What’s so amazing about watching 100 third- and fourth-grade kids playing in the sand and splashing through the chilly water of Lake Michigan?

Knowing that many of them never had the chance to do so before.

What most people take for granted about summertime in childhood was a new experience for kids who took a trip to South Haven through Bearcat Camp, part of Battle Creek Public Schools’ Summer Enrichment program. The trip was made possible by a partnership including BCPS, CSM Group, United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region, Battle Creek Community Foundation, Binda Foundation, Chartwells, Dean Transportation, HandsOn Battle Creek, Lakeview Ford, Michigan Department of Education, Rotary Club of Battle Creek and 21st Century Community Learning Centers.

Bearcat Camp involved four tracks over six weeks for 400 BCPS students in grades kindergarten through fourth. The tracks were Sports and Physical Fitness; Science, Computers and Robotics; Arts; and Outdoor/Animal Education. Each track involved learning about and participating in activities under those topics. There were also large group events such as trips to Binder Park Zoo (K-2nd) and Lake Michigan (3rd-4th) in August.

I had the privilege of tagging along with the group that went to Silver Beach in St. Joseph, on the shore of Lake Michigan. Many of these kids have never been outside of Battle Creek. They’d been learning about lakes and oceans but, until then, had never seen a large body of water. As soon as they stepped off the bus, the sunshine faced a losing battle to outshine the bright smiles of these excited children! It was fascinating to watch the things they’d been reading and studying about come to life in front of their eyes.

Bearcat Camp was a great way to get kids excited about new learning opportunities. But more than that, it was a joy for me to see them enjoy a new life experience—made possible because of community partners who care about these young lives.