Velocity - Day 1
The kids got here around 3 today. They got their keys and checked into their rooms and then picked up their camp T-Shirts. We had a group meeting today where we issued each kid their Totem, a goofy concept from a retreat we did a few years back. We'd picked up an item for each kid at the dollar store that we felt best represented them - everything from weird porcelin dolls and pretend fried chicken to hand puppets. The kids have to carry these things with them at all times. At any time, we leaders can yell "Totem Check!" and they have five seconds to produce the item or else face a consequence - like singing, etc. At the group meeting we went over all the rules, including the rule about mandatory attendance at sessions and youth group meetings. We encouraged the kids to rat our their friends for skipping sessions, promising great prizes for being a stoolie.

After the team meeting we went to dinner and then to our first session. I get to do a lot of the up-front stuff - announcements, introductions and stuff, which is fun for me. We've got two amazing speakers this year - Brett Ray for High School and Jason Raitz for the Middle School kids. I'd say they are two of the best speakers I've ever heard for their respective age groups. Both know how to speak to their target audience so well in their own language, and to really penetrate with the message they've got in a way that's more than just fluff that doesn't stick beyond the week at camp. The worship band we've got is phenomenal as well - great musicians who actually live what they're talking about. The guys in the band are all a part of Project 311 and are are great to hang out with outside of the sessions.

Post session consisted of Dodge Ball and basketball for most of our kids, some hanging out and talking, followed my a midnight pizza run. The first day of camp is pretty high energy where the kids need to blow off a fair amount of steam. After a couple days of the kids getting into their groove and spending some time with them, they tend to listen pretty well and for the most part, it's pretty smooth at that point.

You can see the pictures for Day 1 here.