Article by: Nicole Blahut (Q20)
From August 23rd to 24th, QUEST Cohort 20 got to experience the much cherished QUEST Camp in Harrisonburg, Virginia at the Outdoor Learning Center at Camp Horizons.
The cohort made their way to the buses backpack, sleeping bag, and cardboard box in hand, unsure what to expect on this trip. Some even feared they’d be forced to sleep in the box!
For half the students, the day began with a not so perfect bus ride. The intended movie, Invictus, kept cutting back and forth to different scenes. It was later discovered that the device had been set to shuffle. Luckily, most students didn’t notice because they were busy catching up with old friends, creating new ones, or taking a much needed nap.
The first day at camp included great team bonding exercises, fun ice breakers, and the very memorable ropes course. Many got the chance to strap on a harness and helmet and walk from tree to tree then zipline down through the woods. Even the students who chose to stick to the ground had a great time. “Cheering on my friends and acting as their belay was a lot of fun,” said Hannah Buehler. She also wasn’t hesitant to brag about her ballin’ belay skillz. Overall, this thrilling exercise taught the cohort a lot about themselves by overcoming challenges and trusting their team.
Q20 students high in the sky during high ropes
After rotating through all the different activities, all the teams were brought together to perform their pilot product skits. To name just a few, there was apparel to repel bugs, tents shaped like bears, and shoes that gave a foot massage. But, after a lot of deliberation, QSO chose Soundies as the winner, a new brand of sound-proof underwear.
"Future Fridge" is showcased during the Pilot Products presentations
Unlike last year, the weather was almost perfect with the exception of the light rain during the scheduled bonfire. But never expect QUEST to let some rain stop them from singing campfire songs! Dr. Bailey even led a song about Joe, the button factory worker.
Most students would probably say the best part of the camp was the Rafts Ahoy competition on the second day. Teams were expected to make a functional raft out of merely 4 cardboard boxes, a roll of tape, 2 trash bags, and a water noodle. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough tape for team Delta, so their sister team SleeQ Geek came to the rescue and let them combine tape and teams. After an hour of strategizing and building, the teams were ready to test out their rafts. While most failed to stay afloat, all the paddlers made a great effort to cross the lake. Overcoming adversity, the sister teams SleeQ Geek and Delta had the fastest raft. Although they didn’t have the fastest time, Team Questletes had an extremely impressive canoe; it was the only one of its kind to successfully make its way across the lake.
Mickey Alemayehu of team QUESTletes navigates across the lake at Camp Horizons
As the students concluded their orientation, they made their way back on the buses with great memories and new friendships. After seeing the creative pilot products and rafts the teams created, it can be safely assumed that great things can be expected from Cohort 20.