On April 3, the 5th and 6th grade classes will attend a Prevention Teach-In at Camp Orkila. They will be joined with students from Lopez and San Juan Islands and community activists to develop qualities of self-esteem and leadership.
Orcas Island Prevention Partnership (OIPP) Director Marta Nielson, who coordinated the days’ events, said, “OIPP is a community coalition, and the Teach-In reflects that, with collaboration among the OIPP staff, Orcas Elementary providing the bus transportation to the camp, and Camp Orkila, which deserves a great deal of credit – they provided the whole camp for free, and their counselors are teaching many of the courses.”
The Teach-In is an outgrowth of the Town Hall OIPP held last year and continues to address the topics relevant to parent concerns brought up at the meeting. One hundred sixty-five students will attend a round robin of workshops with 22 students each, in prevention topics such as non-violent communication, stress-busters, alcohol and the brain.
The Orcas High School Leadership Club, Point Blank, will discuss media advertising and its influence on decision-making, Jim Duffield from the Pacific Institute will present, “Who’s in Charge, Anyway?” regarding self-motivation, and Laura Trevelyan, Domestic Violence/Sexual Abuse Services (DV/SAS) will speak on bullying.
The day will conclude with an all-camp drumming session led by Michael Goude, who will be conducting drumming sessions throughout the day with the theme of One World, One Tribe, One Rhythm.
Following the Teach-In, the Odd Squad from the Odd Fellows will load Goude‘s drums and take them to the Odd Fellows hall for a 6:30 p.m. performance, also sponsored by OIPP with donations from the public.
