Outdoor adventures

Students share experiences

NWA Democrat-Gazette/FLIP PUTTHOFF Lingle Middle School outdoor writers, including Jasmine Andrade (left), work on their stories earlier this month at Prairie Creek park on Beaver Lake. Outdoor writing was one of many classes students could pick from at the 22nd annual Lingle Outdoor School for sixth-graders.
NWA Democrat-Gazette/FLIP PUTTHOFF Lingle Middle School outdoor writers, including Jasmine Andrade (left), work on their stories earlier this month at Prairie Creek park on Beaver Lake. Outdoor writing was one of many classes students could pick from at the 22nd annual Lingle Outdoor School for sixth-graders.

We're proud today to recognize the hard working, sixth-grade writers who took the outdoor writing class at the 22nd annual Lingle Middle School Outdoor School held May 2-3 at Prairie Creek park on Beaver Lake.

Sixth-graders at the Rogers school choose from a long list of nature-oriented classes to take over the two days, all taught by volunteers in the community. I've been honored to teach the outdoor writing class all 22 years.

Part of the lesson has the students write their own outdoor stories about something they've done outdoors. Here is a selection of their stories.

The campfire

TRESSA OVERTURF

I walked around the campsite looking for dry wood. I picked up twigs and branches. I had my arms and hands filled with wood that I dropped in a pile.

I started by putting twigs in a tepee and put a lit leaf into the fire. Smoke rose quickly. I put the twigs over the leaves to make a flame start. I added branches and other pieces of dry wood until a big flame started.

The flame grew smaller so I though it would be smart to add logs provided at the campsite. I ran and grabbed some marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers. That was a very enjoyable campfire.

Lake Leatherwood storm

THERON LaPLANT

It was a Friday evening when we got to the campsite. We began to put up tents and got ready to go to sleep. Then came a big gash of lightning and it began to rain very very hard throughout the night.

Around 10:43 p.m. or 1:10 a.m. the camp began to flood. Then we rushed to the car. Finally we were away from the flooded campsite. We set up shop in the cabins.

The next day we went down to the campsite. It was a mess. The campsite looked like it had been pillaged. Also one of the canopies was damaged by the wind. It was maybe 15 feet away.

The great hike

ELIZABETH ANDERSON

It started out as a boring day. I woke up sleepy, forgot my homework and I was randomly hungry all day.

When I got home my mom said we are going to do something "fun" and I thought "Oh boy, we are going shopping, aren't we?" Then she started filling her backpack with stuff like food and a blanket to sit on. That's when I realized we were going on a hike.

When we left the house we started up the hill into the woods. I saw all types of animals. I saw a deer and I saw a blue jay. We ran up to my favorite tree I used to hang around when I was little and sat under it.

We set up our picnic and started to eat. I ate a peanut butter sandwich. I had so much fun!

Wonderful nature walk

RUBY REYES

Everything around us is what we have to live with until our lives have left this world. To learn more about this world, have a nice and relaxing walk.

If you close your eyes and listen carefully to this planet we live on you will hear the reality and the message that the world has given you. Also when you are walking, look around so you don't miss anything important.

You will learn more about this world and have so many questions about this world that made you realize the important things in life. Learn and live.

High hiking in the wild

JACOB BROOKS

We were persevering up the trail. Climbing it was steep. We were so high up when we reached the top I could see the lake from where I was.

We were high in the mountains with our tour group. It was on a trail shaped like stairs. Then we saw a fox. It had golden orange fur. Then it ran after something. The tour group was excited to see the fox.

The guide said to go back down the trail. As we headed back down we saw the fox once again. Then we headed back home.

Last day of summer

ANNALISE CAMERON

We drove up to the lake. High hopes. My best friend greeted me and we walked under the pavilion. "Let's go swim," I said.

"We can't," my friend said. "Look at the clouds. A storm is coming." I looked up and saw big gray storm clouds coming from the west. A minute later it was down pouring. It rained and rained for what seemed like forever.

Then the rain stopped, the sky cleared and there was a beautiful rainbow. We ran into the water and swam until it was time to go home.

Sports on 05/14/2019

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