Oh! The Places You'll GLOW: Team Building Day

Team Building Day is by far one of the most fun days at Camp GLOW. Modeled after the Olympics, a series of games and physical challenges are meant to teach campers about teamwork, trust and communication. It’s particularly important to achieve these goals early on, so that campers feel comfortable with their teammates when the time comes to explore and discuss more sensitive subjects, like HIV/AIDS and sexuality later in the week.

This year’s PCV team did an amazing job organizing the events, and even added a few new games to the usual line up. (Not to mention the fact that Ryan came dressed in a Greek toga, carrying a real Olympic torch. I’m pretty sure that campers thought he was dressed as Jesus. But I think that just made it twice as funny for us.)


After breakfast, campers raced around the school grounds, following Ryan (and his torch) to the opening ceremonies.


We were all surprised that nothing caught on fire during opening ceremonies.


Team cheers before the big events! It doesn't take long for teams to get in the spirit.


Water Balloon Volleyball was a huge hit. In this game, communication is as important as coordination.


Teams used a bed sheet to catch and throw the water balloons. We used old bed frames to hold up the net.


Campers learned to trust their teammates during the blindfolded obstacle course. At the end of the week, we asked them to do a similar blindfolded obstacle course on their own.


Trust falls always began the same way: with nervousness and hesitation.


But they always ended the same way, too: BIG SMILES!


The 4x4 Relay (although I'm pretty sure these were 2x6s)


This makes a three-legged race look easy.


I was in charge of Crocodile Crossing--Probably my favorite problem-solving game


I also helped out with the Human Knot game.


My adopted Camp GLOW team.


The Puzzle Race was especially challenging because some kids (mostly those from villages) had never seen a puzzle before and weren't sure what to do.


There weren't any gold, silver or bronze medals at the awards ceremony--but there were Certificates of Awesomeness and candy bars for the top-scoring teams.


Some of our amazing facilitators: Janne and Romanius


Johnson and Christina


Rosey and Peter


Our big day was topped off by a special performance by Bullet, a Kwaito dance team from Opuwo. They showed the kids what they can accomplish by working together.


Kauruia's face sums up how all of the campers felt at the end of the day: AWESOME