Graduation has come and gone. The school books are put away for this year. And summertime has arrived. You’ve never seen so many happy kids as we had last week when Williams Academy released students for the summer.
One of the most frequently asked questions we get is, “What do the kids do during the summer?” It’s also one of the most frequently asked questions within the Residential team too. Plans begin long before the warm weather arrives and a full slate of activities is scheduled to keep our kids busy.
This summer, Director of Recreation Andrew Florence has planned great outings, classes, and trips for our kids to enjoy. Classes will be offered several mornings a week and include the following interest areas:
- Arts and Crafts
- Yoga
- Cooking
- Knitting and Crocheting
- Outdoor Club
- Fishing Club
- Flower Gardening
This week, the teens are enjoying the ocean at Fort Caswell Coastal Retreat and Conference Center on Oak Island, NC. In the next few weeks, the younger children will go to the Little Chapel on the Boardwalk, also on the NC coast. These weeks give our kids fresh air and plenty of exercise, as they experience the ocean, some for the very first time.
Thursdays will bring day trips for the entire campus. Cottage parents load them all up in their cottage vans and then drive to the appointed destination, including:
- Carowinds
- Barter Theatre
- White Water Rafting
- Doe River Gorge
- Trampoline Park
- Johnson City Cardinals Game
A new activity that was just introduced last summer is the Crossnore Amazing Race. Each cottage competes to complete a set of tasks, in a particular order, before meeting up for a picnic dinner at the end of the day. You can’t imagine how competitive some of our cottage parents can be!
Another highlight of the summer for rising Juniors and Seniors in high school are the college camping trips. The students who apply and are accepted for these trips pack up all the camping gear and head out for a state park. Along the way they will visit colleges and have the opportunity to see and talk about their own goals for college. This year, the group is going to visit East Tennessee State University, Western Carolina University, UNC-Pembroke, and UNC-Wilmington.
It’s going to be a busy summer, but one our kids will remember and enjoy. As Adam Jarrell, Director of Residential Life said, “It’s going to be a great summer!”
