Popular book series turned movie entity, "The Hunger Games" recently appeared on campus in the form of an active summer camp.
The Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve, located in Auburn, started the event this year and divided it into two programs.
The Hunger Games Training Camp, which occurred this past June, is geared toward fifth through seventh graders.
It aims to provide them with basic wilderness skills while also participating in crafts and games.
The camp is divided into several districts with each one having a different focus.
"(My responsibilities) were running the archery range, a survival first-aid program and helping our district members with hiding flags for other districts to find," said Julia Rich, teacher naturalist at the reserve. "I think that my favorite part of this camp was watching all the students improve and expand their knowledge and enthusiasm toward the outdoors."
The training camp program was one week long.
The more intensive counterpart to the program is "The Hunger Games" Survival Skills event.
The event is geared toward anyone over the age of 8. Outdoor sports, such as backpacking and camping, are taught to each participant.
Skills taught include fire building, creating shelters and scavenging for edible plants in the wild.
"The Hunger Games" Survival Skills program is a one-day event and begins at 10 a.m. on July 26.
The wide age range of potential attendees allows families to all participate together.
The idea for the event came from Jennifer Lolley, outreach administrator for the Kreher Preserve, when she noticed the enthusiasm of "The Hunger Games" fans of all ages.
She originally brought a similar program to Auburn Middle School in 2013 and later decided to hold the camp at the preserve and give it a survival skills theme.
"I have had so many requests to do this program for adults that I decided it would be good to put on this program using some great volunteers from the community," Lolley said.
Jamie Anderson also works at the preserve and has a hand in administering these programs.
"Equally popular with kids and adults, we decided to offer a similar 'Hunger Games'-inspired community program for all ages to learn basic survival skills, such as archery, fire and shelter building, tracking and orienteering that would be useful for backpacking and camping," Anderson said.
Jamie said the program came about because of the popularity of the Hunger Games movies, as well as the mission of the preserve to educate all people about the wilderness.
"'The Hunger Games'-inspired programs are appealing to our youth and offer an excellent opportunity to teach kids valuable skills that will build confidence and inspire them to spend more time in the outdoors," Anderson said.
According to the preserve's website, the one-day program on July 26 costs $5.
The event will last approximately two hours and will take place at the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve located on North College Street.
Summer campers learn to survive 'The Hunger Games' http://t.co/hx3NjOaZO0 #HungerGames #Auburn pic.twitter.com/xW8s7PpjiZ
— The Auburn Plainsman (@TheAUPlainsman) July 24, 2014
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