Students learn life skills at Judson Middle School camp

LONGVIEW, Texas (KLTV) - Some say there are some things just not taught in school, like maybe fixing a flat tire. But life skills like that, and several others, are now being taught in a Longview ISD day camp.

It’s called Valour SkillZ Camp and teaches five basic skill sets students are very likely to use when living on their own, or maybe before that. About to fly into eighth grade at Judson Middle School, Jordan Hobbs wants to learn the ups and downs of drones:

“Because in the future drones are going to be more important in our lives,” Jordan said.

Pilot Covenant Olatunde believes that too, so he teaches properties of aerodynamics and the kids will build and fly drones. His instruction will land not just here in camp but:

“In the fall I’ll be spearheading a class for the kids. Teaching them how to build drones; how to fly them; show them all the different utilities and facilities that are available in the industry,” Olatunda said.

So for some mentors this is takeoff. This flight of fancy was an idea of Judson Assistant Principal Danny Stanley who realized many kids don’t learn basics of building, bike repair, CPR or using a drone, at home.

“It also is providing our kids with opportunity to interact with mentors that are going to be on our campus, have been on our campus, and will continue to be on our campus,” Stanley said.

So the camp is also a sort of meet the teacher. Cayden Guffin is learning to stay pumped up.

“I never knew that there were so many steps to fixing a tire on a bike,” Cayden said.

But now he, and his fellow campers, have an understanding of how to keep things rolling.

“There’s just many important skills that you can learn here so that you can handle things better than if you would have never come here,” Cayden said.

They even threw in the kitchen sink, or well, fixing the bathroom sink anyway; and even fixing that thing that sits next to it. That may eventually help keep their money from going down the drain.

This is the first SKILLZ Camp for Judson Middle School, but they believe it won’t be their last. Students also learned about cooking and laundry, and even lawnmower repair.

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