County camper tells about Brigades

[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following article was written by Shackelford County resident Faith Fry, who attended a Texas Brigade camp last summer.]

By Faith Fry

Education is what sets apart the leaders from the followers. A good leader is confident with what they have been taught and about what they have learned, which makes them more willing to teach others what they know.

But sadly, some kids are missing out on one of the greatest educations. While they are learning about math, science, and the other basics in school, they are missing out on all the stuff you can’t learn from a seat in a classroom, such as wildlife management, land stewardship, and animal care.

So where are kids going to learn all of this stuff? The answer is the Texas Brigades. The Brigades have made it their mission to educate youth through outdoor activities and resources. The Texas Brigades motto is “Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand.”

The Texas Brigades is a nonprofit organization started in 1993. They are comprised of eight different week-long summer camps which are: Bass Brigade, North Texas Buckskin Brigade, Rolling Plains Bobwhite Brigade, South Texas Buckskin Brigade, Coastal Brigade, Ranch Brigade, South Texas Bobwhite Brigade, and the Waterfowl Brigade.

The online applications are open to students ages 13-17 and camp tuition is $500. Tuition assistance is also available. Texas Brigades is also a Christian organization, and at the end of each day at camp they have a speaker read from the Bible and share life lessons with the campers.

This past summer l attended the Ranch Brigade camp, and it was something I will never forget! For more information about Texas Brigades please visit www.texas brigades.org