Archive for the 'Nature' Category

Hydroponics Lab

by Christy Swafford, Assistant Admissions Director at Cherokee Creek Therapeutic Boys School

Christy Swafford - Boys Boarding School AdmissionsCherokee Creek now has a new hydroponics lab!

If you do not know what a hydroponics lab is, follow us on this journey to find out. The boys and staff couldn’t be more excited to start this fun process.

One of our students, Reid R wrote this blog about it.

“In class recently, we have been learning about hydroponics, or food grown without soil. Collectively the classes are going to take care of 15 different plants. The seeds we are planting are Wild Bergamot, Lemon Verbena, Strawberries, Lemon Balm, Lemon Basil, English Lavender, and Chocolate Mint. I am excited for this because Ben (the Environmental Science Teacher) said we could make tea out of the plants when we are done. Also, I have only seen hydroponics on NOVA and stuff like that. We also recently got our seed starters, so we are ready to begin.”

Hydroponics Lab at Therapeutic Boys SchoolIt is really rewarding to see the passion from the boys about the process involved with a hydroponics lab. They are interested in every detail and really want to make sure they do it correctly. All of us are on pins and needles with excitement to see what happens next.

In the pictures you can see the seed pods. The boys put the tiny seeds in the hole in the middle. Once the roots grow 1-2 inches, they will be placed in water inside clay pots. This will allow the roots to expand. Stay tuned to see what happens next!

I’m really proud of all the hard work the students are putting into this project. The boys have done all the research with how it works. Next time you visit our campus, remember to stop over and see how our plants are faring.

I personally can’t wait to sample the goodies when the time comes!

posted by Judy Leslie in Academics,Activities,Gardening,Nature,Students and have Comments Off on Hydroponics Lab

Sowing Seeds of Success

boys boarding school gardenby Christy Swafford, CCBS Assistant Admissions Director

 

“The season of failure is the best time for sowing seeds of success.” – Paramahasa Yogananda

 

So many boys come to Cherokee Creek Boys School upon facing failure after failure. What is always amazing for me to see is when they finally find success for the first time in a long time. Once they find it, it continues to grow and reproduce. Like seeds that are planted in a garden, successful habits consistently need care and attention for them to reproduce season after season.

 

boys boarding school gardenUpon this premise, our Environmental Science teacher Ben Briggs decided to start a CCBS Garden Club. Each boy is given a 5′ x 5′ plot in which they get to plant a range of in-season fruits, vegetables and flowers.

 

The students were able to start this project with a “blank slate” that some would see a dirty and unkept. They were then given all the tools they would need to succeed. Over time, they will reap what they’ve planted and cultivated. This may take a couple months or even several months, but what is important for each boy to understand and remember is that this process takes time. The end result will be a bountiful harvest.

 

boys boarding school gardenThe same could be said about many of the boys at our therapeutic boarding school. They are a wonderful mess when they come to us. What they need are the right tools, support, and guidance. It takes time and patience, but the end product is incredibly beautiful. It is important to remember that they cannot do this alone. It truly is a team effort: family, therapist, staff, and friends.

 

On a fun note, the boys get to wear some awesome straw hats when they are gardening. I hope you enjoy these this pictures. Keep your eye out for the progress of these gardens, the one in the ground and the one in their hearts!

 

posted by Judy Leslie in Activities,Gardening,Lessons,Nature,Students and have Comments Off on Sowing Seeds of Success

Having a Field Day on Field Day

by Christy Swafford, CCBS Assistant Admissions Director

Cherokee Creek Boys Boarding School Field Day fun at the beachOur students went back to school on Tuesday, but before they started another semester of books and learning, they had two awesome days of fun activities. After all, Cherokee Creek Boys Boarding School IS a place “where boys can be boys!”

On the first day, the boys had a Field Day… literally! They played popular games such as Cornhole, KanJam, and shared in other fun outdoor activities.

Cherokee Creek Boys Boarding School Field Day 2105On the second day, our students went to the beach. Okay… okay… it isn’t the “real” beach like over at Myrtle Beach or Hilton Head, but  the boys loved playing in the sand and swimming in the man-made lake.

Cherokee Creek Boys Boarding School Field Day FunAs you can see from this these pictures, they had opportunities to build traditional sand castles. And, of course, when you get a bunch of teenage boys together at a beach, you know for sure that someone is going to get buried up to their neck in sand!

Yes, we did make sure that he was dug back up before we left!

It is so important for families to have traditions. What are some of the traditions your family celebrated in the summer before you headed back to school? Did you go to the beach? Was it an amusement park? Did you enjoy being in the middle of nature by going camping?

Please share those with us in the comments section below!

posted by Judy Leslie in Activities,Nature,Students and have Comments Off on Having a Field Day on Field Day

Momma Bird

boys boarding school students discover birds nestBy Christy Swafford, Assistant Admissions Director at CCBS

At Cherokee Creek Boys Boarding School, there is always an adventure taking place! These adventures not only happen with students, but also to our awesome team of staff members, too!

Our science teacher, Ben Briggs, found an amazing gem of a bird’s nest. But not just any bird’s nest… this bird’s nest was different that the average one. It wasn’t found way up high in a tree somewhere. In fact, it wasn’t even found in a tree at all. Ben found this bird’s nest in our pole barn. Our pole barn is filled with Wilderness Trek gear (rafting helmets, canoes, and life jackets).

Can you guess where this sweet momma bird made her nest?

If you guessed the rafting helmets, you are correct!

boys boarding school students discover birds nest
Some of the boys went on a “quiet” adventure to meet these baby birds. Yes, I did said quiet. They didn’t want to scare the birds and really wanted to see the momma bird come and visit her babies. A couple of the more patient boys waited around quite a while to see that would happen. Well, there patience paid off. The momma bird brought her babies some food and then went out to find more for them. It was truly an amazing experience to see this take place.

boys boarding school students discover birds nest

Nick, one of our students, loves photography. He took these pictures. I truly love the creativity our boys possess. Not only that, but I also love to see their wonder and appreciation for animals and nature. These boys made sure to tell me about how a momma bird tenderly cares for her babies. I feel there is a lesson to be learned here…

What lesson do you think that these boys learned?
posted by Judy Leslie in Lessons,Nature,Students and have Comments Off on Momma Bird