Camp Oak Hallows
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The Story of Camp Oak Hallows
For the Nerds!
It was just supposed to be a theme camp. A few weeks of summer in an American Hogwarts.
Then, it happened.
November 8, 2016, the election of the 45th POTUS, whom in his first few months of presidency had backtracked significant amounts of progress made in the world of public education since desegregation, including appointing a Secretary of Education who does not believe in public education. This anti-PE administration has made campus a desperate place to be for students outside of the idealistic "cookie-cutter" mold of education perfection.
Camp Oak Hallows quickly became so much more than just a place to nerd out and maybe knock out some un-fun credits during Summer break. COH and the Muggle Borns team is now fighting for the rights to a Fair and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for even non-Potterheads.
All politics and personal biases aside, every student deserves an education experience that is catering to their needs as human beings going through some of the most psychologically and physically taxing years of their lives. The average American campus is not always the place to find the care and assistance these students need. Disregarding all fandom alignment and nerdy preferences, COH is a haven of acceptance and progress in all directions. It is necessary to remember that the mental, emotional, and physical health of students is as if not more important than their homework. Overall educational success relies on having a healthy body around to make the grade, and a perfect final report card is useless if the mental health of a student declines so much they don't live long past the print date. The Hallows administrative team recognizes this and is working to create an environment of all-encompassing health and safety.
BLOG UPDATE
In light of Texas SB6 and US HR 610, and the threat of their effectiveness by Sept 1, 2017, we are officially taking a state of privacy, and recategorizing as an Alternative Education Center, or "homeschool." Education is our top priority, and we’re fighting this alongside every parent, family, friend, and student, from the ground, up. We appreciate all of the love and support of our team members and families. We can still #MakeEducationAccessibleAgain, but it’s going to be a much longer and harder road. Please contact us with any questions you have about what this means for students who will be among the first to experience our program, or any way we can help you.
This is not the end of COH, this is the beginning of a revolution.
Support Camp Oak Hallows on YouCaring, and with the purchase of gear and merchandise designed by Virginia Gaffney.
Bringing the dream to life
Mastermind graphic designers set outlines of Texas's ecoregions over a light pollution map of Texas, and squinted. The only places left in the state were hillcountry and grassland regions only a mother could love. But with resilient encouragement, she looked up available property in her target region, praying for a miracle.
Hunt County seemed to have an answer with a one-acre lakefront property perfect for a small cabin village and a Main House for program activities. Small and intimate, it could serve as a school of nerdism.
Or Brown County, 57 acres and plenty of greenspace to explore and design.
Even Henderson County, with a 70-30 trees-pasture lot of 30 acres. The hunt for the perfect campground and homestead continues, and likely will until funds are reached with YouCaring.
But we can't just get a plot of land in the middle of nowhere and expect kids to rough it just because they get to make wands and drink pumpkin juice.
The team sketched out wants and needs for the grounds and housing, agreeing that log cabins would be best suited.
The Muggle Borns will have permanent residence on the property, so there will be a main house.
But a main house to share, or a surrounding village of group cabins, housing a handful or a dozen campers and staff each?
A Master House of living quarts keeps campers of similar ages close and secure, and in a stable environment with access to toilets and showers at all hours. Also, air conditioning.
However, a village of cottages encourages strong team bonding of campers with like-interests and responsibility opportunities to manage their own time, and keep their own space clean. A home that will be cared for, because they will love it.
Alternatively, small individual group houses may fall into disarray very quickly, making camper stays unpleasant. Polling and planning will continue to happen into 2017 and 2018 while funds are being gathered to ensure maximum efficiency and quality of development of Camp Oak Hallows.
Camp activity plans take shape when the minds are idle. While daydreaming about all that Oak Hallows can be and can offer. The possibility of offering public school supplement course credits intrigues the team. Platforms like Edgenuity E2020 and K12 make online and out-of-class learning possible, as well as sites like Shmoop that believe in accessible education for all.. Virginia has experience with alternative education, dealing with chronic illness that keeps her off-campus most days. Further spiraling, offering support for fellow Chronic Illness "spoonies" sufferers would be therapeutic for all parties.
The Mean Time
Waiting for funding to turn up is a tedious game. The question has been asked on the World Stage, "How much of a nerd are you?" But answers are slow-coming, few and far between.
To keep faith and enthusiasm, The Muggle Borns detail day-to-day scheduling concepts for campers.
This includes rise and bed times, meals, group and individual hours, Shower Hour, and activities all along the way.
I did my waiting!
Twelve years of it!
A Day at Camp Oak Hallows (EXAMPLE)
8am Wake-up Call
9am Breakfast Hour
10a First Session
11a Second Session
12p Lunch Hour
1pm Third Session
2pm Open Swim and snack
4pm Fourth Session
5pm Dinner Hour and free time
8pm Shower Hour
9pm Flashlight Time
11p Lights Out
Example Session Activities
Request more info with the "Contact us!" form
Beginner Potions
Advanced Potions
Advanced Potions + HS Chemistry Part B
Magical Creatures and Beasts
Advanced CAB + HS Biology Part B
Advanced CAB + Human Physiology
Stars and Constellations
Advanced Astronomy + HS Astronomy
Beginner Spells and Charms
Advanced Spells and Charms + HS Latin
Wand Making
Candle Making
Creative Writing - Fiction (Credit potential)
Creative Writing - Poetry (Credit potential)
Advanced Writing (Credit potential)
Classical Literature (Credit potential)
Intro Photography (Credit potential)
Virginia Gaffney
Cole Cano
Kai Meador
Every course we intend to offer is guided by online education guidelines and quality requirements.
Before signing up for a credit-earning session, confirm with your district that they will accept the credits.
Every site and provider we use is a public source that meets State of Texas requirements for enrollment and credit.
In the event that credit is not completed before the end of the session, students will have access to materials to complete their courses and earn their transcript note.