We live in an area filled with wonderful adventures waiting around every corner. With this in mind, a few teachers at A.C. Reynolds High School (ACRHS) created the Great Escape Camp. The mission of the camp is to give students the opportunity to experience local businesses and try new things. They didn’t let the summer heat stop them from reaching new heights at the Asheville Adventure Center.
“Asheville has so many wonderful things to offer kids,” said Sherry Riddle, Technology Teacher at ACRHS. “Many of the places we’ve visited have opened up new doors for some of the students in the camp. Some have never been on the ropes course at Asheville Adventure Center. It’s provided opportunities they may not have otherwise.”
Not only was this experience about getting out into the community, but it also gave the campers a glimpse of why marketing is so important for businesses.
“We’ve tried to show the students how some of the businesses in town got their start,” Ms. Riddle said. “Garage BBQ shared how they came up with the idea, name, and how they advertise their company. We’ve introduced the kids to the different aspects of the marketing world through the local businesses.”
The camp was for middle schoolers, and was a way for the students to see what is available to them as they begin to think about high school. Ms. Riddle feels this camp was important for students for many reasons and is glad that ACRHS could provide this experience for them.
“It's a chance for the campers to have fun and learn outside of a classroom setting,” she said. “They’ve had the chance to meet other students from across the district. We’ve been able to give students the opportunity to try things they may not otherwise be able to do for free.”
ACRHS plans to host this camp again next summer to provide more middle schoolers the chance to learn and grow.
