writer: Bimo Narendra Adrianto (9A)
On September 21, 2024, the ICP students of SMP Laboratorium UM embarked on a stunning camping adventure in the hills of Batu City, East Java. The camping took place at Taman Pinus Camper Park, located approximately 15 minutes from the heart of Batu. This year’s camp focused on fostering teamwork and responsibility among the seventh graders, who took on the challenge of cooking for all camp participants—a role we affectionately dubbed “master chef.” Meanwhile, the eighth graders learned the importance of giving back to the community and the right to quality education, which they practiced by assisting a nearby school named SDN Oro-Oro Ombo 3. Their main focus was to teach the students English. Each year group had its own focus: the first graders learned nursery rhymes, the second graders practiced basic conversations, and so on. Finally, the ninth graders were responsible for coordinating the entire agenda, ensuring everything ran smoothly and that there were no difficulties for the seventh and eighth graders.
On Friday morning, the eighth graders, accompanied by some ninth graders, set off for SDN Oro-Oro Ombo 3 to kick off the agenda with a charity event. Meanwhile, the seventh graders and the rest of the ninth graders prepared for the master chef program. Sports equipment, stationery, and more were donated to SDN Oro-Oro Ombo 3 by the students and parents of SMP Lab UM.
Later that afternoon, the seventh graders arrived at the campground, ready to take on their responsibilities, which was quite impressive. Cooking for approximately 120 students and teachers was no easy task for thirteen-year-olds, but as the saying goes, “start them young.” This was the main goal for the students: to get to know one another and improve teamwork and discipline. The opening ceremony took place around 14:30 at the campsite, and the first activity was tea time, accompanied by a debate battle on topics related to school, such as “Should students wear uniforms?” The purpose of this was to enhance the students’ English skills, which was one of the primary objectives of the camp.
As the sun set and the cool atmosphere of Batu City arrived, the campfire became the highlight of the evening, and we eagerly anticipated this moment. Each class was assigned a topic and encouraged to deliver a creative performance related to it—whether through singing, dancing, acting, or any other form of entertainment that would brighten the night. Following the performances, we enjoyed a dinner feast prepared by the master chefs, accompanied by hot drinks such as tea, coffee, and hot chocolate. Students were allowed to bring their phones to capture lasting memories. Soon after, it was bedtime, and activities would continue the next morning.
With the sun rising on a fresh morning, the opening activity for day two began with Fajr prayer, followed by the first main agenda: playing traditional games. Afterward, breakfast was served, and everyone enjoyed it together. Later, we started packing up, cleaning, and preparing to head home. However, one final activity remained—circle time. We gathered for an hour to discuss our experiences over the past two days, share favorite moments, and identify areas for improvement. This session, led by the ninth graders, was an important part of the camp, allowing us to reflect on our mistakes and ensuring that they would not be repeated next time.
