The mentors gathered at the 100 Aker Wood along with a volunteer for the day Joey Christianson. As we brought our minds together we noticed the brisk air that day by day is shrugging off the summer in preparation for the fall. The Red Squirrel Kits would soon arrive to begin their first day of Explorers Club. The weather was fitting to welcome in our last summer camp before the transition into fall explorations. The three days of exploration were nonstop motion, perpetually moving from one game or activity to the next, using every acre of the forests ventured from our nests and out onto the land.
The initial shyness amongst the boys quickly gave way to excitement, as new connections were formed and old ones rekindled. Soon enough it didn't matter and we all realized we were there for the same reason, to play in the forest. We headed into the 100 Aker Wood for an introduction to Explorers Club culture and a name game. The Explorers found out that the first step to becoming a cohesive group was learning how make a circle. In the Boys EC our circle is scared. This is the space where we can work out our differences, Speak Our Truths, and Collaborate and Compromise. Our circle is a place for inclusion and somewhere to belong to. On our outings we strive for interdependency amongst our group members and we act on consensus through shared leadership. This model of interdependency amongst peer’s roots from the interdependent relationships we see in our larger community in the landscape and it is constantly mirrored and reinforced in us on outings.
After a long opening meeting headed up the trail and our good friend Stinging Nettle revealed itself to us and provided a healthy but painful lesson in identifying it's key features. The afternoon was a blur of games; Hide, Fox Tales, and a long and a wonderful round of Spider’s Web. The day concluded with a sit spot in the forest. The boys spread out over the land and many of the boys were challenged with the task of sitting silently. The more the Explorers cultivate this vital skill the more they will be able to connect with their internal compass and learn from their observations of all members of their community.
Our second day was spent exploring the lush forests of Lake Padden Park. We quickly made our way up into the woods where Greg led us to the "secret valley". Here we learned a new game, Hungry Martin. Getting into our animal forms we dodged the Hungary martin as well as obstacles on the forest floor as we played. After the Martin was good and full we continued our exploration with some Huckleberry foraging. Harvesting wild edibles is a skill that develops slowly in the Boys EC. It is imperative that the Explorers learn the hazards associated with harvesting and only harvest when they are with a mentor. It is also imperative that they learn that all their food comes from the Earth and not from the store and this journey starts with harvesting Huckleberries in their backyard.
Venturing father up the valley the group spotting Devils Club and Banana Slugs. Engaging our bodies we climbing onto fallen Cedars and played Hide!The boys did some valuable work with group decision-making regarding navigation that led us to our lunch spot. After lunch we worked on our spy training skills as we memorized plants hidden underneath a bandana. For the few boys that stuck with the game it was a great learning opportunity with many of the common plants in our area. It must have been the group’s high energy that caused Greg morph into raging buck and we chased after him as cougars, disappearing into the underbrush as hikers wondered about this wild pack of boys. We did another sit spot and the challenge of still silence in the forest seemed an easier task for many then it had the day before. The boys came back to the group with observations and sketches from their time spent silently observing the forest. 
The last day was a wonderful culmination to the camp. Heading into the forest that leads down to the Clayton Beach we quickly ran up onto "The Dragons Back", a steep climb up a hillside holding onto roots and fellow Explorers for support we gained the ridge with excitement. Following the Dragon’s Back we quickly reached the beach. We made camp for the day in the beach fort. Some boys explored the tide pools and shoreline with Joey, others ran up bluffs and played in the forest along side the beach with Greg, and the rest worked on the fort. Our job as mentors is to provide the boys with this free time to explore and roam. In their over scheduled lives and busy lives these boys need to be able to express themselves creatively and feel like they have power and control over their own lives. This is vital in their development as healthy and well-balanced males. This free play not only teaches them about expansiveness and self-efficacy it also teaches them about natural consequences and
responsibility. The Explorers big lesson for the day was about self-care even when there is so much to explore. Dehydration, hunger, and mild barnacle cuts were all excellent teachers of this lesson. As the heat of the day caught up with all of us we slowly made our way into the protective shade of the forest. As if a switch had been flipped the boys’ energy returned. The group playedOtter Steals Fish, Where’s my egg?, and Hide, as we ran up the trail that began to take us back up to the parking area. Along the way we all walked passed fellow explorer and mentor Dave hiding in the bushes along the trail. With Dave in tow we found a place for our closing circle. 
The high energy of this group was simultaneously great and a challenge when it came to wrangling boys into a circle or to focus on the important Explorers Club culture. These boys still have room to grow in their focus and attention, but they are exactly who they need to be right now. It was truly a joyful experience to work with all of them. Thank you parents for leaving your boys with us for three great days of exploration, as mentors we get just as much out of these camps as the boys. Thank you Red Squirrel Kits for just being boys that are excited about the forest and for being willing to step outside of your comfort zones and Stretch Your Edges. Lastly, but not least we would like to send out a special thanks to Joey who volunteered his time to come out and explore with all of us! Each time Joey mentors he meets the boys with acceptance, care, and patience and is just an all around stellar human being.
Please visit the photo gallery for more pictures.
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