Turkey Day is Underway

 

Its that time of year again! Every year at Thanksgiving Cherokee Creek Boys School pit-roasts our turkeys for our Thanksgiving feast. It is an honor to be selected for Team Turkey. This year’s crew (pictured above) includes (from left): Sam, Cole, Teacher Nick Linscott, Jimmy, Operations Director Phil Fairbrother, Dain, Michael, and Barron. The team’s responsibilities include staying up until the wee hours tending the roasting coals.

William, Sandy, and Barbara look on as Phil prepares the Turkeys

But first, the turkeys are seasoned and wrapped in foil (several times).

Phil, Cole, Dain, and Barron scope out the pit

Then the boys clear the area of leaves and debris before digging a HUGE pit.

Next, the boys and staff will create a bonfire in the pit, which will be nursed through the night until there is a well established bed of coals. Then the turkeys will be placed on the coals and burried.

Stay tuned for more updates tomorrow…

posted by Judy Leslie in Families,Students and have Comments (7)

Bears Victory!

Jimmy warms up for the net before the season's first game. His efforts paid off last night in overtime.

The Bears accomplished a 6-5 victory in overtime last night to have their first win of the season and the first win ever in a tournament game. Congratulations to all of the boys and to the coaches for their outstanding efforts! Note the student summary and quotes below describing the experience. They are over the moon – and truly recognize the value of teamwork!

Last night’s game summary provided by Student Contibuter Kevin:
At 8:00 the soccer tournament started. It was wet from a passing shower. Early in the match Cole scored from a corner kick. 1-0. Before half the other team scored. 1-1. Rick scored a goal bringing it up 2-1. Then the other team brought another goal, 2-2, then it was overtime. In the first 5 minutes it was 3-2 to us. After the full overtime it was 3-3. Time for penalty kicks (PK’s). Our goalie, Jimmy, blocked 4 before getting us 1. The first PK score: 4-4. In a second round of PK’s Sam D. and James scored while the opposing team only got one. This was it. The last shot. We block it, we win…They score, PK round 3. We were all shaking off nerves.

They kick. Jimmy blocks it. We won! We all run on the field and celebrate. We dump the cooler of Gatorade on coaches new vest and polo. The night was one of the best ever! Everyone gave 110% and it payed off!

Tournament Round 2 is Tuesday!

Student Statements:
“We did really great, we did really well. Even though the other team only had 9 people, they played well, too. It was a good game.” -Hudson

“We were persistent and we had lots of spirit!” -Cory

“It was exceptional. We all hustled. We had an amazing game.” – Kevin

“I thought we were going to loseabout 10 times. It was stressful when we had to do the PK’s.” – James (James scored the fianl penalty kick to make the score 6-5)

“I was very surprised we won. We all played superb. I want to congratulate everybody on their efforts.” – Jimmy

“It was an amazing game. It was an epic game. We had the best teamwork we’ve ever had.” – Spencer

“Good teamwork pays off!” – Cole

“It was a very good game and we had great teamwork and effort.” – Tommy Br.

“I think it was a fantastic game and we had great sportsmanship.” – Alexander

“It was a fantastic game with 10 PK’s in total and we had great teamwork.” – Dain

“It was an awesome game. It was sweet. I believe if Jimmy was not in the goal, we wouldn’t have done so well. He is straight up athletic. Coach gave the player of the game to everyone, but it really belonged to Jimmy because he saved us with those PK’s. I’m looking forward to the next game and using the same ideas and teamwork. The communication on the team is getting better. When everyone was passing we were using names. It’s really important.” – Rick

“I am really excited that we are going to another tournament game. My dad was really excited on our phone call this morning. Everybody did a great job, but especially Jimmy on the last block of the game.” – Mike T.

“I feel this is something out of a storybook because we played the same team earlier and lost. And now we’ve come back and beat the team in double overtime shooting PK’s.” – Sam K.

“I was ecstatic! We all played a good game.” – Michael H.

posted by Judy Leslie in Community,Students and have Comments (8)

X-Country Takes Bite out of Apple Fest 5K

The whole group before the race

Cherokee Creek Boys School Cross Country celebrated another great race this past Saturday! Seven students and 3 staff completed the Apple Festival Classic – a 5K race just up the road in Westminster, SC. Pictured above: (front) Patrick; (middle left to right) Tommy & Michael; (back left to right) James, Sam, Coach Chris Leamons, Loucas, Primary Counselor Kayla Tomkins, and Kevin.

More than half of the CCBS team walked away with awards! Kevin and Sam both received medals for placing 2nd in their age groups. Staff Andrew Stevenson (not pictured) placed in his age group and Staff/Coach Chris Leamons placed 3rd overall. Check out the snapshots below.

Congratulations, Bears!!
[cincopa AMEAHvKzwJqG]

posted by Judy Leslie in Community,Students and have Comments (4)

Eye Opening Cross Country

Congratulations to the members of the Cherokee Creek Boys School Cross Country Team. The boys ran the South Carolina Eye Opener this past weekend in Spartanburg, SC. The race was a 5K distance with the following participants: Jimmy, Loucas, Michael, Sam & Sam.

Check out a few video highlights below. If you look very closely at the beginning you will see Jimmy blur by in the middle of the pack.

Go Bears!!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHpj6OtZcfQ

posted by Judy Leslie in Community,Students and have Comments (2)

Service Plus Trout

Jon hold up his frozen prize!

Teachers Nick Linscott and Betsy Riordan headed to the river yesterday with 10 students, several pairs of gloves, trash bags, buckets and fishing gear. For the second year, Cherokee Creek is sponsoring the Earls Ford access to the Chattooga River. Through a volunteer agreement with the Forest Service, our staff and students participate in regular campsite and area clean up in exchange for a little bit if covented time at the river.

After filling several buckets with trash and cleaning out numerous fire pits, yesterday’s crew settled down for a picnic lunch and some fishin’. As luck would have it, our most avid student fisherman, Jon (pictured) landed a beastly trout: 17.5 inches long and just under 3 pounds.

Talk about a win win!

posted by Judy Leslie in Community,Students and have Comments (4)

First Football Games

Last night the Bears played their first two games of the flag-football season. This year’s team is communicating well and playing hard.

There are a few photos below. The Bears will take the field again on Monday night for their next two games.

Go Bears!!

[cincopa AYJARgqlvqoi]

posted by Judy Leslie in Community,Students and have Comment (1)

2011 Flag-Football Schedule

The Bears flag-football schedule has arrived with our first two games on Monday night, April 4th. Check out the full schedule below. Games will also be listed in the “Upcoming Events” sidebar on the right side of this page.

Can you make it to a game? Please connect with your son’s Primary Counselor for additional details and directions. We look forward to cheering with you!

Monday, April 4th – 7:00 PM – v. Clemson
Monday, April 4th – 8:00 PM – v. Florida

Monday, April 11th – 7:00 PM – v. South Carolina
Monday, April 11th – 8:00 PM – v. Wren

Thursday, April 28th – 6:00 PM – v. Liberty 2
Thursday, April 28th – 7:00 PM – v. Georgia

Monday, May 2nd – 6:00 PM – v. Central Falcon
Monday, May 2nd – 7:00 PM – v. Liberty 1

Friday, May 13th – 6:00 PM – v. Florida State
Friday, May 13th – 7:00 PM – v. Wake Forest

GO BEARS!!

posted by Judy Leslie in Community,Students and have Comments Off on 2011 Flag-Football Schedule

The Bears Blowout

What a great weekend! Our innagural Bears Blowout Sports Banquet and Father Son Event was a hit with students, families and staff.

Friday evening we celebrated with a steak dinner complete wit live music! After dinner our athletes were honored individually by Coaches Kory Byrd and Yanic McDowell for their contributions to the soccer and basketball teams as they recived their trophies. The evening wrapped up with fun drills and games with the coaches running everyone through their paces!

Saturday’s rain moved us inside for basketball. Everyone modeled incredible flexibility and “open to outcome” positive attitudes as we implemented a rainy day “Plan B.”

Check out the pictures below and stay tuned for another chance for Father Son Football late this summer!

[cincopa AgJAojquBiNY]

posted by Judy Leslie in Community,Families,Students and have Comments (2)

Getting “Boat Feel”

Last year we were given an incredible gift by an alumni family: 8 fully outfitted whitewater canoes! These are top of the line tandem “Captions”. Often, boys arrive at Cherokee Creek having canoed at summer camp or in a local waterway – in flatwater boats. Whitewater boats take a little getting used to. They are different in a couple of critical ways: they have less surface contact with the water; and they are designed to turn on a dime.

As we teach boys to become whitewater boaters, we start with “boat feel” – getting used to how to sit comfortably and move with the boat instead of working against it. A paddler who stays relaxed and moved with the boat is far less likely to find himself on the “swim team.”

Check out the video below of Sam and Dylan on Lake Hartwell. As they paddle into the sunset they are relaxed, have good momentum and paying attention to the distict feel of a whitewater canoe.

Moving water is next! Stay tuned…

[cincopa A0CAOgKEkxjM]

posted by Judy Leslie in Donations,Students,Treks and have Comments (2)

RoboBears at State

Team RoboBears in Charleston

Team RoboBears (pictured above from left: Alec, Daniel, Dylan, Harrison, Alex, Wes, Jon and Ben) and Coach Nick Linscott represented themselves and Cherokee Creek very well this past Saturday at the LEGO League State Championships in Charleston, SC. Parents of team members came from all over the country to cheer on the Bears as they competed with 79 other teams in this year’s Body Forward Challenge.

This was a great experience all around. Students and staff were even able to fit in a trip to the beach!

Check out the video below of their first robot run early in the day. Alex and Harrison had a great run!

[cincopa AkDAmgKXsoKN]

posted by Judy Leslie in Students and have Comments (3)