Most Owego Wednesdays start with morning lineup, but don’t typically end with a Frontier Week breakout!
No matter how many guesses were made, or how much speculation rippled through camp, it all came down to this moment. And that moment was precisely 8:40 pm, just after sunset. Campers were returning to their bunks from evening activity, when the power went out.
Seriously. Again.
This time, however, it was all part of the plan! It was like a scene from Oceans 11: Unit leaders ran through the Village and up the Ridge, tossing glow sticks in the air. A school bus pulled up to the front gate, its headlights piercing through the pitch dark. The Tents, returning from a special Hibachi dinner, poured out of the bus and began sprinting through camp, shouting, “Frontier Week! Frontier Week!” They each wore a specially-designed shirt that read “Frontier Week 2025: The Fire That Never Dies.” Suddenly, fireworks exploded into the night sky. That was our cue to get to the Upper Field.
As “Baba O’Reilly” blasted from the speaker, everyone formed a semi-circle around the massive bonfire. Friends threw their arms around one another, and the Tents lined up side-by-side. Kyle stepped forward and welcomed us to Frontier Week 2025. The fire raged behind him, and the crowd’s faces glowed with anticipation. Kyle turned things over to Dave. This was it. The real deal.
Dave announced each of the six tribes, one at a time, starting with the tribe’s color and its Chief. After the Chief was revealed, Dave announced the Medicine Man, Warrior, and Scout. Dave called out the remaining members of the tribe, and these campers excitedly burst forth from the crowd and joined the party. There were lots of hugs, high-fives, and the occasional, “Let’s goooo!” Then the Chief reached into an envelope and picked out the name of his tribe’s Head Coach. The tribe then chose its campsite and indoor meeting area. Dave repeated this process six times, bellowing out names to compete with the noise of the roaring fire. And still, the fire raged on.
When all was said and done, Owegans were divided into six tribes: black, navy blue, dark green, royal blue, white, and red. Each tribe will choose its official name tomorrow. We’ll report back with the details in tomorrow’s blog.
Over the next five days, we will participate in a unique competition. Aside from basketball, soccer, and swimming, there will be an awe-inspiring rope burn, a banner design contest, and a wing-eating challenge (for real). Each tribe will build a shelter in the woods and prep and cook a meal completely outdoors. You will see photos of your child carrying a rake. Frontier Week is unlike anything they’ve ever experienced before. So, buckle up, it’s going to be a wild ride!
