By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
Relaxing. Hanging out with friends. Working to make some money.
These are among the activities in which high school students traditionally engage during the summer months.
For a group of four Otsego High School upperclassmen, part of this past summer was also spent sharpening their leadership skills.
Senior Mackenzie McCaw joined juniors Jarred Curtiss, Colin Fitzpatrick and Grace DeBoer in taking advantage of the opportunity to participate in the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards.
The Otsego Rotary Club sponsored the OHS quartet, allowing them to attend the three-day event at the Battle Creek Outdoor Education Center.
The camp was “a leadership experience organized by Rotary clubs and districts where students develop their skills as a leader while having fun and making connections.”
Curtiss said he enjoyed the unique experience offered by attending the camp.
“It brought me out of my comfort zone numerous times where I had the chance to further expand my team-working skills,” he said.
Through the camp, the Otsego students were able to meet and get to know students from other school districts in the area.
“The camp allowed us to connect with kids from other schools while learning how to make a difference in our community,” McCaw said.
Outdoor activities such as a ropes course and canoeing were available for those attending the camp along with team-building activities, games and leadership projects.
All attendees took part in planting a pollinator garden as their weekend service project.
“Overall, I learned a lot of new skills during the camp, and I believe I became more open and a better leader,” Fitzpatrick said.
Each student was also a part of a group that identified a world problem, researched its issues and proposed solutions.
At the end of the camp, the groups delivered a presentation on their topic in front of other campers and their families at the Sunday picnic.
DeBoer believes the lessons learned at the camp will be valuable ones moving forward.
“Not only were we taught leadership skills like integrity and confidence, but we also learned how to serve our community and care for the environment,” she said.
