Re-making 8th-grade memories: Seniors take camp by storm!

Will Schuering, Staff Writer

September 20, 2023

Counselors Will Schuering and Adrian Sabeh watch the sunrise while wading in the lake. (Cora Urhahn)

Eighth-grade camp has long been one of Brentwood’s most unique traditions with every grade, save for those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving everyday school life for something completely new. What you might not know is that eighth-grade camp isn’t just limited to eighth-grade staff and students! Every year, the middle school invites high school upperclassmen to apply for the role of camp counselor, welcoming them to join in the management of the camp.

The Counselors play a round of uno during their free time. (Cora Urhahn)

This year, the counselors were entirely seniors, consisting of Adrian Sabeh, Charles Ma, Miller Chantharasy, Kevin Ou, myself (Will Schuering), Cora Urhahn, and Avery White. “Personally, I believe that this year was a lot better than my junior year because we were all seniors,” recounts Cora Urhahn, who had attended last year’s eighth-grade camp as a counselor. “We all knew each other and were good friends, and we had opportunities to do stuff with our kids but also get personal time to ourselves, which we all chose to spend with each other as counselors. So we got to spend time playing games like Uno and playing volleyball in the sandpit.”

Counselors Miller Chantharasy and Will Schuering pose while canoeing. (Miller Chantharasy)

While this may not have been Urhahn’s first time as a counselor, it was a new experience for some of the high schoolers, such as Miller Chantharasy. When asked about his first and only time as a counselor, he jokingly stated, “Usually, I’m a follower, not a leader. So it was kind of weird having all these kids around me doing whatever I told them to do like I was their king or something. It’s pretty cool.” Outside of Chantharasy’s new venture into leadership, this eighth-grade camp also saw some unique changes within. “We were able to go on the lake,” shares Chantharasy. “It was pretty cool because in our eighth-grade year, we were never able to go in the lake even though it was huge, humongous, and you were just never able to go on it.”

The Counselors interact with the camp horses during their downtime. (Cora Urhahn)

Eighth-grade camp is a wonderful experience that continues to evolve with new and exciting opportunities for middle schoolers and high school students alike. Year after year, upperclassmen are given the chance to step into a leadership role and have fun away from everyday school life for three days. This is an opportunity I would encourage all students to consider, especially those who haven’t already had the opportunity to attend eighth-grade camp.

About the Contributors

Will Schuering, Staff Writer

William "The Cod" David Francis Schuering is a man of many names and titles. He is currently in his Senior year at BHS and participates in various sports and activities. Will has played varsity and junior varsity soccer since his first year and has participated in tennis and wrestling. He has participated in Brentwood Theatre, Robotics, Jazz & Pep Band, and has served as a Class Officer, NHS member, and StuCo Vice President. Will has passions for music, media, and, most importantly, days when the school serves chicken bowls for lunch. He hopes to add to the sense of fun at The Nest News with plenty of wacky shenanigans and hijinx.

Miller Chantharasy, Staff Writer

Miller Chantharasy is a junior and has just joined The Nest this year. He plays sports, including soccer, cross-country, wrestling, track, and tennis. He is involved in photography for The Nest because his grandma always takes pictures of his family and he would like to take pictures of her instead.