OKLAHOMA—A fleet of vehicles kicked up clouds of dust as they rumbled down a dirt road toward a campsite near Chandler, Oklahoma, on February 26. Inside the vans were 65 Herbert W. Armstrong College students who soon filled the place with the thud of basketballs, the plink of ping pong balls, the crackle of a campfire, the din of meal preparation. From February 26 through March 2, students, faculty and staff held the annual spring midterm campout, a tradition since 2002, at the Jacob’s Ladder campsite (which had a mess hall, sports facilities, cabins and firepits), going on walks, eating meals together, singing songs around the fire, shooting hoops, cycling through games of nine-square, studying, reading and resting.

Before departing on Wednesday, they had brunch together at the John Amos Field House on campus while they discussed how to make the campout productive. Assistant dean of students Brad Macdonald encouraged students to set goals, to structure their time, read and deepen their relationships with fellow students. They then packed the trailer, sang a hymn under the awning and made the 40-mile drive to the site. Approaching the campsite for the third time in three years, they noticed that the dirt roadways were now covered by gravel. By the end of the campout, these new roads were well-trodden with the feet of students walking and running, building friendships and endurance.

Freshman Kayley Morris said one of her campout goals was to get to know more students and faculty, go on walks with them or “just have a nice chat.” She said she was able to do this with several people, which helped her branch out of her comfort zone.

That afternoon, they settled into the cabins and explored, taking in the warm sunshine which reappeared every day of the campout. The nine-square set was put to immediate use. Six students began a game of Axis and Allies, which continued through the duration of the campout. That evening, freshmen Isaac Macdonald and his cousin Lara Macdonald led a dance on the faded green and gray grated basketball court. It included a progressive cha-cha, familiar line dances and other games that got those on and off the dance floor heartily laughing. Even the dogs joined in as they tumbled with each other around the dance floor.

On Thursday afternoon, student body president Jude Flurry lined up freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors and staff along the basketball court, dividing them into eight groups. Each group made a music video, to be displayed that evening along with a movie. For the next few hours, they brainstormed, acted, recorded and edited, constructing their videos to generate as much amusement as possible. Watching their creations that evening, they filled the room with roaring laughter. Some of them contained references to videos from the previous year’s campout, such as when Daniel Belden hurled himself through the air like a wrecking ball (recreated this year by a kitchen staff member). Movie night continued with a film based on a true story of a Mexican-American astronaut. They later meandered back to their cabins, looking up at a cloudless, rich black sky with brilliant stars and constellations.

Sophomore Jeremy Santiago-Braga said he was impressed at how well everyone worked together on the music videos even though they were “vastly different” people. “When one person came up with an idea, we all jumped right at it and made it happen,” he said.

The students spent Friday playing volleyball, basketball, soccer and football. Some went on long runs in preparation for an upcoming marathon. Their faces showed more color, some perhaps too much color, from being in the sun all day. The light began to fade and they prepared for the Sabbath. After sunset, some stood outside to catch a glimpse of the planetary parade (seven planets were in alignment). Dean of students Stephen Flurry gave a Bible study encouraging students to follow Christ’s command in Matthew 18 to “become as little children.”

On Sabbath morning, pairs and groups of students were seen all over the campsite going on walks. Right before brunch, they gathered around a dock on a small pond where sophomore Stephen Drake stood with Mr. Flurry and Mr. Macdonald. They baptized him, and the students congratulated him before heading back to the mess hall. The young children were sent through the food line first in recognition of the study the night before. After services, fellowship, snacks and more walks, they gathered back at the hall for an improvisation and entertainment night, MC’d by junior Ezekiel Malone. Before going to bed, they sat one last time around the campfire.

Morris said she loved going to the campfire each night and even made her first s’more. She said some of the best conversations she had with people were around the campfire.

Student body president Jude Flurry said one of his favorite parts of the campout was watching people develop their personalities, as several activities presented an opportunity to express humor and personality in a group setting. “We had several quieter people who really came out of their shell,” he said.

Junior Ava Hufft said it made her happy to watch a lot of the freshmen and sophomores come out of their shells, seeing most of them perform at the entertainment night.

The next morning they packed up the camp, aiming to leave it better than they found it. The process went without incident, barring when the trailer got stuck going down a hill and it took maneuvering, fenagling and the combined strength of every male student to free it. Crisis averted, the fleet pulled one by one out of the camp site to return home.