| Author: James Longenderfer, Stem Instructor and Guide | Date: November 2022 |
| In this Article: Learn how Science Adventure School wakes up during the week. |
|
West Virginia
mornings are a sight to behold - dramatic mountain passes fill with fog and
mist, as the sun bursts streams of light into our little Science Adventure
School tent town. The cool, moist air invigorates the body and clears the mind,
even at 6:30 AM. Our sixth-grade students almost miss this majestic scene—they
are keen to stay bundled up in their warm sleeping bags. Luckily, our dedicated
staff here at Science Adventure School goes through great lengths to ensure
that every student gets to wake up and experience West Virginia's natural
beauty in all its glory.
Two people share the responsibility of waking up a mini town of 100 sixth graders. One of these people plays the role of DJ. The DJ carts a speaker around town, playing a mix of pop tunes that is delicately balanced between catchy and obnoxious. Some of my favorite classics were Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" and Village People's "YMCA." As the DJ makes their way around camp, sleepy sixth graders can be seen emerging from their tents, slightly confused but nonetheless woken up. On a good day, a dance party may even form around the DJ as they wake up the rest of camp. It’s a great chance for the DJ to show off their personal style. One SAS staff member opted to use his bagpipes to play a wonderful tune one morning. The students loved it, and I couldn't imagine a better pairing with the mist and mountains.
The second—and may I argue more crucial—component of a good wake up team is the MC. As you might expect, the job of the MC is to add a little personality to the experience, giving time checks, motivational quotes, quips, jokes, and other spoken word monologues to annoy the students out of their tents. With a megaphone, you can easily get right up to the windows of the tents, much to the students' chagrin. From the tents emerge student voices, mostly asking if they can keep sleeping, or if I could at least shut up. The answers to both these questions, of course, are always a friendly "no!"
Written by James Longenderfer, 2022 STEM Instructor and 2023 Outdoor Education Guide