More than 50 children of USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) Sailors were sponsored by the Sierra Club and the YMCA to spend a week
at summer camp, learning values, team work and environment stewardship.
The kids spent the week at the YMCA of Tacoma-Pierce Countys’ Camp Seymour in Gig Harbor.  The camp sits on 100 acres of
forest and beach front property and can accommodate several hundred campers a night. 
On average they have 180 campers a week and extra day camps for 35 weeks a year. The camp offers a variety of activities for the
kids to participate in, including over-night camp outs, kayaking and canoeing, and hands on science programs. 
“We have some great tools for overcoming fears, like our climbing tower.  Some times kids are afraid to climb, but what will happen,
is it will be a little scary climbing up the first time, but they will feel safe coming down in the safety equipment.  This allows them
to climb a little higher and a little higher each time,” said camp director Scott Jackson.
One of the activities the kids found most exciting to take part in was an afternoon learning about and handling reptiles.  They got a
first hand education about turtles, lizards and snakes from around the world from the camp’s reptile expert.  Although some kids
were frightened to handle the reptiles at first, by the end of the class all the kids were hands on with the snakes and lizards.  Stennis
Camp Seymour camper, Alyssa Meister said, “Some snakes aren’t scary and don’t bite a lot either and it helps you get over your fear.”
Her new view of the snakes was a drastic change from when she entered the class and sat huddled in the corner to avoid being
near them.
Jackson said the camp is designed to help kids grow, develop and learn in a safe environment.  “We do a lot of environmental
education and values promotions.  Being a YMCA program, we promote the values of respect, honesty, caring, forgiveness and
responsibility.”
After a week away from home, the children of Stennis Sailors returned to their parents with a better understanding of the environment
and some fond memories of summer camp.