You can't tell, but Maia Yang is scared stiff!

The Park Center Asian Club took its act on the road to YMCA Camp Icaghowan near Amery, Wisconsin. Twenty-eight students, a mixture of 10th, 11th and 12th graders, arrived at camp Friday, May 7th for a weekend of fun, fellowship and developing leadership skills. The retreat’s purpose was to foster students’ leadership skills and prepare students to assume leadership roles, both at school and in the community. The weekend was funded through a District 279 Foundation Grant and a fundraising event at Cub Foods where Asian Club students bagged groceries for tips.

Students took it easy Friday night, enjoying some football and playing icebreaker activities to get to know each other’s names.

Saturday morning the campers broke into three groups and headed into the woods to face various challenges and puzzles, like “The Spider’s Web”, how to balance a group of people on a giant see-saw, and how to get a tire off a ten-foot pole with out making contact with the pole. The students approached each problem with good humor, a cooperative approach and persistence.

Scaling the climbing wall.

Saturday afternoon brought new challenges: the climbing wall and the high ropes. Students either climbed the 30 foot wall or scaled the various hanging ropes, all the while depending on their able team of belayers. The Asian Club students got to conquer their fears or test their endurance, helped by the support and encouragement of their teammates.

All dignity was thrown to the winds Saturday night as students and chaperones engaged in a spirited game of charades. Later, the group trekked into the woods for a bonfire, s’mores, and ghost stories, many of them traditional Hmong tales. Sometime during the night, ghosts entered the boys cabin and smeared toothpaste on door handles and light switches. Some blame the female campers, but who knows?

Clayton Xiong, a tenth-grader had this to say about his experience: “I’ve learned that it takes teamwork to get to success, but it takes a leader to guide the team. A leader is someone who knows his or her comrades, gives orders, and learns by listening to others.”

Senior Chris Lee adds, “What I learned at leadership camp is never be shy, because if you are, you’ll never meet such cool friends.”

Chua Vue, also a tenth-grade student reviewed her weekend: “The prank on the guys was fun. I hope they had a nice trip! Everyone has their own leadership skills. When we all put our skills together and work together, then we will be able to succeed.”