2019 Woodcraft Vedette: Issue 3

The

Vedette

Woodcraft

Issue 3 July 31st, 2019

Columnists

Columnists

Grant Bruno Martina Blanco Benjamin Foster Felipe Botero Isabella Hernandez-Barrull Gloria Cho Logan Hinton Allison Fish Kai Johnson Andy Fish Zahra Mahmood Lucie Flynn Lily Mangerson Sofia Franco Amanda Padilla Lucia Gutierrez Joseph Parker Allie Jarvis Tom Pham Anh Alexa Pacheco Nyah Puranik Jonathan Primiano Emiliano Salazar Emma Rudnicki Emilia Seldner Elise Schriber Sasha Sentoro Nikki Stabropoulos Castro Jose Trevino Lily Stevens Alex Voltz Marian Villarreal

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Editors Arielle Pare Morgan Hofferth Anne Nowalk

The Vedette / / Culver Summer Schools & Camps

Review Board

Preston Hensley & Jamil Sabag

The review board process is a crucial step to getting out of unit positions.

It is also a great way to express your thoughts on the military aspect of Culver. The process is a tradition that was taken from the military a very long time ago.

When you go to review board, your major and counselors choose you to get interviewed. Next, you go to the interview in 116—the boys director’s cabin. During the interview, the interviewers evaluate your ability to quickly come up with good answers.

We asked Col. Spahn and Maj. Brun why review board is important. Col. Spahn said, “It provides kids an opportunity to grow and sets them up for success at Culver and beyond.”

With an answer from a different perspective, Maj. Brun said, “Review board helps to improve interview skills and to select the best leaders.”

We also asked Evan Gerber from D&B what his opinion of review board is, and he said, “My opinion of review board is that it is a system where campers present themselves as best as they can to battle for out-of-unit positions. It is good because everyone has an equal opportunity for positions. It’s just a formal interview pretty much.”

In conclusion, review board is an interview to help campers with their interview skills while also selecting people for important positions.

Maj Young’s Culver History Zoe Young

to upper camp to be in Deck 5. She graduated from upper camp in 1996, and after graduation she became an Assistant Counselor for Deck 1. Later, she spent 6 summers on naval staff. She also has a lot of family history at Culver; her dad was the major of D4 and her mom worked in Culver teaching math. Her three children now attend Culver in D4, D3, and B2.

When asked the question, who brought you to Culver and got you started, Major Young replied, “My parents had the opportunity to come work at Culver, so I had the opportunity to come to camp.”

The thing she liked most about Culver as a camper was the people that she met and the friends she made. “I think that living in a cabin for six weeks with eleven other girls gives a great opportunity to develop close friendships.”

Major Young’s favorite part of being a major is working with an entire wing of girls. “I like watching my girls grow and experience some of the same things I did as a child,” she said.

Major Young, the major of C3, is the newest of the cardinal majors. Due to this fact, not many people know her. The few who do have the pleasure of knowing her know that she is incredibly hard working and a great leader, but how did she get to Culver? What got her Culver career started? I was able to find the answers to these questions during interviews in an attempt to bring her past out of the dark.

Major Young came to camp when she was 12 in 1992, and was in C1. She graduated Woodcraft in 1993 and then went The Vedette / / Culver Summer Schools & Camps

I asked Olivia Lacey, a C3 camper, what she likes about being in C3. “I think it is a great unit we do a lot of fun things, and I like Major Young because she is nice and lets us do the fun things!”

Major Young is a fun person with a bubbly, optimistic personality. She works hard every day and perfectly models the Culver way and lives by the honor code. She is a great major and an even greater person, and Culver is lucky to have her.

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Diego the Python Allison & Anderson Fish

Friendships

Alexa Pacheco & Lucia Gutierrez

If you have ever taken Reptiles and Amphibians, you have probably seen Diego or even wore him around your neck! Diego is a Ball Python owned by the Paré family, and according to Cpt. Paré, he has been brought to classes for the past three years. Diego eats mice and sheds around three times a year. Ball Pythons are constrictors, which means they suffocate their prey.

Lt. Paré said that her family got Diego around ten years ago. “My sister wanted a snake really badly, so my mom got her one for Christmas. We brought him home in a pillow case,” she explained.

Diego is the only snake they have had, but the family has owned cats and dogs. Lt. Paré said that in order to bring Diego to campus, she either brings him in a cage or even around her neck! “Diego has escaped before,” Lt. Paré informed us, “One morning, his cage was bumped open, and we found him stuck under a door!” She let us know that they now put weights on the lid of Diego’s cage so this does not happen again.

Campers seem to really enjoy classes with Diego. Michael Mosley from D5 said that he likes Diego because he is a calm snake, and he seems to like being around people. He also explained, “Classes are more interesting because you can see how he reacts to the environment and to different people.” Another camper, Sean Coxhead, also from D5, said that he didn’t really like snakes, but after he met Diego, he was less afraid of them. He also told us that he enjoys Reptiles and Amphibians more because you get to go deeper into the subject (snakes).

When we asked Cpt. Paré about Diego, she responded, “Lots of people are scared of snakes, and Diego shows them that not all snakes are the same.” She also said that “he gives people a chance to see a snake up close” and that she used to be terrified by snakes. We also interviewed Maj. Brandt about Diego, and he said that Diego helps “teach people about reptiles, snakes specifically.” According to Major Brandt, Diego isn’t the only snake, or animal, that has been brought to nature classes. He has brought in his Bearded Dragon, a type of lizard, and his Corn Snake named Autumn (who sadly died a few years ago at twenty-one).

In conclusion, Diego is a great addition to nature classes. He is popular with the campers and helps teach people about snakes— especially that not all snakes are the scary beasts we portray them to be. If you have Reptiles and Amphibians in the future, don’t be afraid to pet Diego, hold him, or put him around your neck. He won’t bite!

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Why do we come back to Culver? One of the main reasons is because of the people—because of your friends. We think that the people are the ones that make Culver better. At the beginning, it might be difficult to make friends. However, once you have them, you’ll never forget them in the memories that made the best summer ever. We interviewed some campers and staff about their experiences at Culver.

According to Col. Spahn (the Woodcraft Director), what you gain by making friendships at Culver are “lifelong friendships”.

Her experience was, “Me and Maj. Feldman (the air rifle director) went to camp and upper school together! Our birthdays are one day apart of each other, so we always celebrate it together.”

We also interviewed Lt. Mendoza from B2, and she told us that the thing that makes the friendships at Culver special is, “The culture of each person and what they bring to Culver.” Her experience was, “I never had the experience as a camper, but as a counselor. I love making counselor friends and we always enjoy our summer as much as Woodcraft campers.”

We interviewed Jose Maria Trevino from D1, and he told us that the reason he appreciates his friendships at Culver more than the ones at home is because, “In Culver, instead of having a social media life, you have a real life with real friends.” His experience was, “I made friends that are for life.” We also asked Daya Gonzalez from C2, and she told us that she likes Culver because, “You get to learn different points of views and perspectives from all around the world!” Her experience was, “Currently, my best friend is from Ecuador, and since I’m from Mexico, we still talk and call each other frequently.”

Our opinion is that Culver is a second home; whenever you are having a bad day, just think about the good days of Culver.

The Vedette / / Culver Summer Schools & Camps

Cardinal/Beaver Dance Marian Villarreal & Emma Rudnicki

Then, we interviewed Maj. Mueller, the director of the dance. We asked her some questions like, why is the dance the only mixer with all the Beavers and Cardinals?

She said, “I guess it’s just a tradition.” Then we proceeded to ask when we have mixers.

She responded, “Every Monday I try to have mixers.” The last question we asked her was why we have the dance in the Retreat Field.

She said, “The only place we have is Penske and that’s a little too small. It’s good to have the dance in the Retreat Field because it offers kids a chance to branch out if they don’t have a date or just don’t like the dance.

Some kids don’t want a date, so the Gaga ball pit and soccer field is good.”

You might be wondering how the beaver/ cardinal dance works. These last two weeks, Cardinals and Beavers have been talking about it very often. We interviewed some people that got asked to the dance or asked someone to the dance. We first talked to Michael Mosley, D5, who asked Sterling Waterfield, C2. He told us some things about the dance. “My favorite part of the dance was hanging out with my friends and Sterling,” he said. Also, we asked him when he thinks the perfect moment to ask someone to the dance is. He explained, “I think the perfect moment to ask someone to the Whether your favorite part was the dance is after you get to know them.” photobooth and the ice cream, or just being around your friends, everything was just We also interviewed Sterling Waterfield. “I got all-around fun. Here’s a little tip for next asked by Michael Mosley,” she said. Then, we time though, if you want to ask someone to asked her what her favorite part of the dance the dance, just do it. It’s better if you take a was. She said, “The photo booth because we chance then regret not taking the chance. went with other people, and it was super fun.”

We also interviewed Jorge Moreno, D5, who asked Ana Mendez, C1, to the dance. We asked him when he thinks the perfect moment to ask someone to the dance is, and he said, “One week before so she can be mentally prepared, and we can have an even better time.”

The Time Capsule Logan Hinton & Amanda Padilla

A time capsule is not something that someone finds on a normal day, but here at Culver, you probably pass it every day.

Forty-three years ago, on July 16th, 1976, Cpt. Renick (the Vedette teacher at the time) came up with the idea of making a time capsule and presented it to Maj. Trone and Col. Jane. They all agreed with the idea.

First, the plan was to put a box the size of a footlocker near the woodcraft flagpoles.

Then, during the last weekend of camp in 2026, they will open it. This information can be found on the Culver Academies digital vault. We hope old and new campers will love to see what’s inside when they open it in seven years and how the time capsule will bring lots of memories to some people.

Finally, we interviewed a camper to ask what she thinks that it’s inside of the time capsule. Julia Valdez, B1, “Maybe some uniforms from that year, some medals and patches, and some pictures of camp.”

The Vedette / / Culver Summer Schools & Camps

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Stories of Those Before Us Khoi Pham

I then made the long walk to Woodcraft HQ, where I interviewed Col. Spahn to discuss what she saw as the biggest change from her time as a counselor to her time as a Colonel.

“When I was here,” Col. Spahn answered, “girls weren’t allowed on As you’re reading this paper now, it is definitely the last few days of Regimental Staff. Female staff didn’t have any rank, they were only camp. For first years, you’re either feeling the desire to come back referred to as ‘Miss’ or ‘Misses’, so I think what has changed a lot next year or absolute relief that camp is over and it’s time to go back from the time that I was here as a camper is the fact that we treat to civilization. Not a lot has changed during the six weeks of camp both boys and girls equally.” here. Yet, most of us haven’t even scratched the surface of Culver’s I then asked her what she experienced as a camper that she has history. With this in mind, I set out on a quest to find stories now experienced again as a Colonel. “The excitement of arriving about those who came before us, those who were here twenty, at camp,” answered Col. Spahn. “The sadness of leaving at the end even forty years ago, to find out how it was back then and what of camp as well. It’s also the relationships in Culver; I made friends they experienced. I interviewed Maj. Trickey, the Boys Director and Commander of Division 5, Maj. Zimmerman, the Director of who are still friends with me to this day.”

Indian Dance and Indian Lore, and Col. Spahn, Head of Woodcraft, With little time left, I walked towards the Indian Lore cabin and to talk about Woodcraft’s “Good old days”. asked Maj. Z about what he experienced during his time. “There were two boys in each tent,” said Maj. Zimmerman. “Each of the First, I made the long walk to Division 5 HQ, where Maj. Trickey counselors looked over six tents, which was called a ‘section’. We is at to talk to him about his time as a counselor and Division 1 were much more athletically focused, and I remembered the new Commander. boys would a be put into a separate group, and they would have to do different sports during different weeks. There also wasn’t as “Social Media,” Maj. Trickey answered as I inquired about how Woodcraft has changed from his time as counselor. “We were much much emphasis on marching as today.” more confined back when I was counselor. I would occasionally read newspapers, but that’s it. The solitude that we experienced back then was much more than we have today, and I miss that to a certain extent.”

I also want to know about something that he personally experienced as a counselor, so I asked him to share a harrowing experience of his.

As I listened to him, I was transferred to a different time. A time when twelve people would sit together at one long table to eat with their full dress. A time when they would have snack nights two times a week and a boxing match on Wednesday. When campers had to change into dress and march to breakfast, lunch, and dinner to then change into athletics.

“Did you ever expect to be here this long and have you ever looked back on the time you’ve been here?” I asked. “Of course,” he said, “I wouldn’t call it harrowing, but it was frightening to me,” Maj. Trickey answered. “Back in my days, the entire cabin would go on a “I never expected to be here this long. I thought I would be here war canoe down the river, so there were thirteen people on a canoe. for, at most, twenty-five years. When you look back at that long of As we were going down a bend, a log got in our way, and the boat a time span, you either remember the really good things and the capsized. When I went on, I counted the boys and was one short.” really bad things.”

As he said so, he raised up a one on his hand. “I then jumped back As the days of camp are almost over, think of what you have done onto the capsized canoe to see where he was. Then, I heard a boy calling my name. It turns out that he was separated from the rest of at camp, think of what you left behind, think of what the future of us and flowed downstream where he then got on the ground, but it campers will think, and remember the experience that, one day, will be stories too valuable to be kept alone. was so dangerous that we abandoned the whole activity.”

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The Vedette / / Culver Summer Schools & Camps

Zeke! Real, or Rumor?

Nate Ventura

Have you ever heard of the infamous Woodcraft scary story? What is it, you ask?

Well, the answer is: Zeke. Zeke is a monster who supposedly lives in electrical tunnels under Woodcraft Camp. At night, a Culver employee apparently lets him out by the pier to catch a fresh fish to eat. Maybe that’s why you see so many dead ones on the shores of Lake Max. The story of Zeke from Major Trickey is that there was once a kid with a lot of issues.

His parents were sick of him and decided to dump him at Woodcraft… and they never came back. It was hard for the counselors to deal with him, but he wasn’t going away anytime soon. One night, it stormed, and Zeke attempted to run away. He got as far as the pier when the staff caught him. Instead of taking him back to the Camp and dealing with him, they threw him in the lake. As he was drowning, a Culver employee came to save him and basically adopted him. The employee locked him in the tunnels under Woodcraft and only lets him out at night to

find some food. However, there are some other stories of Zeke.

I decided to interview some campers about their thoughts on this topic. The question asked was: what do you think about Zeke?

Here’s what they said.

Nick Sebonoler from D4 said that Zeke was adopted.CJ Cagle, D4, thinks that Zeke will go after your parents and go in your cabin at night. Clark Pugh in D6 thinks that Zeke will destroy Woodcraft to make it a home for him, and he will eat all of the counselors.

Roberto Boesch, D5, said that Zeke is fake.

Some people may believe that Zeke is real, and some do not. According to Major Trickey, he is real. In some of the interviews I did, people just gave silly answers, but some really do believe that Zeke is real and are actually freaked out by the story. Even if he is real, do not be afraid. Major Trickey said that he won’t hurt you, but he is creepy. Apparently, if he sees you, he will ask you for a hug. You can believe in this tale, or you can choose not to. Just know, you will always be fine… unless he is coming for you!

Joga Bonito Felipe Botero & Johnathan Primiano

When walking to different classes, you might see some people wearing a shirt that says “Joga Bonito”. When looking at the logo on the shirt, you might have some questions. Some questions could be, what is Joga Bonito? Also, you could ask what do they do or practice in Joga Bonito? Well, those questions will become answers by my partner and I here at Vedette.

According to Lt. Bermudez six years ago, a cabin counselor in D3 named Lt. Walugambe came up with the idea of making a class that brings up the best of the best in soccer. The team name became Joga Bonito; it was the elite team of soccer at Woodcraft and in Upper Camp. In order to get onto that team, you need to do participate in tryouts and, obviously, those tryouts aren’t easy. We interviewed a camper that has been through that experience twice; his name is Luke Sims, a D1 camper.

The first question we asked Luke was

what he felt during the tryouts. He told us, “I felt really excited for the tryouts, even though it wasn’t my first tryout.” Then, we asked him who his favorite instructor is, and Luke then said, “my favorite instructor is Lt. Bermudez. I think this because he is strict and fun at the same time.” Next, we asked Luke if he thought Joga Bonito is hard. He said, “Yes, because it is an elite team of Woodcraft soccer players.” Finally, we asked Luke what his favorite position to play in soccer is. He said, “My favorite position is goalie because I can see the entirety of the field.”

years ago.” In conclusion, my partner and I can say that if you are a good soccer player and currently attending Culver Woodcraft Camp then, without a doubt, Joga Bonito is the class for YOU!

After this interview, we asked Lt. Bermudez a couple of questions. Lt. Bermudez is a cabin counselor for D1, and this is his third year at camp and his first year in soccer. He is also in charge of Joga Bonito. The first thing we asked him was what he is looking for in a Joga Bonito player. He answered, “What I am looking in a Joga Bonito player is someone that has discipline and good behavior in and out of the unit. Also, a player that plays with all eleven players on the field, not an all-star”. Lastly, we asked him how long ago Joga Bonito was founded. He said, “It was founded about three

The Vedette / / Culver Summer Schools & Camps

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The Differences Between Woodcraft in the Past and Present

Colonel Wettig Sofia Franco & Elise Schriber

Lillian Stevens and Gloria Cho

There are many differences between Woodcraft in the past decade up to the present, but there are also many things that haven’t changed. We wanted to share them with you, so we wrote this article! We asked a couple people some questions. Here are our results.

We interviewed a cabin counselor from B1, Lt. Elizaga, who graduated from Woodcraft in 2013. She was helpful with the important information. We asked her how camp was better or worse as a camper versus now, and why. She said she thought the food was better as a camper and they were stricter with the military part of camp. Lt. Elizaga also thinks that the classes and counselors now are better than before. We asked her what she thought the pros and cons of camp today are. A pro is that the Gold Cs have more opportunities to go to review board. Another pro is that we now have B3 and C3. She thinks it’s a pro because there is more competition between the units. One of the cons is that the Military now is not as strict as it was in the past. We asked Lt. Elizaga who the major of her unit was when she was a camper. In Butterflies, she had Maj. Upton and Maj. Argedine, and in Cardinals, she had Maj. Spahn and Maj. Fashinni. We also asked her how many years she was a camper in Woodcraft. We found out that she went to Woodcraft for five years. We wondered if she preferred being a counselor or a camper. She told us, “As a counselor, you make everything happen, but as a camper, you live it.”

Lt. Elizaga explained that she would rather be a camper.

We also wanted to know what the biggest differences are between being a camper in the past and the present. She told us she thought that there’s more structure and it’s more organized now because when she was a camper, they didn’t keep track of how many more inspections you needed to pass to get your C pin.

We also interviewed Linda (Liddy) Reynolds in B1. She was helpful in the interviewing process. We asked if she knew any camp traditions. She said, “Drum and Bugle is a tradition because it’s been going on for one hundred years, and I’m really happy it’s been going on.” We also asked her if she knows anything that has changed recently or a long time ago in Woodcraft. She said that she is really happy that they added girls to camp, and she is also happy that they added the time capsule because she wants to know what has been going on in the past.

We are grateful that Liddy and Lt. Elizaga gave us the time to interview them. This information is really valuable to us. Those were some differences between camp in the past compared to the present.

If you have not heard of Col. Wettig, you might be wondering who he was. Well, in this article you will learn about who he was. We asked Maj. Arvelo, the girls director, some questions: Who was Col. Wettig?

“He was a boys director and military officer. Sometimes he wore a funny hat, and he loved fried chicken.”

Did he come here as a camper?

“No, but he did study in Culver Academies for high school.”

Was he ever a cabin counselor or a major?

“No, he didn’t come as a counselor or major.”

How many years did Col. Wettig come to Culver?

“He was here from 2011 to 2017” Where was he from?

“Louisville Kentucky.” (that explains why he liked fried chicken) If you could describe him with one word, how would you describe him?

“A legacy!”

Maj. Arvelo was a huge help!

Thank you, Maj. Arvelo!!!

Next, we asked Col. Spahn some questions too!

Where was his favorite place in WoodCraft?

“Scouting, which is on the hill near the nature pavilion.”

What was his favorite class?

“Military Leadership.’

Did he play any sports?

“He exercised a lot. He used to go to the fitness center every day.”

Why did you think he kept coming back?

“He loved his job and enjoyed that the kids liked coming back.”

How long did you know him?

“2012 to 2017.”

If you can describe him with one word, how would you describe him?

“Teddy bear!”

Col. Wettig was an amazing man. He made Culver a better, happier place, and we will always remember him.

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The Vedette / / Culver Summer Schools & Camps

Circle Ikwe

Isabella Hernandez & Emilia Seldner

Many of you might have heard about Circle Ikwe, but do you know what it is and what it’s for?

We interviewed Maj. Zimmerman and Maj. Robertson (Indian Lore), Lt. Quintana (B2), and some Circle Ikwe members to find out a little more about this subject.

First, we interviewed Maj. Zimmerman, and we asked, “What is the purpose of Circle Ikwe?” He answered, “To honor the outstanding girl dancers, and it was created by Mrs. Caparel who was, for several years, an Indian consultant for council fires. We had the Master Dancer already formed, and we wanted something for the girls. The thing was, we didn’t feel like we could do it ourselves because we were males. Mrs. Caparel came on board with us in 1995 and was with us for five years.” He told us that the Circle Ikwe tradition was started in 1995.Our next question for him was, “Who started it?” He answered, “Mrs. Caparel. With her Indian background she was the ideal person to start it, and we still miss her.”

Next, we interviewed Maj. Robertson; our first question was, “What would happen if they talk when they’re not supposed to?” He answered, “Well, we have to be understanding that sometimes they forget that they have to be silent, it’s part of the learning process finding out how difficult it is not to speak for a day.” Our next question for him was, “Why can’t Circle Ikwe candidates talk?” He responded, “That’s what it is; it’s a time to reflect on yourself and your environment.

Sometimes we speak quickly without thinking.” He described it as a test. Last, we asked him, “How many girls are chosen each year?” He said, “It kind of depends on each year, but we look at who we think qualifies. Last year’s eleven girls were probably the highest.” He told us that ten girls were chosen this year.

After Maj. Robertson, we interviewed Lt. Quintana from B2. We asked her what Circle Ikwe was. She said that it was, “A secret society for the best girl Indian dancers.” Our other question for her was, “How are the candidates chosen?” She told us that one of the qualities was “best dancers” and that their attitude had to be good in and out of class. Last, we interviewed two campers that were chosen to be in Circle Ikwe. We asked Ana Mendez (C1) and Emilia Murat (C2), “where did you wake up, and what was your challenge?” Ana Mendez said, “I woke up at Indian crafts, and I had to make three ojos.” Emilia Murat said, “I woke up in the ice rink, and my task was to do three laps around the ice rink and freestyle for 20 minutes or less.”

In conclusion, we learned a lot about Circle Ikwe that we didn’t know. As you can see, it is really interesting to know about this subject, its background, and history.

The Vedette / / Culver Summer Schools & Camps

Kline Relay Grant Bruno, Joseph Parker, & Sasha Sentoro

The Kline Relay is an event held at Woodcraft every year toward the end of camp in which every camper plays a role in guiding their division/wing to victory. Maj. Brun, the Director of Military, said that the Kline Relay was started in 2008, to honor Col. Janet Kline, the former Director of Woodcraft from 2000 to 2005 and her service to Culver.

Maj. Brun explained, “The Kline Relay is a combination of all the skills of Woodcraft in one event.” Dr. Doug Bird, the Director of Summer Schools and Camps, said that his favorite part of the Kline Relay is the “excitement of all of the campers, and the teamwork that is displayed by them.” He also said that the whole point of it was to provide an opportunity for the units to compete in all the tasks they would experience at Culver.

We asked a few people about their thoughts on the Kline Relay.

Milla Hallyn from C1 said that she thought the winners for each battalion would be D7 for Beavers, C2 for Cardinals, B1 or B2 for Butterflies, and wasn’t sure about the Cubs. Rodrigo De La Gorza from D5 thought that the winners would be D5 for the Beavers, C3 for Cardinals, D3 for Cubs, and B2 for Butterflies. Dr. Doug Bird said that D5, C2, D4, and B2 would be the victors. We also asked what they thought was the easiest and hardest event in the race.

Milla said that the easiest event was the knotting and the hardest was the long distance running. Rodrigo said that the easiest event was the running and that the hardest was the feather dance.

In the end, the Kline Relay is something that brings all of the campers of Woodcraft together for the soul purpose of having fun.

It also shows you that what you learn at Culver isn’t useless, and can help you in real life. We hope this article helped you understand more about the Kline Relay.

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The Best of the Best: Lt. Molina

Nyah Puranik, Alex Voltz, & Lily Mangerson

Lt. Molina is our B1 cabin counselor. It is her very first year working here. She has been aware of Woodcraft Camp since she was a camper in 2013 in Cardinal Wing 2. She is super helpful, sweet, and she loves us with all of her heart. When asked where she is from, Lt. Molina answered, “It’s the most beautiful place in the world! There are good attractions and the culture is amazing! Merida, Mexico.” Lt. Molina is one of the many reasons she has made our camp experience unforgettable.

Lt. Molina said that she is the amazing person she is today since her mom taught her to learn from her mistakes, and her mother was always there for her when she needed it. Her mother taught her that everyone loses and wins, and that she has to accept it.

Lt. Molina’s role model is her mother due to her great parenting.

Lt. Molina knew she wanted to be a counselor since she attended Woodcraft Camp and wanted to give other girls the same camp experience she had.

Lt. Molina thinks she makes Woodcraft Camp a better place because she is always giving her best attitude, trying to be a good role model, and doing her best to give the girls an amazing summer. Lt. Molina is one of the many reasons she has made our camp experience unforgettable!

This camp means everything to Lt. Molina—she was a camper in C2, and she described it as her safe place. Lt. Molina explained, “The counselors accept everyone for who they are, and they want the best for everyone.”

Lt. Molina has felt most happy here at camp when the girls see her as a role model, a helpful tool, and an awesome cabin counselor. She feels happy as she sees the girls develop into strong and independent young women, like she did in 2013.

Plaques

Ben Foster

Plaques have always been a great fun thing to do at the end of the summer. I asked Maj. Trickey a few questions on his opinion about plaques. First, I asked him when the plaques started to become an important thing at Woodcraft. He said, “They started to be put in the cabins around the mid 1960’s. Because the cabins where still a little fresh, and they want to keep them that way for a little while.” Next, I asked him, where the oldest plaque in Woodcraft is. He said he thinks it is somewhere in Division 3 or Division 7. However, he said it could have been anywhere because some of the plaques where taken down if they were inappropriate for the kids in the cabin. Then, I asked Maj. Trickey about his favorite plaque in Woodcraft.

He said that it’s the only one he made which was for the 100th anniversary of Woodcraft. He got all of Division 4’s name tags and put it on the plaque.

Next, I interviewed Dash Barton from Divison 3 on if he likes the idea of plaques. He said that he likes the idea of plaques because you can see how long the plaque in your cabin has been there. I also interviewed Mauricio Rodriguez, and I asked him what his favorite plaque in Woodcraft is. He said, “I like the Shadow Men in Cpt. Johnson’s Cabin #139.” He said that he likes the detail and how good it looks. In all, a lot of people, if not everyone, in Woodcraft love plaques and how much fun it is to make them and come back each year and see them and show everyone the plaque.

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The Vedette / / Culver Summer Schools & Camps

Why Should You Go to D1?

Emiliano Salazar & Jose Trevino

During the last few summers, people have been criticizing D1 for acting like robots. The truth is that D1 is not so strict. We have been in D1 for the past 2 years, and we can tell you that being in D1 is one of the best things that could ever happen to us!

We asked some D1 kids if they liked to be in D1, and this is what they told us.

“I really like D1 because many people speak Spanish. Also, D1 kids are good at marching and sports,” said Manolo Mariscal.

So, our conclusion is that D1 is a great division! If you decide to go to D1, you are going to what we think is the best division of Woodcraft of all time.

We asked Maj. Trickey about D1, and he told us this.

“What makes D1 different from others?” He told us that there is no difference, but the blue navy t-shirts.

“What can you tell us about D1’s history?” He told us that D1 is the oldest division in Woodcraft, and for a time, it was part of the Drum and Bugle Corps.

“Why should Cubbies go to D1?”

“Because it is a very respected division,” he said.

Then, we asked Maj. Zimmerman about D1.

“What has characterized D1?”

“Sports. In the past, all of the great athletes wanted to be in D1, and D1 always won everything,” he said.

Choir

Lucie Flynn & Allie Jarvis

If you have ever been to a Chapel service, you have probably heard the Choir before. We wanted to learn a little bit more about Choir, so we interviewed Cpt. Paré, the director of Choir.

We wanted to know what her favorite thing about Choir was.

“Getting to know the kids, where they’re from, and watching them enjoy singing together,” she told us. We wanted to know a lot of the details, so we asked her where Choir meets. She replied, “The Woodcraft math building.” We thanked Cpt. Paré, and we went back to where Vedette meets.

We also wanted to know some history, so we went to Maj. Zimmerman, who has been at Woodcraft the longest. We wanted to know a few things that not very many people know about.

“There was group singing before Council Fires,” he told us. We wanted to know things that he remembered that weren’t the same now about Choir. “Choir used to be all boys because the girl’s wings weren’t added yet,” he told us. Maj. Zimmerman answered our questions and then he had something to do, so we went back to the top of Penske.

We think that choir is important because it makes people happy to sing together.

The Vedette / / Culver Summer Schools & Camps

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Woodcraft Crossword Puzzle

ACROSS: 1 Place of many myths 3 Cabin counselors make these 6 Started Joga Bonito 8 Highest rank (beaver/cardinal, abbreviation) 9 Month the time capsule opens DOWN: 1 Diego’s species 2 Yearly race in battalions 4 Indian dance group for girls

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The Vedette / / Culver Summer Schools & Camps

Beason Park Martina Blanco & Nikki Stabropoulos

Beason is a park that was made for campers to get out of the schedule they usually have in Culver. In Beason, campers are able to relax and have fun with their unit. This place provides many activities such as fishing, volleyball, soccer, canoe trips, and s’mores. “It was founded in 1959, and most of the money was donated by the Beason family in honor of their son who passed away,” Maj. Trickey said.

The park we are talking about was made with the purpose of kids to have fun, even though lots of counselors and campers have made up many scary stories. According to Major Trickey’s information, there’s a hospital near Beason. He said, “At midnight, there’s a light that comes on in the hospital. The people who live in the hospital are able to come out, and they come directly to Beason to try to hug the kids, and they try to come in into the bunkhouse. That’s why the bathroom is located inside the bunkhouse, and all of the counselors have to sleep near the campers.”

Beason has changed a lot since the first time campers visited, 68 years ago. According to Lt. McDonough, Beason is way cleaner now than back in the days, and there aren’t any more canvas tents like there used to be.

Nowadays, Beason isn’t so scary, but all of the scary stories that the campers and counselors tell keep people on edge. Years ago, either Gold ‘C’ campers or counselors made up pranks to scare the rest of the campers! For example, Lt McDonough said that when he was a camper, a counselor dressed up as a farmer and placed a pillow case on his head while he was holding a flashlight. He pretended to kidnap the major of the unit and entered the bunkhouse. Obviously, they later told the campers that it was a joke, but it was still scary!

Beason is made up by a spacious dining hall and a long river which is connected to the Culver Woodcraft lake—Gold ‘C’s know what we are talking about because of the canoe trip. There is also the bunkhouse with the bathroom and the house of the person who takes care of Beason when campers aren’t there.

Of course, there is also an enormous campus with many more activities.

In conclusion, Beason can be scary and fun at the same time, and it is worth it. We want to thank Maj. Trickey, Maj. Zimmerman, and Lt. McDonough for helping us with the information. Now, we have a question for all of you who are reading this article: why is Beason special for you?

The Vedette / / Culver Summer Schools & Camps

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Sailing

Zahra Mahmood

Do you feel like being Moana sometimes? You can now join Sailing and Sailing intermediate! It’s like being Moana in a different way. I asked a few questions to Commander Lacy, an instructor of sailing, and a boy in Division 1 named Charlie Joyce, a few questions about sailing.

“Will you answer some questions for me?” I asked.

“Sure thing, I will,” said Commander Lacy.

“Who was your first crew member?”

“Lt. Lawkin,” she replied.

“How many years have you been teaching sailing?”

“2 Years,” she said.

“Why did you start teaching sailing?”

“I fell in love with sailing, and now I want others to love it too,” she said.

Next, I interviewed Charlie.

“Do you prefer Water Ski or Sailing?” I asked.

“Water ski,” Charlie answered.

“Do you like sailing more than any water class?”

“No,” Charlie replied.

“How would you rate sailing?” I asked.

“Eight and a half,” Charlie replied.

So, now you want to join sailing. Sailing’s the BEST WAY TO GO!

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The Vedette / / Culver Summer Schools & Camps

Summer in Review

The Vedette / / Culver Summer Schools & Camps

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