Camp Cho-Yeh: The Start of Bonding

Each year the entire high school (all 70 or so of us) goes to Camp Cho-Yeh as a school bonding trip. We do team building activities, we do a dance, we do the mud run and so much more. 

The day before the trip, students were sorted into one of eight color groups. Our color groups are made up of at least two students from of each grade and they compete in all of the activities. It is a great way to get to know people in all of the grades. I asked one of my classmates, Jayden Nguyen, why he loves Camp Cho-Yeh, and he told me: “I love that I can get to know the lower classmen and learn more about my grade and the one above me.”

This year one of the activities our color groups competed in was an egg drop. We all worked together to try to make the best capsule for our egg. Only one team’s egg broke when we dropped them all, but we all had fun.  

We also did crate stacking dodge ball. This is where two people on each team get hooked into an automatic belay system and they try to stack 20 crates, ten under each foot while the rest of the team tries to get other people out. We did a tournament and Orange won all of the bragging rights.

We also go to the pool and the main event is the water bubble. It’s a big bubble where we play King of the Mountain. Most everyone goes on it at least once. The people that go on it a lot and get really into it get a few scratches and or rope burn from the rope used to climb up the bubble.

The biggest event, however, is the Mud Run. It is exactly what it sounds like, an obstacle course that is mud. There are mud pits between each obstacle and everyone who does it is advised to “Wear clothes you don't care about” because once you do it it's near impossible to wash it out. Most people end up doing it, and if they don't, they’re walking around the course cheering on their friends. I am one of the few that doesn’t do it but I always have fun watching my friends.

The other big thing is the Cho-Yeh Dance. It’s basically just a crazy dance that’s casual, so casual that some people wear their PJs to the dance. It’s dark in the room and no one cares how they look or whether or not they’re dancing well because no one can see each other very well.

The last thing that we do is the lake. It is directly after the Mud Run and right before we get on the bus to go home. We all jump in the lake and there are different things we can do. The Pillow is a popular one because you get flung into the air. This year the lake was different and much bigger. 

Each year Cho-Yeh is always a great way to start the year. It is great to catch up with old friends and meet new ones.