Algonquin 2012Are you interested in an adventure away from home? Do you want to improve your french and discover a new region? If you will be graduating from grade 6 to grade 9 in June 2012 and are attending a French immersion or Francophone school, then this program is for you.

Canoe trip in the Algonquin Park

For 2012, we have developed a different type of overnight experience in French for our campers.  This time, they will get to experience the great outdoors and grow both physically and intellectually in the majestic and world-renowned Algonquin Park.  Instead of discovering a new culture, they will discover the beauty of the Ontario wilderness.  They will experience a taste of the natural and cultural landscape of Algonquin Park, our first provincial park, while still developing their verbal French skills and the confidence to use it.  Once again, the activities of this trip will be conducted entirely in French and will include the development of leadership skills, cooperative games, social skills and of course making new friend from different areas of the province. This trip takes place from Sunday July 1st to Sunday July 8th for a 7 night / 8 day unforgettable experience. For the first time this year, students in grade 8 and 9 can accumulate volunteer hours eligible for the high school diploma requirements for most school board.  Verify with your school to ensure that it qualifies. There is a maximum of 21 participants for this trip. Check out the itinerary below to see if this is an experience you don’t want to miss! Our Chef de Mission will maintain a blog offline during the trip, which will be uploaded upon our return as there is no internet or cell access during this trip.  This will act as a journal of the trip for the campers. Take a look at our previous overnight trips by visiting our Past trips page to view our videos and read our daily updates.  

PLEASE NOTE, REGISTRATION WILL CLOSE ON FRIDAY APRIL 20TH.  THERE ARE STILL 3 SPOTS LEFT!

The Trip

The campers must be dropped off at the Algonquin Outfitters on Oxtongue Lake just 30 km east of Huntsville on Highway 60.  They should be onsite on Sunday July 1st between 2PM and 3:30PM.  They should be picked up on Sunday July 8th between 1:30PM and 3:00PM.

ALGONQUIN PROVINCIAL PARK

Our journey begins at the Algonquin Outfitters location on Oxtongue Lake.  We will spend the first afternoon getting familiar with the equipment, with each other and packing our gear in waterproof bags.  We will prepare a dinner on the BBQ onsite, go for a swim and/or a short hike.  Our sub-group will be created at this point and each camper will be paired with their tent-mates.  There will be three to four campers to a tent.  We will explain and assign to each camper their daily task, which will represent their volunteer hours.   Our first night will be spent in the tent-cabins beside the Outfitter for a good night sleep before we depart on our canoe adventure.
On Monday, we will be transferred by bus to the access point on Canoe Lake where we will launch the canoes.  Group one will launch first and will be accompanied by an Algonquin Outfitters guide and one Tournesol counselor.  Group two will launch next and will be accompanied by Tournesol chef de mission and a second Tournesol counselor.  Group three will then launch accompanied by an Algonquin Outfitters guide and a Tournesol counselor.
Each day, we will canoe for a few hours and do some portages.  The duration of each will vary from day to day.  Campers are expected to carry their gear as well as help portage the canoes.   Half way through the trip, we will reach Big Trout Lake, where we will stay for 2 nights.  During that time, we will paddle and hike to historic local sites, visit cliffs and waterfalls and provide volunteer hours for the Algonquin Park staff (exact tasks to be determined).
The campers will take turns preparing meals, cleaning up after meals, making the bonfire each night, setting up camp, including their tents, and learn how to “animal proof” the site, including the food.  Each camper will have the opportunity to be “leader for the day” and organize his or her sub-groups through all the tasks required for that day.  There will be ample opportunity to swim, play games, sing songs, discover nature and with a bit of luck, observe local wildlife. Each camper will receive a complete orientation by the Algonquin Outfitters guides and the Tournesol counselors who will also closely supervise all these activities.

The students in grade 8 and grade 9 will accumulate 24 hours of eligible volunteer hours towards their high school diploma requirement.  Students in grade 6 and 7 will also receive a certificate attesting of their hours. This itinerary is subject to change at the sole discretion of Camp Tournesol Inc.

SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS

The group will sleep in tents of 3 to 4 campers.  Only students of the same gender will share tents. The group will be divided in 3 sub-groups for campsite purposes to comply with the Park regulation.  On each site, there will be 2 counselors and/or guides.  Tent mates will be determined by the Chef de Mission and may change from site to site to ensure the campers get to know each other. However each sub-group will be pre-determined and will not change. All 3 campsites will be located on the same lake within either walking distance or a short paddle.  The group as a whole will spend the evening together after their meal.   All 3 meals per day including one snack a day are included with the trip.  

TRANSPORTATION

The trip does NOT include transportation to and from the Algonquin Park access point near Huntsville.  Parents must drop off and pick up their child as per a pre-determined schedule on Sunday July 1st and Sunday July 8th.  There is a possibility to arrange for a charter bus from the GTA if enough parents register for it. More details will follow.

 

Admissiblility

Camp Tournesol invites students who are committed to developing strong French verbal skills and have an interest in experiencing the outdoors while discovering themselves to apply for this exciting opportunity.

APPLICATION CRITERIAS

Students who meet the following criteria may apply to participate in “Algonquin 2012″:

  • Campers must be graduating from grade 6 to grade 9 in June 2012. Younger siblings will be considered and evaluated on a case by case basis.
  • Applicants must be French immersion Students or
  • Applicants must be francophone students or
  • Other students with a strong level of verbal fluency in French
  • Students must be able to swim and be comfortable with sleeping in tents and living in the outdoors

Are you are ready to get all the paperwork done and get registered? Then click here.

Acceptance process

Camp Tournesol will review each application carefully to ensure that each participant is able to fully enjoy this trip. This experience is meant to be conducted entirely in French and in a pleasant atmosphere for each participant. Unacceptable behavior will not be tolerated. The acceptance process is to ensure that each participant is ready for such an experience both from a standpoint of language, maturity and sense of responsibility. Applicants will be required to present a letter of recommendation from a current teacher (or less than 2 years) attesting to the student’s fluency in French as well as speaking to the child’s behavior and character. Children may also be asked to meet a representative from Camp Tournesol to be interviewed in French. Students will also be asked to sign a contract in which the code of conduct will be spelled out.

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