Space of His Own Mentoring Program: Camping Trip Kickoff

A Whirlwind Weekend at Camp Kekoka

Space of His Own kicked off its year with a camping trip at Camp Kekoka in Kilmarnock, VA at the end of October. We took a group of 24 mentors and mentees to enjoy the outdoors and the many activities planned for the busy weekend. The camp, a collection of small cabins and recreation rooms nestled on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, proved a great location for the boys to experience many of their “firsts.” The boys plowed through adventures with boundless energy regardless of the overcast skies and occasional damp.

The night we arrived was Halloween. After teaming up to unload the bus, the group filed down to the campfire that had been set by the “Kilmarnock Monster,” who would tempt the boys with hot cider and roasted hot dogs. Afterwards, small groups were armed with flashlights, clues and a map to brave the night on a scavenger hunt for candy. The following days proved to be just as busy. Some boys were assigned breakfast duty, and cooked a mountain of pancakes for our hungry campers. The group tie-dyed t-shirts, wove boondoggles, painted ships, carved pumpkins and learned how to set up a tent; there was fishing, a paper-airplane making & flying contest, homemade ice cream and S’mores. The skies had cleared and the wind was brisk on Sunday morning, and the mentors cheered from the sidelines as the boys raced their wooden ships on the camp’s pool.

The mentors supported our SOHO boys with care, dedication and great enthusiasm every step of the way. During free time, the mentors would organize an activity: sports, racing through an obstacle course, stargazing and more. The new connections forming were almost tangible, the bonds weaving as the mentors and their mentees bounced together from one place to the next.

Mentor With Us

Space of His Own is excited to kick off its second year as an innovative carpentry and creative arts mentoring program for fifth-grade boys in the City of Alexandria. At this time, we are seeking volunteers to serve in the role of mentor for the 2014-2015 school year. Space of His Own meets once per week on Wednesday evenings at 5:30pm at Jefferson Houston Elementary in Old Town Alexandria. Boys and mentors enjoy dinner together, tackle team-building challenges, and develop a relationship through hands-on carpentry and arts lessons. Each project is focused around the central theme of helping each boy create a true space of his own. At the culmination of the year, boys and mentors team up to renovate each boy’s bedroom or space using all of the projects that they’ve created together. No carpentry or arts experience required.

If you would like to learn more about our mentoring program, Space of His Own, or its sister program, Space of Her Own, please contact Haley Bader at haley@spaceofherown.org. You can also visit the website for our girl’s program, www.spaceofherown.org.