Have you ever had a sleepover with a friend and wanted so desperately to stay another night? That’s what I wanted to do when I was at Warren Ranch with my Texas Brigades herd. But not to worry, with Texas Brigades you still get five days to hangout with your friends to learn about plants, animals, and conservation. With Texas Brigades you get hands-on experience and activities you can’t find anywhere else.
This summer I was a cadet with the 17th Battalion North Texas Buckskin Brigade. I was the first person in my herd to arrive for camp. I immediately had a rattling moment by walking into the staff/assistant leader orientation. I am still embarrassed about doing that to this day. Soon my assistant leader came out and more cadets started to show up. Out of four herds we were the only girl herd. We knew what had to be done. The competition had already started. We had to win and be better than all the boys. So we worked very hard during camp. Our herd came in second place. We most definitely lived up to our herd name, Does Before Bros.
My favorite activity was going out in the field at the ranch. Being a fan of hiking, it was honestly great to get out and run into cacti that you didn’t see because you were talking and practicing marching with your fellow cadets. We had a shooting competition with a bolt-action 22 as well as archery. Another favorite activity we participated in was the deer anatomy class. They brought in a helicopter to show us how they are used in wildlife management which was very exciting to see in action. When it gets late and you’re working on homework, you get ice cream, sodas, candy, and music. Bunkmates are fun and you get an unforgettable experience. I absolutely loved camp and I plan on going back next year. I want to be an assistant leader at North Texas Buckskin Brigade and attend another new camp as a cadet. I can’t explain how much I loved it.
If you’re 13 – 17 years old, you should really try out Texas Brigades. Enrollment opens November 1st.
Visit http://www.texasbridgades.org to find out more about the camps they offer. I hope to see you at one of the camps in the summer!
Emily Cunningham 