted to capture the mattress, so everyone found a way to help. “You can’t do it alone,” said sixth grader Audrey Roy. “You have to have people guarding and people going and stealing. You have to work as a team. It is not a one-person job. It helped us to become more unified.” 

Capture the Mattress was the favorite of all the team-building games for Tallulah Falls School’s lower and middle school students at Camp Blue Ridge, and it was all about team-building. 

“We wanted to kick off the school year in a great way, build community, and provide leadership opportunities for our older students,” said lower and middle school dean Carol Madden. “It blew our expectations. Our eighth graders modeled what it looks like to be a community, to encourage others, and to lead.” 

On Thursday, TFS eighth graders arrived at Camp Blue Ridge in Clayton, Georgia. They went through the activities to learn how to facilitate them the next day for the other students. On Friday, the entire lower and middle school arrived and spent the day rotating through relay games, a low ropes course, team-building games like untying a human knot, and kayak races.

Groups were divided by houses. “It was all the grades together,” said eighth grader Nora Mitchell. “Now, when we see each other in the hallway, we know each other – we won’t feel awkward and can help each other.” Mitchell said arriving at the camp the day before helped the eighth graders learn about the camp and practice their leadership roles. 

“It was an energetic atmosphere, and it was fun because I could bond with all the little kids and all the people,” said eighth grader Henry Dumas. “I was beside them cheering them on, and the Ravens did really well!”

Eighth grader Erin Sweat enjoyed working with the fourth and fifth graders. “We helped them and showed them how to get excited and talked to them about school and how to prepare,” she said. “I got to listen to them and learn about them.”

For Madden, it was more than they could have ever hoped for. The students have indeed established a strong sense of community. 

Click here for more pictures: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBG14L