Gone Camping

A giant bear greeted the PreK-4 students as they returned from the Mardi Gras holiday. Expressions of shock and excitement filled the air as they explored their new dramatic play area, a tent, strung with lights and a warning, “Please do not feed the bears.” For the next three weeks, students would embark on their “Gone Camping” project where students explored  the great outdoors through dramatic play, guest speakers, food and fun.

Throughout the project, guest experts visited the class. Bob Pace taught students about campfire safety and demonstrated how to start a campfire using various methods.  Nurse Stacy Dampf, mother to David Dampf ('31), gave the students instruction in basic First Aid and the students made a personal First Aid necklace.

In addition, the class constructed working flashlight headlamps using LED lights, attended a Teddy Bear Picnic, went “backpacking” on the Coach Duplechain trail and cooked up some tasty S'mores. The Class of 2031 is ready to take on the wild!

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Julie Mendes

Julie Mendes, a 2001 graduate of Episcopal, returned to teach Pre-K4 at her alma mater in 2012. She received both her undergraduate degree and MEd in elementary education at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. After teaching second grade in a Dual Language program in Texas public schools for three years, Julie moved abroad to teach first grade at a bilingual school in Gracias, Lempira Honduras. Julie enjoys teaching alongside some of her former teachers and seeing what life is like on the other side of the desk.