JP @ WVA

Last week, JP was at Worldview Academy.  He really enjoys the classes there and fun activities are great too.  During the week, we have access to the photos they put up on the website so I do a daily stalking looking for my kid!

During free time on Monday….

(He gets his pool finesse from his mom and his grandmother (R)!  Who’d have thought????  Even tho he is left-handed, shooting pool right-handed….)

Receiving instructions before the street ministry time….

(Different day; different blue shirt.  I’m sure of it.  He only packed blue shirts with the hopes of being on the blue team again and being in the team spirit.  Yes, they put him on the blue team.  I couldn’t believe it!! 🙂  However, this year there weren’t as many team contest activities.  *sigh*  And the red team won the final team day tally.)

We picked him up after the closing session on Friday and I could get some photos then.

With Adam, his small group leader —

This boy shares a first name with JP and they were both there last year as well…..

We had lunch at Fridays as JP remembered they have very good slushies with free refills!  Home about 4 and Nina was so glad JP was home again!

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Last Week – WVA

Last Sunday (Father’s Day), we took JP to Worldview Academy.  There is one about 2 1/2 hrs from us.  K met us about 1/2 hr before we got to the university.  We left her car in a large store parking lot and got some extra time with her.

Phil & the kids

The staff at WVA is super and the college-aged staff met us as we drove into the parking lot with lots of enthusiasm!   Here they got us on the video driving into the lot.    🙂

They met us at the door of the truck and carried JP’s suitcase & sleeping bag to his room. Another staffer walked us inside for registration.  Once he had his room key, we headed upstairs (he was 3rd floor) and there were his things waiting outside the door.  His roommate hadn’t arrived yet.  We visited with another staffer and then headed back outside.

He was really ready for us to head out and K had shopping plans, so we left.  JP said his roommate arrived about 15 mins later.  They hit it off well and had a great week!  Tho he said not much time to chit-chat.

They had 9 guys about all the same age in their small group for the week with Caleb as their leader.

But we learned this all later.  We could email JP while at camp and the letters were printed out for the students.  They weren’t able to reply.  I think they were too busy to write anyway!

We headed back to the shopping area and looked in 3 stores for K’s wish list.  The few we found were too expensive so we went for supper.  After supper, we were back to K’s car and Phil gave it a listen so K would know what to tell the mechanics about the sound the fan makes.  (All is well with the car.)

We got home just before 9 p.m.

Early Friday morning, we returned to the WVA site.  We were there in enough time to sit in on about 1/2 hour of their last class.  While the students then met in small groups, they spoke to the parents a bit too.  The students came back in and they had a 20 min closing program with a DVD of the week in review and some time of worship.

Camp Director, Mike Tiland

Finally, then we could find JP.

We got some DVDs from the curriculum table and pre-registered him for next year.  He found Caleb and we got to meet him.  (pix above)

The staff we spoke with on Sunday said there were about 120 students and 90% of them are homeschooled.  A great group of kids and terrific leadership/mentors for them!!

They had about 25 hours of classes and JP loved it all!  The teachings are mainly on apologetics, but also leadership, servanthood, worldview.   One afternoon they went to a nearby town for street evangelism.  JP’s second ride on a school bus, the first being last year at WVA.   🙂

Most afternoons they had optional sports games but also had team events during the week.  JP was thrilled his team won over the 4 teams.

These are such great camps — we highly recommend them.  And the next time you see him, ask JP about some of the classes or his time there.

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WVA Report

JP’s week at Worldview Academy was wonderful!!! 🙂

We arrived at Trinity University Friday morning about 11 to pick him up.   We could have joined in class starting at 9, but the drive and the chores and the need for beauty sleep (Phil got it!) and all.   😉  So we left here at 8:34.  (late by 4 mins)

So once at TU and greeted by the still enthusiastic staff, we walked across the nicely wooded campus to the chapel.  There we could get in the last 15 mins of their last class… something along the Top 10 List of Life.   It was good!

We finally found JP sitting in front of us…up many rows.  🙂

The students were dismissed to meet with their small group and since so many parents were there, the students were encouraged to wave and keep going.   Finally, once we said something, JP saw us as he walked by and came to give me a hug.  🙂  We chatted about 1 min and they were reminded to just wave.  I’m sure he wasn’t the only one who had found his parents.  🙂

The students came back in the chapel about 10 mins later.  They had received their WVA certificates and camp photo and we had received some parental information.

As part of the closing, we sang 2 worship songs and saw a DVD as an overview of the week.  Once all was finished, JP easily found us again.  We talked a few minutes and he had had a great time.   He quickly was ready to come back next year if he wasn’t taking classes, but we all agreed this was better than a college class.

We were able to preregister him and get a good discount on next year’s camp.  The locations change every year so we hope it will still be in the Chicagoland area.

At church he told a friend that after 26 hours of classes, he still wanted more.  Some of the speakers had to hurry they had so much to teach and so he would have loved to hear more.

We walked back to the car and JP’s suitcase and sleeping bag had been loaded in by the staff after we parked.

On the way home we asked about other homeschoolers being there.  He said only the small group leader in his small group of 8 students had NOT ever been homeschooled.  He said about 90% of the camp was homeschooled or had been at some point.  How super to be the majority for once!  🙂

JP’s roommate was there for the 4th time and his brother was there for the 5th time.   They traveled from FL for this week.   They like trying different areas.  🙂

We had a good trip home and enjoyed his stories and experiences.   What a super week of training and he continues to share it with us.

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A Week of Empty Nest

Added another pix on Thursday…

On Sunday, we took JP to a week of Worldview Academy.  Like camp but at a college campus.   Not rustic… thank goodness they have air conditioned buildings!  🙂  (We have heat indexes of 105 – 110′ F this week.)

On Sunday once we arrived and had JP moved in to his room.

He isn’t allowed to email us and he can call but would have to ask the director to use his phone so we doubt that will happen.   So we’ve heard nothing.

But WVA has a website of weekly pictures for the parents.   Finally today they have some pictures up and I found him!  🙂

And then I’m guessing this could be his small group….

So we continue to pray he is having the “best week of his life” and growing and learning so much!  We can’t wait to hear his report!

I found him in a group shot today (Thursday).

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