Another Summer Come and Gone!

As we wrap up our program today, we reminisce on all the great memories we made over the last month. From the Amazing Rotary Summer Literacy Race, to Dreams Come True and Hero Up, all the way to Camp Rocks, we have been on a wild and crazy journey together this summer. 

When we celebrate our journey this afternoon at Final Jam (beginning at 1:00PM in the Cathy Wever Gym incase you're interested in attending), we will be sad to say goodbye to our campers for another year. 

As always though, there is a silver-lining. A lot of hard work and preparation goes into programming four fantastic weeks of camp, and we are so incredibly happy our efforts have brought smiles and laughter to so many faces this July. So, although we say goodbye today we say good luck and see you soon as well! 

We wish all our campers a fun and safe last month of summer and good luck at school in the fall. We hope to see each of you again back at Rotary Summer Literacy! 

RSL Authors of the Day!

Check out Kyla's awesome story she compiled this morning during Reflect, Relate, Retell. 

One day Mr. Blunsdon was walking through Cathy Wever when the door to the gym swung open... standing in the door way was Batman. He walked into the gym and said, "Mr. Blunsdon you're coming with me." Like anybody who saw Batman he said, "I'm your biggest fan." Batman responded, "Cut the chit chat, let's go... oh, and drink this potion!" Instantly, he turned into Robin. Mr. Blunsdon was so surprised he screamed like a little girl because of how excited he was. Batman sat in his bat-mobile and Mr. Blunsdon just stood there. "Are you coming?" asked Batman. Mr. Blunsdon jumped into the bat-mobile.

All of a sudden, Batman saw the Batman sign in the air. Someone was in need of assistance. So, they went and helped the poor old lady get her kitty named Dori from the top of the Eiffel Tower. "That was so cool," yelled Mr. Blunsdon, "I can't believe I get to be Robin forever." "Hold on," said Batman, "the potion will rub off by dawn." So, of course, Mr. Blunsdon was upset because he wanted to be Robin. But, he was still over joyed that he got to be Robin for the rest of the night.

It was almost morning. That meant he'd turn back to Mr. Blunsdon! Batman turned right and headed to Cathy Wever. Mr. Blunsdon got out of the bat-mobile and turned back into himself. "I'll never forget this night," said Mr. Blunsdon. "I'll never forget you either," replied Batman, and never did they ever forget one another. The End.

RSL Authors of the Day!

There once was a boy named Bruno. He loved soccer. He plays soccer with his friends all the time, until today, because it rained without stopping all month long. One day, Bruno found a beautiful turquoise rock and he said I wish I was turquoise. Suddenly, everyone was turquoise. Bruno was super scared. Then, a little fairy came and said, "Bruno, if you want to get out and go back to your normal life you have to do three things: 1) run to a sign that says dig and grab the shovel and dig until you see a button 2) press the button 3) get sucked up by an air tube and you'll see a king. Give the turquoise stone to him and you'll return to your normal life. This will take you one whole day. Bruno listened and it took one whole day. Then, he gave the stone to the kind and everything turned back to normal. The End. -Nathanael 

Last week we HERO'D UP! Now it's time to see what some local heroes had to say about their daily routines and duties!

Last week's theme was HERO UP! In keeping with the theme many of our senior campers were given the opportunity to ask some local heroes a few questions. Here are the answers they received... 

Police Sergeant - D. 
1. How long have you been on the force? 9 years.
2. What is your favourite area to patrol? Anywhere people are having fun outside!
3. Does your squad ever use police dogs? Yes, we have four K-9 officers.
4. What protocol do you follow when you arrest someone? Their rights to counsel are read, contact lawyer, handcuffed, searched and taken to custody.
5. What tools do you use to keep us safe when you are on patrol? Patrol car, firearm, taser, baton, pepper spray, but most importantly my verbal communication skills.
6. How does the siren on your police car work? I have a special button in to press when I need the siren on.
7. Are you ever scared or nervous when you're on patrol? I'm always on alert!
8. Do you eat donuts like they show on TV? I enjoy a good Danish!
9. What made you decide to become a police officer, and how did you go about pursuing your dream? I had family members as officers. I wanted to do this my whole life. I stayed in school, had the right kinds of friends, and stayed out of trouble. I took Police Foundations at Mohawk College as well.
10. What is your favourite part of your job? Seeing the bad guys in jail and getting involved in the community.

Fire Chief - S. 
1. What tools help you to survive while fighting a fire? The tools that we use to survive when fighting a fire include an axe, ladder and a hose.
2. How long is the longest fire hose you use? The longest hose we use is 45m long.
3. How heavy is your fire fighting suit? A full fire fighting suit weighs 65 kg (130 lbs). This can be very heavy and make you feel very hot.
4. What is the scariest moment for you when you are fighting a fire? The scariest moment for me when fighting a fire is when the smoke becomes so thick and black that you cannot see anything, not even your own hands.
5. What do you do to stay in shape? To stay in shape we lift weights, and run up and down the escarpment stairs.
6. Do you actually slide down a fire pole when the alarm sounds in the station? Yes, we do slide down fire poles when the alarm sounds to make sure we get to the truck as fast as we can!
7. Have you ever been trapped in a fire? I have never been trapped in a fire personally, but it has happened many times to other fire fighters and luckily we are able to rescue them quickly.
8. How many minutes does it take for the firetruck to respond to a call? In the city of Hamilton, it takes approximately 4 minutes for a firetruck to respond to a call.
9. How many fires occur in Hamilton per week (on average)? On average, about 200 fires per week! This includes smaller fires such as gas fires/bins. 15-20 buildings/homes catch fire per week.

Royal Canadian Airforce Pilot - Andrea 

1. Do you get dizzy when you spin in the air? Sometimes. Especially when we do what's called a spin: you lower the power so low the plane can't fly any more and then you kick one foot on a rudder pedal (rudders make you point the aircraft left or right) and all of this makes the plane spin down towards the ground and you can get very dizzy. Don't worry though, pilots practice this all the time so they learn how to safely recover.
2. What kind of plane do you fly? A Harvard-II turbo prop. It has a propeller on the front of the plane and is driven by a turbo jet engine.
3. Are you scared of heights? Were you ever? Sure I am! A lot of pilots are, actually. Isn't that funny?
4. How did you go about joining the airforce? When I was in high school I went to the local recruiting centre you go to if you want to join the military. I asked a lot of questions to make sure I knew what I was getting myself into. When I decided I wanted to join the airforce, to become a pilot, I told them and they started the process.
5. Does anyone fly the plane with you? Sometimes I fly with an instructor pilot who shows me how to do new things and be an even better pilot. Sometimes I fly with a student, where I show him/her how to fly and be a better pilot. Sometimes, I fly by myself and practice all the different ways to fly.
6. Who are you related to at RSL? Amy MacDonald - she is my awesome cousin!
7. Was it difficult to advance in your career as a female pilot? Did you face any gender/stereotype related struggles? Yes, at times. But, they came later in my career. In military university and in pilot training - all of which took 7 years - I never ran into any difficulties. After I finished the bulk of my training, and was flying on an operational squadron, there were two sets of people who had a problem with me. 1) Older army guys. They guys were pretty hardcore, and nothing scared the,. They thought some women would give up easily when things got tough. Once they learned that I wasn't like that, they soon came to respect me, and my position. 2) Men who thought I shouldn't have gotten the position I received just because of my gender.
8. Have you ever feared for you life while flying? I have never feared for my life but I have had my cage rattled a few times!

McMaster University Professor - Q. 

1. Have you ever helped someone? I think people help each other more than we realize, and sometimes when we don’t even know it. There’s lots of little things that we do, like help our neighbours by shoveling their sidewalk, or bringing flowers to the dentist office to thank them for being so nice and helpful themselves, or help my kids with their homework or with projects. I often help my students with their work—I’m really good at asking questions so that students can figure out how to accomplish their goals, sort of like an academic coach. In addition, I try to provide a space where students can feel safe talking to me if they have more important problems that they need help with. I listen well, and help find others who can help with their specific issues—sometimes health care workers or social workers. One bigger thing I’ve helped with is that my mom had cancer and I moved to her city so I could go to appointments with her and help around the house (she is doing well now!).

2. How do you prepare for the trips you take? What do you pack? I am someone who wavers between extreme organization and total chaos. So my packing looks like this: I research the location, buy maps (yes—the paper kind!), learn some words in the local language, and pack clothes and gear based on the weather and how much work I will be doing vs what leisure activities I’ll have a chance to do. Then, when I’m actually packing, I can’t decide on what I will actually need or want, so I stuff as much as possible into my suitcase. I then check for important papers several times, to make sure I haven’t forgotten my passport, tickets, and hotel reservation. By the time I get to my destination, I’m exhausted! 

3. What is most of your research about? Most of my recent research is about reality TV. Why is reality TV so popular? How is having more reality TV impacting other types of TV, like documentary and drama? Why do we have 15 international versions of the same program? What makes So You Think You Can Dance Canada or Top Chef Canada “Canadian”? How does gender, race and ethnicity, nationality get presented on reality TV programs? And I’m also interested in broader issues about television: Why is Netflix so popular? Why is Netflix not regulated the same way as cable systems? What will television look like in 10 years?

4. Do you ever get nervous when presenting your research? Yes! I still get nervous presenting my research. Over the years, I have learned how to prepare for presentations and how to calm my nerves, but I still get very nervous beforehand. I have also learned to identify why I get nervous, and how to address specific aspects of being nervous. Part of this is called “anxiety”, and I have struggled with this since I was very young. Talking to a social worker has helped me learn how to handle my anxiety.

5. Have you ever struggled to communicate with the local people throughout your travels? I love learning languages, and in fact, in university, I majored in Russian and studied in Russia for one semester. When travelling, I try to learn a few words and phrases so that I can show respect to people. Recently, I visited Sweden, where “hi” is “hej hej” (pronounced “hey hey”). I liked it so much that I’ve now started greeting people in Swedish! Despite my efforts, I make mistakes, and usually don’t know enough to have real conversations and end up having to use non-verbal language—gestures, pointing, facial expressions—to help communicate. I find that people are really generous when you make an effort to speak an unfamiliar language. When I was in Puerto Rico in May, I accidentally kept speaking in French instead of Spanish! Everyone was cool about it, though, and just

laughed, which made me feel at ease, oui/si? 

6. Do you like ice cream or cookies more? Cookies. Easy. Especially chocolate chip, ginger snap, molasses, lemon poppy seed, snickerdoodle, shortbread, double dutch chocolate, butter cookies with icing, oatmeal raisin, cookies topped with Reece’s peanut butter cup or M&Ms, cinnamon spice, pumpkin cranberry, and thumbprint.

RSL Authors of the Day!

Today one of our young junior friends, Colton, composed these sentences during differentiated writing. Great job Colton! Keep up the great work.

Tomorrow, I'm going to my pool. I will go for a ride on my dad's motorcycle. I will be tired afterwards so I will go to bed.

I'm going to Brampton on the motorcycle tomorrow. When I get home I will play outside.

I went in my pool. My baby cousin was in it. I splashed him, and then my dad came and drove me back home on his motorcycle.

I get to go to the gas station and then to the mall on his motorcycle.

I get to go swimming in my pool today. I am also going to play on my PS3 and I'm getting a new phone - the iPhone 4.

RSL Authors of the Day!

Here are some snippets of writing produced this morning during Reflect, Relate, Retell. The work our campers have been putting in this summer is evident in the increased length and quality of the writing being produced. Enjoy! 

A long time ago, the dinosaurs were destroyed by an asteroid. Until today, under the sea was Aqua man. In the USA, lived Captain America. In Gotham city, was Batman, and in Kansas City was Superman. The superheroes formed a team called The Perfect Four. This is their story. In 1998, while Superman was high in the sky, he saw the forms of mutant dinosaurs. He reported what he saw so Aqua man went to check it out. But, something attacked him from behind while he was checking, and no one could find him. In the meantime, Captain America and Batman were fighting the dinosaurs while Superman looked for Aqua man. But, a creature with kryptonite attacked Superman and he vanished. What will happen next? To be continued... -Nathanael

The Dark Forest 
One day Sumo Mouse was just sitting in his lab waiting for someone to call for help. He waited for four hours for someone to call for help. Then, someone called for help in the dark forest. Sumo Mouse was scared to go into that forest because there were some people who died in there. Also, the plants in that forest came alive. The plants have killed some people that went into the forest too. So, one kid wandered in to the dark forest and fell and hit his head! Sumo Mouse was flying over top of the trees and saw the kid. He swooped down, but when he was going down he got caught on a branch and he ripped his cape. Once his cape ripped, he fell on the kid. The kid woke up and screamed. The kid's scream was so loud that all of the plants came alive, attacking Sumo Mouse and the kid. Sumo Mouse was so lucky to have a laser with him so he used the laser to fight off the plants. But, it was not strong enough to kill the plants so Sumo Mouse and the boy ran and ran and ran and ran. But, they could not find their way out and then Sumo Mouse forgot he could not fly. So, Sumo Mouse had to find a leaf or something strong to cover the rip in his cape. So, they went looking for something and they found a strong leaf. But, there was nothing to stick it to his cape with. Sumo Mouse remembered he had tape for emergencies. So, they taped it and began flying out of the dark forest and Sumo Mouse took the kid to his mom. So, Sumo Mouse and the kid lived happily ever after. The End. -Madison

One time Super Mouse went to Chile for an undercover mission. His mission was to stop the bad guys stealing from the shops. When he got there, he found the place and fought until Super Mouse slapped him in the fave and the bad guys ran away and his mission was done. So, he went home and he ate a snack and when to bed. When he woke up the next morning, he had another mission. It was in Mexico. The bad guys were stealing the king's crown so he ran away with the crown. He got a net and caught the bad guys and Super Mouse gave the crown back to the king. His other mission was done. He had to go to Haiti next to save the day there as well. -Kai 

I think that a team of super villains is better. Here is what I came up with: Catwoman, Cheetah, Poison Ivy, and Harley Quinn. Here's the story of how they met...
One night in Gotham City the Gotham City bank had been refilled with $1,000,000 on the news. Scientist Barbara Ann Minerva was watching on her hotel T.V. She decided to take a break from Washington, D.C. crime and rented a hotel in Gotham City. After hearing the news, she turned into her villainous ego, Cheetah. In her cat form, Cheetah ran towards the bank, her tail flicking about excitedly. To her surprise, three other people were already there. One was dressed as a black cat, another wore a jump-suit made of poison ivy, and the third one wore a black and red jester costume. As Cheetah dashed in, she realized the 3 people were all women! Suddenly, guards came in. The four villains whispered to each other as two men stood guard. "What do we do now?" asked Poison Ivy. "Wait, I have a plan," said Cheetah. After reviewing the plan, the girls spring into action. Cheetah bit into the rope they were tied up in, and it ripped apart, freeing them. Then, they ran from the building. "You rocked, even though we didn't get the money. We made a pretty god team." All the villains agreed. -Alexis

RSL Authors of the Day!

Check out some of the awesome work our campers produced this morning. They traded our councillors for some wild and crazy items... They must have been inspired by the book we read during opening read aloud! 

The Day I Swapped Dee for a Soccer Ball 
Once upon a time, I went to camp and I brought my iPod to see if anyone wanted to trade. I was at camp and I noticed that someone had a soccer ball that was signed by Christiano Ronaldo. So, I tried to trade it for my iPod. That did not work, so, I offered my lunch. That did not work, so, I had a great idea that I could try to trade Dee, my councillor. I did. It worked! I now have a soccer ball signed by Christiano Ronaldo. "YAY!"I yelled. But, then Mr. Blunsdon yelled at me. So, that night I took home the signed soccer ball and the other child who was named Lily took home Dee. But, then I thought her mom will probably be scared or mad at the same time. So, then the next day I brought the soccer ball and asked Lily, "Where is Dee?" She told me that she swapped Dee for an iPhone. Oh no, I thought to myself. I asked, "What is their name?" and she said, "Zoe." So, she showed me her and she had Dee! We traded back our belongings as I kissed the soccer ball goodbye... The End. -Bailie

A Goldfish's Point of View 
Hi, my name is Goldy. I'm a goldfish. Yesterday, I was bought from Petsmart by some random person and brought to this camp called Rotary Summer Literacy. I found out that the man that bought me was called Mr. Blunsdon. When I woke up I heard lots of people talking and I saw lots and lots of kids sitting in groups. Suddenly, everyone ran to the lines in front of Mr. Blunsdon, who took out a nice looking guitar and he started playing his guitar and all the kids started to sing along! There were two people called the Rotarians of the Day singing along too. After, Mr. Blunsdon took out a book and told a story. Today's story was about a goldfish and his owner that traded his dad for lots of different things. Everybody returned to their lines and sat in circles and talked. Then, some music started playing. Everyone stood up and did what Mr. Blunsdon did. They did push-ups, sit-ups, and lots of other exercises! Afterward, they sat down and were given pencils and paper, and Mr. Blunsdon told everyone the activities they could choose to complete. After they were done, Mr. Blunsdon picked a few kids and showed everyone their work. After, they took something from their backpacks and lined up to go outside. I heard that after recess they go upstairs and do work. I felt really lonely. Finally, they came back! Then, it was lunch again and every child was given a cloth. Then, they went outside again. After they came back in, a person named Naomi sang a repeat-after-me song before everyone went to their program option. I thought I would be alone again, but the floorball club started playing in the gym. I watched and watched until program options was over. Then, when everyone came back, they spent about ten minutes working on their cheer. Then, they read a book and sang more songs, then their parents came in and picked up the kids. The next day, I woke up and thought... time for another day of Rotary Summer Literacy!  -Brooke 

A Fish at Camp 
One day, Mr. Blunsdon brought a gold fish to camp and at the end of the day I interviewed him and this is what he told me... The camp is wonderful. I love it here. Mr. Blunsdon sings and reads to everyone at the beginning and end of the day. I like how they do wakeup workout and then start doing writing activities. After, Mr. B walks around and picks kids to show-off their work. Those kids have the best work. Then, I get to watch kids play outside and then they come in to do some more literary activities. Now, this is my favourite part... because lunch is so tasty. After that, they go back outside, then program options occur, and after... to be continued. -Nathanael 

The Day I Swapped Cynthia for the CN Tower 
One day me and Cynthia were walking in Toronto. We took the elevator all the way to the tippy-top of the CN Tower. We got hungry so we decided to get some lunch from McDonald's. We both got chicken nuggets, french fries, and a large pop and McFlurry. After lunch, we talked for a long time. "Hey look," Cynthia pointed out, "there's Nick let's go say Hi." We went over to say hi. It turned out that Nick had been traded for an Xbox 360 from Malakai. That gave me an idea. "Cynthia?" I asked. "Would it be ok if I swapped you for the CN tower?" And boy did she snap. "Are you crazy? You want to trade me for the CN Tower? I thought I was your friend!" Then finally, she calmed down. "I guess it's ok," she said. Then, I went to the manager of the city and asked if I could switch Cynthia for the CN Tower. Of course, I had to tell him all the deeds she does. He said ok. Cynthia couldn't believe her ears. "You're actually going to trade me for the CN tower?" she said. "Yep," I responded. After one week, I missed my friend so I went back to the manager of the city and I asked for my friend back. He said, "Sure," and me and Cynthia agreed to never trade one another for an object ever again, even if it was really, really cool. Friendship is more important than money or fame. The End -Kyla

RSL Authors of the Day!

At Rotary Summer Literacy we love to encourage our campers to be anything they wish to be. We embrace each camper's unique talents and interests, and seek to share those special traits with others. Take a look at Mercedez' work from this morning... talent comes in many forms!

My Talent is Writing 
I like to write stories on a girl named Lily. One time I made her a butterfly then changed her back to a human. Here are some tips on how to be an awesome writer:
1. If you don't know how to spell something as an adult or look in a dictionary.
2. Don't skip lines because if you do you don't get to write a lot.
3. Make sure you can read your work after it's finished - if you can't no one else can.
4. If people say your writing is bad don't erase it, keep it. It's good!
5. Make every story an adventure.

RSL Authors of the Day!

Once upon a time there was a man named Mr. B. He just broke up with D. He was so sad so he cried and cried in his castle. When he saw a girl out the window he took a picture and called the guards to look for her so they did and they came back with her, and her house number and street (42 Brock Road Unit 7).  So, Mr. B went to her house. He fell in love. "Come in," said the girl. "Thank you," said Mr. B. They talked and talked and talked. "What is your name?" she asked. "Mr. B," he responded, "What is your name?" "My name is Naomi."  The next day, Mr. B went back to Naomi's house. They were playing truth or dare and they both picked truth and asked each other the same question... "Who do you have a crush on?" they asked each other. "Want to go out tomorrow?" said Mr. B. "I would love to said Naomi!" The next day they went on their date and they shared their first kiss and began dating. A year later, they got married and has 3 kids: Bob, Kevin and Stuart. They lived happily ever after! The End. -Noella 

One day Sandra the witch and Cleo the mummy were sitting around doing nothing. "I'm bored," said Cleo. "Same!" signed Sandra. All of the sudden, a black cat walked out of the forest. "Hello," she said. "I am fatness. I need your help. An evil wizard named Wart rose turned me into a cat." "I can help!" exclaimed Sandra. "No you can't. No spell can break the curse. Only the endangered flower can help... though I can't find it for I am too small to travel alone." Cleo and Sandra looked to each other and nodded. "At least it is better than sitting around and doing nothing," said Sandra. "Let's go then," said Catness. Later... The 3 friends travelled for 3 days. At night, they camped out in their tent. On the 4th night, they came across a bag. Catness gasped, "We're here!" To be continued... -Sierra

It's a COSTUME PARTY! Come on everybody!

Friday July 17th is COSTUME DAY at Rotary Summer Literacy! Keep checking back for more photos and updates throughout the day... the winners of our costume contest will have biographies published before the end of the day. 

Good luck to all, and enjoy your day! 

It's a CAMP PARTY! Bring a COSTUME everybody!

Friday July 17th is COSTUME DAY at Rotary Summer Literacy. To celebrate the culmination of our Dreams Come True session, we will be hosting the most epic costume party the Wever neighbourhood has ever seen! Dragons, goblins, princes and princesses are welcome! Ogres, witches, and big bad wolves too... 

RSL Authors of the Day!

At Rotary Summer Literacy we always encourage our campers to dream big! We strive to encourage our kids to be anything, and do anything. Angelina does an excellent job describing her dream jobs below... check it out! 

My Dream Jobs
My dream job would be a party planner. This is why... If someone needed a party planned they would call me. They would tell me what they wanted the party to look like and I would do the rest. I would put games and food out. I would put out all the decorations and would get paid. It would be so much fun. If I couldn't be a party planner I would be a designer. I would draw dresses and colour them. I would also be able to say, "That's my design," when I saw someone wearing my outfit. If I still couldn't be that there is one more thing I would be... an artist. I would paint and colour then colour and draw then draw and sketch... then... well... you get the point. No one would tell me what to do. I would do my own art. These are my dream jobs. -Angelina

RSL Authors of the Day!

Check out the creative stories some of our RSL campers composed this morning... 

My Play Date with Elsa, Olaf and the Baby Olafs
Once upon a time, I was lonely because I just moved. But, my mom knew the queen. The next day I was home alone when I heard a knock on the door. "Who is that? Mr. B most likely," I said. So, I got the door. It was Elsa, the queen, with Olaf and Baby Olafs. "Come in, come in," I said. Meanwhile, Mr. B was hiding in the bush very jealous that I had a play date with the queen. First, we watched soul eater.... Elsa, Olaf and baby Olafs all loved it! Then, we made popcorn and watched Frozen. Then, we went in my room and played with my cats and my stuffies. Then, we went on the computer and played Fnaf and Gmod and other games. Suddenly, I heard something. I went to check it was... It was Mr. B. He was crying. He wanted to play too. So, I let him come in. We all had fun, and I lived happily ever after. The End. -Noella

My Monkey is Missing 
Once upon a time I was going to the store and somebody rang the door bell. It was a monkey so I locked the front door and I went to the store. At the store, I bought apples, grapes, and milk. Then, I went home. The monkey got in through the door so I had to find it. I looked everywhere and I couldn't find the monkey. So, I stopped looking for it. I had dinner and I went to bed. I got up the next day and had breakfast then started looking for the monkey again. I looked under my bed... and I found the monkey... dead! I started looking around to figure out what killed him. When suddenly, I realized, someone was in my home when I was at the store... -Ashley 


My Mine Craft Fairytale 

Once upon a time I was at home. I was so bored that I did nothing but sit on the couch and watch TV all day. That day, Steve from Mine Craft came to my house. I was so surprised that I went crazy. But, after Steve arrived, he took me to his world. I rode a pig named Junior there, but when I got on the pig I realized I was too big. I looked around and saw Steve was making a hot dog house. Then, Steve decided to give me a magic power so I could build too. I built a house in the air... it was a mansion! Also, I had villagers as slaves! After that I built a car so I could go to Walmart with Steve. Steve was playing on his Xbox 1. He was playing Goat Simulator. I asked him if he would like to come to Walmart, and he said yes, of course, he had to buy Mine Craft stuff. I bought building stuff while we were there so I could make a backyard. I built a backyard and made a pool and a swing set and a gazebo, too. Next, we went to my house and played outside and had some pancakes. I got some whipped cream and put it on our pancakes too. We even put ice cream on it, too. When we got inside we realized we forgot to turn off Mine Craft, and we realized all the bad guys had come out of the Xbox 1. So we got our bows and shot all the bad guys. After, Steve had to go back through the portal to where he lived. But, the portal was closed! So, Steve said he would live with me. However, it was nighttime so we decided to roast marshmallows. We also watched Chappy but when it was done we had to go to bed. When we woke up, we went on our bikes and went to the park. We came home and played Xbox 1 and Goat Simulator after that. Next, we went in my pool and listened to music. We had so much fun! Afterwards, we went upstairs and had a pillow fight and watched Youtube videos. Steve found a new way to go to the Mine Craft world where he lived. So, I had to say goodbye. I took a picture before he left, and went to my friends after that. My friend was going to see a movie at the theatre, so I went too. The End. -Isaiha 

RSL Authors of the Day!

At Rotary Summer Literacy we love to celebrate the excellent work our campers produce. Check  out the latest and greatest RSL 2015 has to offer but, beware, curses, danger, and helpless princesses await... 

Once upon a time there was a little girl named Alexandra. She was very funny and one day she saw that there was a fairy and the fairy wished that she was going to be a princess the next morning. The next morning she was in a castle as a princess, so she asked her parents what happened? They told her a fairy had cast a spell on her and said she was a princess, and that they were now king and queen of the land. Alexandra was confused. She and her parents went to go see the doctor, who said Alexandra has brain damage on her left side. The doctor told them that Alexandra would have to have surgery tomorrow in order to put that half of her brain back together. Alexandra's parents said ok and waited... The next day the surgery began. Except, the doctor forgot where the brain was located - so they couldn't actually start the surgery. What could happen next? They found the brain in the woods and they began the surgery once again, shortly after. They put Alexandra's brain back together again and she remembered all of the story that the fairy had told her. Alexandra knew that she had been turned into a princess and they lived happily ever after! The End. -Chloe

Once there was a little boy and his mom and dad. The mom collected 3 weird looking leaves. When she brought them home her son was amazed. The dad put them in a binder and the next day when the family got up they were in a time machine. The little boy started to cry. Then, he recognized 2 words on the 3 leaves. They said: Wish leaf. The time machine kept on going back to dangerous times so each person grabbed a wish lead and wished for the time machine to go back to safe times. The mom and dad wished as hard as they could to go back home, and it worked. They all went home. The End. -Nathanael

Once upon a time in a far away land, lived a lonely princess named Camilla. Everyday to prove her loneliness to the world, she sang: "Please help me someone just let me see your handsome face and the curse will be undone." Days of singing dragged on, yet no one came. On the day of Camilla's 16th birthday, what she wanted more than anything in the world was for someone to save her and love her. So, she sat on the window sill and sang her song even louder: "PLEASE HELP ME SOMEONE, JUST LET ME SEE YOUR HANDSOME FACE AND THE CURSE WILL BE UNDONE!" She tried singing this song, this loud, 3 times! But, no one came. She knew no one would EVER come. She cried. But, little did she know that handsome Brad, the knight, heard her singing. He was riding on his pink, fluffy unicorn, who was for once not dancing on rainbows with his magic red pebble. He wished himself up in the tower with the beautiful princess Camilla and eventually they had a BIG problem... they had kids. The End. -Nicole

RSL Author of the Morning: Kierstin!

Once upon a time King Blunsdon had a daughter named Naomi. No matter what you gave her she would not be happy. So, one day King Blunsdon found his daughter a prince, Brad. King Blunsdon invited Prince Brad for dinner. Princess Naomi and him fell in love. Finally, Princess Naomi was happy and that made King Blunsdon happy as well. Soon they were married and from then on they lived happily ever after. The End.

RSL Authors of the Day!

Today at Rotary Summer Literacy, the writing assignment varied in theme of creating a unique rock paper scissors game, writing a creative cowboy, ninja and bear story, and writing a letter to which RSL Amazing Race team you would want to win! Take a look, and enjoy the work of our RSL authors of the day!

Once upon a time in Alberta Canada there was a little girl named Milly. Milly was in 1st grade and she was 5 years old. Her best friends were Anna and Lily. They agreed on almost everything, like pink lemonade instead of orange juice or my little pony instead of Dora, but they always disagreed on Milly taking karate. Anna said karate was for boys and Lily thought karate was too tough for Milly, but Milly was determined to go and become a ninja. Anna and Lily never knew that she wanted to be a ninja, for Milly never told them. one day in the middle of dinner, Milly asked her mom if she could join a karate class. Mom was a little unsure but let her sign in. At school the next day, she couldn't hide her excitement from Anna and Lily, she told them everything. When Milly was telling them the news, they stared at her quite confused. By the time Milly was done, Lily and Anna had to go to class. After school, Milly's mom picked her up and went out to get the proper outfit to go to karate class, they both agreed that she looked like a ninja in training. On the day of Milly's first karate class, she got dressed in her uniform and grabbed a water bottle. To be continued...

Once upon a time, there was two friends called Nick and Brad. They were searching for the biggest volcano in Hawaii. However, they were in danger. They did not know what could happen in this island. After five hours they found a big house. Brad said "wow". "I know" said Nick. "This house is massive!". "Exactly what I wanted to say!". "Should we go in?" asked Brad. "Ok" said Nick. And they went in. "Looks weird" said Brad."I have never seen a house like..." "welcome" said a voice. "Who is that?" asked Brad. "My name is Tao" said the voice gently and quietly. "Welcome to the legendary house!". "Sorry I need to leave, take the very far end on your right. Open the door and you will see a big circle, get in the centre of it, close your eyes and count to 10 then something magic will happen!". And they did what Tao told them to do. They went in the room and then... SLAP! The door closed by itself... To be Continued - Bilal

Sarah's Story: Stinkbug Eats His School

One day there was a boy named Stinkbug. He went to Cathy Wever Elementary School. His favourite game to play was Truth or Dare. One afternoon he got people to play his favourite game. But, he would always pick dare. Once he got told to get everyone out of the school. Then, out the building. So, he chased everyone out. Then, he just stood there outside the school. He looked at how big the building was. Then, he started to chew on the building. Two years later, only half of a wall was eaten. But, he still had lots more to go. One hundred years later, he had one more wall to go. He was as big as forty elephants. Then, another hundred years later he finally finished eating his entire school. He ate so much that he was as big as one hundred elephants. Then, he lost his hearing, teeth, voice, and his sight. Then, he got very tired and went to sleep forever.

Program Options: Dance Crew!

Program Options: Dance Crew!

As a program option, dance has always been a favourite at Rotary Summer Literacy! This year is no exception. With amazing councillors, helpers, and campers, this years dance crew is the best one yet! 

Dance Crew Session 1: Shut up and DANCE!

This session we are dancing to a summer favourite by Walk The Moon, entitled "Shut Up and Dance!" Click HERE to check out the song. We will post a video of our dance crew tomorrow (Friday) for you to see!

Stay tuned for more amazing Program Options stories.

Get Connected with RSL Staff 2015: Stringer

Emma Stringer: Rotary Summer Literacy Staff Member

This is the second year that Emma ('Stringer') has been working for Rotary Summer Literacy! Emma brings an energy that cannot be tamed! This session for The Amazing Rotary Summer Literacy Race, Emma is working with our Starter team (JK and SK campers) on Team Canada! Stringer is a recent graduate from Sir Allan McNab High School, who looking forward to attending Trent University in September!

Want fun facts on Stringer? Hmm...

1. Emma will be taking nursing at Trent University in September.

2. Stringer's favourite books always include adventure, including Dinosaur World!

Would you like to get registered for camp?

*We are currently taking registrations and placing them on our WAITING LIST for sessions 2, 3, and 4.

Register here: http://goo.gl/forms/QZ34KovtUf 

A TERRIFIC Read Aloud!

A TERRIFIC Read Aloud

July 7th, 2015

At Rotary Summer Literacy this morning, a wonderful book by Jon Agee was read. What was this book, you ask? TERRIFIC! No, really. This book is full of friendship, animals, shipwrecks, and sarcasm. That's right - sarcasm (which became a challenged word, in which Mr. B asked for a quick-answered definition of). Morning Read Aloud brings the entire camp together, where positive connections can be made. 

What will be read tomorrow?

We will let you know in the morning!

Get Connected with RSL Staff 2015: Amy MacDonald

Amy MacDonald: Rotary Summer Literacy Senior Staff Member

Amy began working at Rotary Summer Literacy through the Focus On Youth Program. Since 2013, Amy has been working as a senior staff member hired through the Rotary Club of Hamilton. When she's not hanging out at camp, Amy studies at Laurier to become a teacher! After graduating, Amy will have two teachable: Math and English. Amy's favourite part of camp is Wake Up Workout, which takes place in the morning. We are thrilled to have Amy with us once again this summer, and she is currently working with Team Haiti! 

Want fun facts on Amy? Hmm...

1. Amy is an AMAZING cake maker AND decorator!

2. You could say they know her name at Disneyland, as Amy has visited over 10 times!

3. Remember Senior Staff Member Naomi? Both Amy and Naomi visited Disneyland TOGETHER in 2009!

Would you like to get registered for camp?

*We are currently taking registrations and placing them on our WAITING LIST for sessions 2, 3, and 4.

Register here: http://goo.gl/forms/QZ34KovtUf 

What's That Sound?

What's That Sound?

A Musical Presentation

July 7th, 2015

Today in Music class, a camper brought in a musical instrument. Answering questions, our Senior Camper told us that he's only been playing for one year! It was exciting to hear the sound quality and tone from the flute! The Flute is a unique instrument as it is very light in weight, simple to put together, and is played to the side of the mouth - which is very tricky!

We have to keep our musical instruments safe, and we are extremely excited that we were able to share and experience a mini-concert today in music!

Stay tuned for more exciting adventures from Program Options!

RSL Authors of the Day

We are always looking to bump up our work here at Rotary Summer Literacy. Today, a number of campers are being recognized for their great effort in this area. These campers exemplify what RSL is all about - working to make your writing the best YOU can!

Today's writing assignments varied in theme from creating your own island, to suggesting councillor teams for the amazing race, designing a recycling machine or simply printing our letters in our Starter group! Take a look, and enjoy all the hard work RSL kids commit to their writing. 

I think Brad and Khadija would make a good amazing race team because they're both really fast runners. I want Brad and Khadija in the amazing race because they could get us lots of points for our team and because they're both cool enough to enter the amazing race together. Brad and Khadija would be great representatives of The Bahamas! If Brad and Khadija team up their team name should be Team Awesome! -Hataya

One day I went on a paddleboat on a sunny day. I paddled and paddled. Then, I became so tired! Then I was staring at the most beautiful island! So, I didn't feel tired anymore. So, I paddled my boat. But, then I looked. Then, ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! It's a SHARK! So, I paddled, as fast as I can. Then, the shark went more fast than before. Then what?? It wasn't a shark. It was a dolphin! The dolphin swam me to the island, but, it got on the island. Then, POOF! The island was full of ghosts. I didn't know what to do? Then I knew what to do! I went on the dolphin and he swam me home. The End. -Norrin


My bottle renewer is going to take the bottles in on a conveyor belt and it will melt them. The melted bottles will go into another machine that shape them into new bottles and labels them with the brand you choose. Next, you have to bring the bottle to another machine to fill it with the brand of juice you choose! -Caria





You should choose my invention because if the world had my invention we would stop cutting down trees and with it running on camp fun, we would not be inhaling gas in our breathing air. Plus, it saves money for this camp! -Nicole

Get Connected with RSL Staff 2015: Ms. Houston

Get Connected with RSL Staff 2015: Ms. Houston

Ms. Houston: Rotary Summer Literacy Senior Staff Member/ HWDSB Grade 3 Teacher 

This will be Ms. Houston's 3rd summer working with the Rotary Summer Literacy Program as a Senior Staff Member. Ms. Houston's favourite part about the Rotary Summer Literacy Program is our read aloud stories! Ms. Houston enjoys choosing our daily read aloud stories. Her number one pick for this summer is: Ninja Cowboy Bear. Ms. Houston loves this book because she loves to watch Western movies after camp hours. When not working with the Rotary Summer Literacy Program, Ms. Houston works at the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board as a grade three teacher. She also enjoys watching movies, hanging out with friends and going to her cottage. Ms. Houston is looking forward to September as she will be starting a new school year! 

Want fun facts on Ms. Houston? Hmm... 

1. Ms. Houston has travelled to Spain, Portugal and will be travelling to Germany this summer! 

2. Ms. Houston's favourite food is spaghetti. 

Want to get to know Ms. Houston better? Be sure to register for Rotary Summer Literacy 2015! 

Register here: http://goo.gl/forms/QZ34KovtUf 

Note* We are currently taking registrations for our waiting list. 

Stay tuned for more staff biographies!