Journeymen & Keepers of the Flame

When a camper progresses through these activity levels, collecting Waypoints and achieving Warrior in activities, he has the chance to become a Journeyman.

A Journeyman is a camper who has attained Warrior, the highest level of a program, in at least three different activities and consistently demonstrates that he lives by the FCC Code. Journeymen are eligible to take part in a “Journey” at the end of the session. Once a camper is designated as a Journeymen, he is presented to the camp community at Campfire, and chooses a staff member to be his mentor, helping him prepare for the Journey. If they successfully complete this Journey, they earn the rank of Keeper of the Flame, the highest rank attainable at Falling Creek.

The Journey consists of several unique parts, combining skills and drawing from experiences that campers earn during their time at Falling Creek. This 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.

When the Journeyman successfully completes the journey, he earns the rank of Keeper of the Flame! If he is unable to fully complete the requirements, he remains a Journeyman and is eligible to try again in a future summer.

You can read more about this experience in these blog posts.