Camp Kintail ‘25

I’m Alice, I’m from Ukraine, and this is my first year at SJK. In this article, I want to tell you a little about my experience at Camp Kintail, an annual DP1 trip to Lake Huron’s beautiful shore.

The most vivid impression that Camp Kintail left on me is that you have to face your fears in order to overcome them. As most people know, this is easy to say but usually pretty hard to do. I’m thankful that I had such a comfortable environment and was surrounded by people I’d learned to trust, because that’s what helped me go on different high-ropes courses. Even when I realized my body had a physical reaction to heights, which was unpleasant, I continued—I wanted to be brave. 

One thing that helped me gain a new perspective was the leadership activity we did with the Grade 6 students. As fun as it was, I can say that my head was hurting for a few hours after it, as I had to simultaneously think about ten different things while managing our team. This experience really helped me see how hard a teacher’s job truly is—it’s not only about knowing how to teach, but also about knowing how to deal with children, understand their behaviour, and know how to make the right decision.

Comparing this trip to my school trips back in Ukraine, Camp Kintail had plenty of opportunities to learn new skills and try different activities. In contrast, my trips in Ukraine were about learning about a certain place’s history, culture, and architecture. Because of this, the trip was unusual for me, but also extremely enjoyable and interesting. During those four days, I connected to people from my grade, as I had many opportunities to start new conversations and get to know them. I’m glad I had this amazing opportunity, thanks to SJK.