Friday is the day that the kids who have been at camp all week go home. For our final hour together, I had them haul lots of kitchen scraps down to the compost pile for some hands-on learning experiences. Some kids smashed old apples into smaller bits, some stirred things around with the pitchfork, some sifted, and the rest watered and weeded. Then we sat down in a circle and shared thoughts about the week. Most of the kids enjoyed the solo hike the best. A couple of kids got a little teary eyed at the thought that they would soon be getting on the bus.

An hour or so later, when they actually were getting on the busses, many of the kids (and some cabin leaders & teachers) were crying. They had us sign autographs. They hugged us. They all looked so sad. I don't blame them. Next week they'll all be sitting at their desks in sterile classrooms, which can never match the woods and streams for a learning environment. Next week I'll be leading around a bunch of new kids.

It's a powerful experience, seeing people moved to tears and knowing that I had a part in it.