Last Friday the girls in navy shirts graduated from STEP and the ones in the brown shirts graduated from Advanced STEP.

Now we can start planning, preparing, and looking forward to the next STEP in 2011.

Today we got to learn all about survival skills and also got to cook our own dinner over a camp fire.  It was pretty hot so we ended up swimming a bit in the lake as well.

It’s sad that STEP is almost over until next year.   We’re all not looking forward to the end of this week when we have to tell each other good-bye.

Taylor smiling in CPR class

Last week the green girls had some hands on experience in auto class. They learned basic auto maintenance skills.

In the garage ready to work on some cars.

Capt Pendergast teaching the ladies about changing tires

The girls each had a chance to change a tire.

Changing a flat

Checking the tire pressure

Abby and Rebekah about to jack up the van to change a tire.

Jacking it up!

More tire changing

Capt. Pendergast explaining more skills to the girls.

Taylor jacking up the car

Red team had fun on their stress hike.

Ready to hit the trail

The girls had many challenges along the way including “injured” team members.

Alayna & Rebekah carrying Mary

Some other challenges included blind-folding, 3-legged hiking, no speaking, and best of all RAIN!

Hiking

Leading blindfolded girls

Hiking up the bluffs

On top of the cliff

Emily made it to the top

Team leader, Hayley, keeping the girls in line

Heading over the bridge

Taking a water break

Red Group on top of the cliff

Each day a different team of STEP girls clean the kitchen and do the dishes.  Here’s the Blue team having fun doing their respective jobs.

The dishwasher is especially fun!

Last week this same team learned about auto mechanics.

We got several inches of rain last week which caused all of us to be very flexible.

We also learned how to cross a river without getting wet and got to put into practice some of our ropes and knots

All got safely across

One morning we had a introductory class on diving and we got to have a little fun and free time at the lake as well.

Then in the afternoon, we learned how to punch holes in drywall and then fix them

We also got to practice some plumbing and learned how to manually flush a toilet

Blue Team 1

Blue Team 2

The Green Group did some more team building while practicing different skills on the confidence course.

Abby on the tire swings

Teamwork on the tires

Trusting each other while balancing on cables

Naomi balancing a teammate by using the rope

Hannah holding her ground while her teammate moves on the cables

Ashley getting ready for her turn to move to the next tree on the cable

Hannah moving her way along the cable

Ultimate team work while cable crossing

Cable crossing- the object was to get all of the girls on one side of the center pole to swap sides with all the girls on the other side of the pole.

Taylor was all smiles while out on the confidence course

Trust fall

Taylor falling

The trusty green teammates ready to catch their next falling friend.

All smiles from the green group as they study their verses

Navigation

Alayna, Christa, Kristin, and Emily in navigation class

Capt. Rowe taught the girls map reading

Class Time

The girls practiced using grid readers

Leah and April had fun finding points on the map.

Rebekah and Emily plotting points on the map

Alayna and Ruth doing map work

Capt. Rowe showing the girls how to use a grid reader

Andi and Tabitha having fun with the maps

Emily and Susan plotting points

Nicole, Kristin, and Mary

Emily in navigation class

Andi and compass

Search and Rescue

Col. Tanner taught the girls search and rescue techniques.

The girls practiced their compass skills outside

Alayna compass sighting

The girls lined up to begin a grid search

Ruth sighting her compass

On a grid search

Lining up to search through the woods for "missing" team leaders

One of the "missing" leaders

Heading back after a search well done!

The girls have been having devotionals every morning….

Scripture memory of Philippians has also been keeping us busy in our spare moments.

The Blue group last week also learned all about ropes and knots

The girls on the blue team last week had their stress hike where they had to work together as well as rely on their teammates to guide them.

The Green group started out the first week with a stress hike, complete with many challenges along the way.

Setting out for adventure!

Geared up and ready to go!

Learning trust as some girls lead around their blind-folded teammates.

Working together while attempting 5 legged hiking.

Team work at it's finest!

Happy Hikers!

Bound together

Linked together

Off they go!

It's the newest form of hiking

Linked together

Working together

More team work

Heading back

STEP sisters

The Green Group!

That's all folks!

 Last week the blue team during canoeing learned how to do a boat over boat rescue.