The Journey To Keeper
As we’ve talked about in previous blogs, each activity at camp has a progression system. The progressions have five levels: Scout, Explorer, Challenger, Ranger, and Warrior. If a boy progresses to the highest level (Warrior) in at least three different activities and consistently demonstrates that he lives by the FCC Code, he has the chance to become a Journeyman. During Main Camp, Journeymen can attempt to earn the coveted status of Keeper of the Flame, the highest rank attainable at Falling Creek.
Only a handful have ever achieved the Keeper of the Flame status, but there are several Journeymen this summer who are eager for the chance to join them.
They will have to complete a Journey that includes building and tending a campfire; venturing out on an overnight solo experience; composing an essay about one’s time at Falling Creek, detailing how to share your light with others; cutting and splitting wood to be used at future Sunday night campfires; and completing an orienteering challenge. This year’s Journeymen have been preparing all session, since their Journey will take place on a surprise evening sometime towards the end of Main Camp.
Jack C. from Raleigh, NC is a Journeyman who earned his Warrior in Swimming, Outdoor Skills Certified (OSC), and Pottery. I asked Jack which of the three activities had been hardest for him to achieve Warrior.
“Swimming!” interjected his brother James, who was sitting nearby. James and Jack laughed about how hard the 2-mile swim had been for Jack, but despite this, Jack said that OSC had the hardest progression requirements to achieve Warrior.
“I was the only one to achieve Warrior in that activity for 3 years. I had to start a fire with a rope and friction!”
Jack is hoping that firebuilding knowledge will give him an edge in the upcoming Journey, but what intimidates him most is the orienteering portion. The Journeymen will be given a map and compass with coordinates to several different checkpoints hidden around camp’s 900 acres. They can choose to reach the checkpoints in any order, but will only have 3 hours to find them all. With some spots being miles apart, they’ll have to be efficient and strategic in getting to each checkpoint.
“Berkley, Andrew, and I have been practicing our orienteering skills,” said Jack. Journeymen can attempt the Journey again each summer as long as they are still camper age. “If I don’t get it this time, I still have two more chances. I’ll be able to take anything I learn and can build on it in the future.”
Jack still has a couple of years left as a camper, but other Journeymen are in their final camper year as Men of STEEL, so this will be their last chance to become Keepers of the Flame. This is the case for Wade M., from Charlotte, NC, who earned his third Warrior this session. He is now a Warrior in Blacksmithing, Disc Golf, and Climbing Wall.
Blacksmithing was his first Warrior, is his favorite activity, and was the hardest activity for him to achieve Warrior in.
“I had to complete a ‘drop the tongs’ forge weld to earn Warrior,” said Wade, describing an advanced blacksmithing technique where you bring two red hot pieces of iron out of the fire, quickly drop your tongs, and immediately grab a hammer to set the weld before anything cools too much.
Wade only recently became a Journeyman last week when he reached Warrior at the Climbing Wall. “I just decided this year to try it since it’s my last year as a camper. If I don’t get it, of course I’ll be disappointed, but at least I tried my best.” Like Jack, orienteering is the part he’s most concerned about.
The mentor he chose, counselor Jacob Breed, knows he has what it takes. “I think he’ll be able to reason through most things and try his best.” Both Jacob and Wade have a calm, steady demeanor about them, which will no doubt help Wade keep a level head during the challenging parts of the Journey.
Each Journeyman chooses a staff mentor to help them prepare for the Journey. Berkley W. from Greensboro, NC, chose Asst. Program and Staff Director, Johnny Ervin, better known around camp as “Beans.”
Johnny is a former camper himself, and has been through the Journey during his STEEL year. He believes Berkley will reach Keeper of the Flame this year.
“Berkley is driven. He knows what to expect now, and he’s learned from his attempt last year.”
Last year, Berkley wasn’t able to get his fire lit with the allotted matches, so he was unable to move past the first portion of the Journey. Ironically, the same was true for Johnny (Beans) when he attempted his own Journey.
Now, Johnny and Berkley go to the Campfire area during free choice times and practice firebuilding along with a couple of other Journeymen.
Though Johnny was disappointed that he couldn’t complete his own Journey and earn “Keeper of the Flame” as a camper, he hopes that the current Journeymen realize there is more to it than just achieving that title or not. “I hope they have the understanding that the title Keeper of the Flame isn’t their value as a human. The hard work is the value, and the relationships they build during this Journey are the most important part.”
The thing Johnny most hopes that the Journeymen realize is that this is a team activity. Though becoming a Journeyman is an individual pursuit, they aren’t competing against each other. The success of one doesn’t negatively impact the other, and the tips or skills that they gain could actually help each other instead. Johnny encouraged them all to practice together and share what they learn as they prepare for the Journey.
We would love to see all the Journeymen achieve Keeper of the Flame, but it is a challenging set of tasks, and unlikely that everyone will complete all parts of the Journey. However, the challenge and potential for failure is part of the experience.
“Failure is inevitable in life,” said Johnny. “I can’t think of a better place to get exposure to failure than here at camp, where you are surrounded by a support network and in a place you love.”
Failure can be a loaded term, especially if you tie the concept of failure to your identity in a negative way. However, at camp we try to celebrate failure. Boys may “fail” several times in their pursuit of an activity progression or goal. Though it can be frustrating to continue trying to run a certain rapid, bike up a technical trail without stopping, throw a perfect pot on the wheel, shoot a bullseye, or achieve Keeper of the Flame, boys learn something new with each attempt. It’s also what makes the eventual accomplishment that much more rewarding.
It is exciting to think that by the end of this session, we might have a new Keeper of the Flame (or multiple!). At the same time, we hope that if the boys don’t achieve what they are hoping for, whether in this Journey or in other endeavors, they will be able to see the benefits of failure on their path to success.
As Johnny said, “the relationships are the most important part. No matter the outcome of the Journey, they can find success in each other.”