On April 2, after bad weather forced the postponement of their grade level camp in March, the juniors finally headed to Camp Homelani for some time away from school. From enjoying campfire s’mores together to discovering their classmates’ karaoke talents, the juniors shared laughs and made memories that drew them closer as a class.
Every year at HBA, each grade starting from 7th grade goes to an overnight camp led by the Christian Ministries team. Charles Poore, Christian Ministries Coordinator for the high school, sees camps as a time for students to “dive into deeper spiritual questions, grow the unity of the class, and get away from school for a few days.” The theme of Junior Camp was “Three Big Questions,” which challenged students to think about their “identity, belonging, and purpose.”
The first chapel of camp asked students to consider the question “Who am I?” Following the message, the juniors gathered in their Family Groups to discuss their responses. Paisley Chung said, “It was such a good reminder to remember who my identity is rooted in. My identity is not rooted in what I think about myself or what other people think about me; my identity is who Jesus Christ says I am and with that I am complete.”
On the second day of camp, the junior council organized a game called “Protect the President,” which became a highlight for many of the students. The juniors were instructed to change into their swimsuits and put on running shoes to get ready for the game. They were sorted into groups and each group had to select a person to be the “President” and complete various tasks at different stations, such as eating an entire package of Ritz crackers or building a human pyramid and then singing the alma mater, while protecting their president from being tagged with color powder along the way. Jordan Tam said, “I think one of the highlights was the team activity since it helped to incorporate teamwork, strategy, exercise, and friendship while keeping it fun, friendly, and challenging.”
Later that night, the advisors introduced a new activity that was an immediate hit: karaoke night. Between performances of “Let it Go” from Frozen and “Best Part” by Daniel Caesar and H.E.R., the students enjoyed their final night at camp while bellowing out their favorite tunes. There were solos, trios, and even harmonized duets, and these left a lasting impression on Lauren Okuda and her friends. “It was a good way to get people out of their comfort zones and enjoy each other’s presence. I was also really impressed by some of my classmates’ singing; like Casey Jones popped off with this one Carrie Underwood song,” she said.
As the juniors wrapped up their camp time, Isaac Duncklee, a faculty advisor, reflected on how he has watched the class “develop into maturing young adults and also mature in their faith.” He added, “I was impressed by students demonstrating leadership and growth, and I genuinely enjoyed varied conversations with juniors at camp on basketball, sunrises, worship, life, and even Physics, (and I didn’t have to start the physics conversation!)”
