Blue Lake Elementary Summer Camp Program
During the Summer of 2024, NACTEP Youth Program Services Coordinator Lisa K. Hoffman continued her working partnership with Blue Lake Elementary Summer Camp Program.
The activity for the day was salt water etching, using 9-volt batteries, alligator clips and a salt water solution. The process itself is oxidation, and prior to the activity Lisa asked the students as to their best guesses what it may mean. “Like when a penny turns green from the rain?” was a common response and it made it easier to understand and visualize. Rather than having the instructions printed, students were encouraged to hypothesize the process. At first, they were reticent and were afraid to come up “with the wrong answer.” The more students had volunteered their guesses, it encouraged others to share their ideas. Providing an environment that encourages open-ended responses eases an unfamiliar task, bolsters confidence and creates beautiful results. The Blue Lake Rancheria Tribal Education Agency is grateful for their friends and partners at Blue Lake Elementary who convey the spirit of Unity, Community and Kinship.
