This summer was extra special at EWU this year. Sure, there are the beautiful campus grounds, the happily chirping birds, and we are all aware of the antics of the infamous Eastern squirrels. This year also marked the return of Satori, a summer camp for gifted junior and high school students looking to expand their horizons and explore a clean energy future, a social justice minded lifestyle, an awareness of our local history, and the philosophy of Dungeons and Dragons, just to name a handful of the offerings EWU faculty and staff came together to provide.
Satori derives inspiration from its name, meaning “Ah ha!” in Japanese, beckoning the sense of enlightenment and joy which we experience by learning. For one week, the campers attended learning sessions and lived on campus to model the college lifestyle and celebrate a shared love of knowledge.
While the campers were on campus for one week, preparations began long before their arrival. It was 37 years ago that the co-founders, Mike Canton and the late Bruce “Doc” Mitchell, first started Satori out of their passion for gifted students, a passion which Associate Director Sara Maleki has proudly helped to carry on. The School of Education would like to take a moment to say thank you to the founders and all of the faculty and staff who worked so hard to foster the joy of discovery. In particular, we would like to recognize the contributions of our very own Becky Chamberlain, the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program Director, who served as the EWU Camp Liaison.
Becky has a passion for guiding young learners and, as a previous student of hers, I can personally add an ability to spark that “Ah ha!” moment. Becky will be retiring this year and I am joined by the entire School of Education and many of our campus and community partners in saying thank you for her years of tireless dedication, encouragement, and selflessness.
Onward and upward, Satori campers, and we hope to see you on campus again, one day!