I was having a pleasant Thursday morning on the third day since arriving at Chewonki. Surrounded by six of the new friends I was quarantined with, we conversed about the upcoming day and what it would bring (since the first two days were an adventure, full of exploring Chewonki’s magic).
Just then, Sarah, the Associate Dean, arrived at our cabin and invited all of us to visit the farm for a few minutes since she was on her way there. While I jumped at the opportunity, my friends did not share the same excitement that I had, since they had been to the farm the day before. A lesson I would like to impart with you that I heard from Susan, our Head of School — “Just because you have already done something, doesn’t mean you should excuse yourself from doing it again, because you can have an entirely new experience despite doing the same activity.” So, I accepted Sarah’s offer, where my most memorable experience of my first two weeks awaited me.
Upon reaching the barn, we were informed that a sheep was in labor. I had never been to a farm before, much less witnessed any animal give birth… I was ecstatic. There were two farmers there overlooking the process, and they told us the steps, what to expect, and that it would take between thirty minutes to an hour. Our little trip was supposed to only take about ten minutes, but this felt like an appropriate reason to extend our outing.
Watching the lamb being born was both a gruesome and beautiful sight. Within ten minutes from entering the world, the little lamb repeatedly stood up and fell back down as it struggled to its feet. Suddenly, a second lamb literally came flying out within seconds, and this one looked just as helpless as the first. At this point, I was running late to my next activity, so I left the barn with two lambs who could barely stand. The next day I came back to the barn, and both lambs were running around in the enclosure full of life.
This is only my second week at Chewonki, and my journey is still in its early stages. Nevertheless, I have immersed myself in a program where I can truly thrive, and I am hopeful for the future. I was once anxious about entering such an unfamiliar environment, but after witnessing something so special, I can now wholeheartedly say I am deeply grateful for my experience thus far.
LeShaun Warner, Chadwick School, Los Angeles, CA
Leshaun, I’m so grateful to you for your enthusiasm and passion you expressed in this letter. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Chewonki for preparing Leshaun for a lifetime of success.
Le Shaun’s article about the birth of the lambs is beautifully written and he describes his experience so well and with so much emotion. I hope he ontinues to thrive.
This is awesome LeShaun!! So glad that you were open to new experiences and was able to reflect upon it and see nature at it’s finest that is magical. Thank you for sharing, so well written. Keep exploring, being open to change and creative that is truly what living and being in the moment is about. :)
Leshawn I’m so impressed! Very well written. I could feel this experience like I was right there with you. Thanks for sharing Susan’s very solid advice too. We could all learn from that statement. Love that you had this experience and love the beautiful pics of lamb and mom too
What a remarkable experience that you’ll remember! I am glad you are having a wonderful time.
Well written LeShaun. The words bring to live the birth of the lambs thanks for sharing that experience. Continue to excel.
Leshaun, I appreciate the descriptive way in which you shared your experience of the birth of two lambs. It helped me understand exactly what you experienced. This is a sign of really good communication. Please continue to write about your experiences, even if you do not share them all, publicly. I look forward to reading about the experiences which you chose to share. Your parents and teachers are no doubt proud of your communication & writing skills along with the maturity shown therein.
Thanks for sharing LeShaun nature is the oldest text book ever given to the human race and I know that you will have many more wonderful breath taking moments to introduce to your readers as your journey continues at Chewonki. It’s now you and nature at her best keep up with the revelation
Wonderfully expressed, it left me feeling that I was actually there. I can see you enjoyed yourself. Keep striving… big up nephew
This article is so well written, I assumed that it was Candy’s. The expression of emotions, of expectation, and of awe, when the babes popped out and tried to walk right away. The excitement of the unplanned event could not have been better expressed. Le Shaun will fit his writing and poetic ability somewhere into his career. Congratulations.
Michael
This is so well written, Let Shaun must fit writing and poetry into his career. The unplanned journey, the justification of the extra time, the excitement of the birth, the surprise of the early actions of the kids, all this he caught in his description with clarity and emotion. This camp experience contributes to the development of our children in no ordinary way.
LeShaun has demonstrated his interest in life changing events and this was a good documentation of a great experience.Keep up the good work 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Thank you teacher for inspiring Leshaun to come out of his shell. His writing is impressive. We love you. Keep God first. This school is doing a fantastic job with these youths.
It’s good to see you have participated in this programme.The Creator have given you the insight to give such a beautiful explanation.May HE continue to guide you in your endeavor.
A very well written and vivid description of your experience. Thank you Leshaun for reminding us that there is a new lesson to be learnt with repeated experiences. Wow never too old to learn from a aspiring young leader. Congratulation. Great things await you.
A very well written and vivid description of your experience. Thank you Leshaun for reminding us that there is a new lesson to be learnt with repeated experiences. Wow never too old to learn from an aspiring young leader. Congratulation. Great things await you.
Hi Leshaun, what an extremely come to life piece of literature you wrote. Your excitement was captivating and contagious. As I read about your experience at the Chewonki camp I felt like I was there, especially with your expressive eye-view of the birth of the lambs. You are indeed enjoying your stay while learning about new things.
I will keep in mind to ” never neglect visiting something I have done before”. I learnt that from your script.
Continue to enjoy and learn and you will achieve all your heart desires.
Great piece Le Shaun! Very well written, you drew me in from the start! I also like that you were wise enough to catch what Susan said and take it to heart! Continue to be open to new things and new experiences with that passion and discernment so that life for you will always be an adventure!
Congratulations LeShaun on a very cohesive and interesting description of your experience. You have demonstrated maturity and insight in making choices not influenced by your peers.
Continue to develop your skills and remain open to taking from each new experience those elements which will help you to grow with positive attitudes.
Great piece young man, thank you for sharing your experience. Hope the rest of your stay is as exciting and rewarding and propels you to great things.
It is wonderful to see a young man express himself so beautifully. In this day and age of ‘shortcut speech’ and slang – a delight to read a well written piece. CHEWONKI Camp seems a wonderful place, offering young people experiences for growth. I have a sense that these youngsters will show the world what different learning experiences will mean to our future. Good job LeSean. Well done.
Well done LeShaun, a truly wonderful piece! Very descriptive with lots of emotion. Thank you for sharing. I really appreciate you taking on board Susan’s advice and sharing it with us – this will surely stay with me especially when I want to say ‘done that, been there’ etc. Very proud of you.
Wawh, wawh LeShaun…
A well written story, what a beautiful piece, your story left me in ore…
Reading your story I felt like I was reading a narrative peace from one of those animal nature programs while at the same time listening to one of those life lessons programs…
A true future writer… Looking forward to reading about the rest of the adventure at Maine Coast Semester at Chewonki
Well done LeShaun…
Brilliantly express, you took me on this journey in real time.
This is a beautiful story. Well done!
This particular quote I truly believe…..
“Just because you have already done something, doesn’t mean you should excuse yourself from doing it again, because you can have an entirely new experience despite doing the same activity.”
Well said.
A beautifully written piece, the best way to learn is always through experiences, so take advantage of these life lessons that you are experiencing
Sounds like a wonderful experience, that’s what I call functional academics, learning through the exploration of one’s environment is always the best way to internalize lessons
Congratulations to LeShaun for a job well done, he was very articulated and inspiring in his wonderful experience on his outing. He will be very successful in his endeavours in the future. Keep climbing the ladder of success, the sky is the limit.
Awww this is beautiful. Thank you, LeShaun. Reading about your week on the farm so far is delightful. I can honestly say reading about your experiences truly put me right there on the farm with you. I love the way also you remember the good advice from your teacher about trying something twice. What a gift you have for writing. I am intrigued. I can’t wait to hear about the next week to come for you. Thank you so much for sharing.
I am a firm believer in the saying ” You are never too old to learn ” but never in my wildest dreams did I envisage being taught by a seventeen year old boy. LeShaun your vivid description of the experience… from seeing ” lambs being born” to their subsequent running around… was telling. It crystallized your vision and moved you to erase all doubts about the wonderful programme that you are participating in at Chewonki. You couldn’t find a better stepping stone.
This is a truly enriching experience and the type that fills your being with an unexplainable joy and peace. You witnessed life coming into the world and the miracle of God (a lamb being able to walk in a few minutes after being born). LeShaun your article was simple and effective and I was able to feel and see in my mind what you experienced.
I also endorse your advice that not because someone did something once before, means that they should not do it again since each experience can/would be different.
May your stay at Chewonki continue to provide you with experiences to appreciate the beauty of life. Good Luck!
Mahatma Gandhi
‘To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being.’
LeShaun, to witness the miracle of life firsthand is a beautiful and intense feeling. I am happy to see you were able gain this experience at such a young age. Continue to do great and inspire others with your experiences.
Also, Chewonki, thanks to you for allowing these children to have such an amazing opportunity. Great job!
LeShaun,
Your assertiveness was marked in a phenomenonal way as your excitement peaked in spite of what was happening around you.
Your attention to details captured my five senses and I witnessed the birth of those lambs vicariously.
A great future lies ahead of you, young man.
Soar beyond excellence!
All the best to you in your future plans.
Awe this is so awesome Leshaun! Glad you had an awesome experience it will mold you into the well-rounded individual you are becoming! I love the words of wisdom that you heard from your Head of School.
Thanks for sharing such a memorable experience. Well done!
Such a well written article.
Keep up the good work. Your willingness to gain new experiences is a step in the right direction.
Hi Leshaun, I was pleasantly surprised by the
manner with which you expressed that wonderful experience. Clearly, you possess the natural ability to write and express a situation. Keep up the good work and be assured that you have our support.
Enrique.
Excellent piece of writing, LeShaun! I’m beyond thrilled and so proud to know that you are embracing this opportunity to expand your life experiences in this way!
Be Blessed and Keep It Up! 👍🏽