Spring Term Blog

Day One 

Mrs. Edwards, Upper School Faculty

Hello! This is Mrs. Edwards. Thank you so much for letting me take your children to the coast! I don’t know what other blogs you may be reading, but I can confidently say—we truly have the best Spring Term group ever.

On the first Monday back after Christmas break, we started before the crack of dawn. While it was 42 degrees when we left Atlanta in the dark, Jekyll Island welcomed us with sunshine and warmer temperatures. Jekyll 4-H was ready for us, and we hit the ground running.

Our group is split into the Sharks (our young ladies) and the Dolphins (our young men). Sometimes we work together, and other times we rotate separately. We kicked things off with Beach Ecology. The beauty of the water and sand was so captivating that I’m not sure we heard the first few minutes of the educator’s talk—but once we tuned in, we learned about bivalve and univalve shells, moon snails that drill holes through other shells, and the fact that hermit crabs don’t make their own shells. This really shouldn’t have surprised me, considering I bought approximately a zillion hermit crabs for my own children over the years—but somehow, it never occurred to me.

Next, we headed into the Maritime Forest. I had the Dolphins (the boys) all day, and I can honestly say—they are on it. The forest was full of fascinating things to see (and touch), and the woods themselves are truly beautiful. I’ll never get tired of hearing, “Hey, Mrs. Edwards, look at this!”—as long as the creepier discoveries stay at least two feet from my face. There were many moments of me holding a wrist at arm’s length before agreeing to “look.”

The boys were eager to see wildlife—the kind that wisely stays hidden—so our educator took them to the reptile room. This was not my idea of fun, but I survived. They held snakes, touched an alligator, and explored all things…ick—I mean, awesome.

Students have also been rotating through KP duty four at a time, and they’ve done a great job. After dinner, we attended a class to prepare for tomorrow’s fishing, followed by our evening devotion.

We focused on God as Creator and the truth that the Earth belongs to Him, not us. He invites us to participate in His creation as good stewards. What if we viewed the world not from an ownership perspective, but from a caretaker’s perspective? This led to meaningful conversations about creation and why the work being done at 4-H is such a strong example of stewardship.

We also reminded students that they, too, are God’s creation—and therefore worthy of care. Does viewing every person as God’s creation change how we treat their hearts and feelings? The students shared thoughtful, insightful responses.

Mrs. Johnson led our “Where did you see God today?” discussion, and the examples were endless. We reflected on the beauty and diversity we witnessed all day—God created all of it, and He created them, too. He didn’t need us. He wanted us. And for that, we are incredibly grateful.

It was a long day. Some students chose showers and early bedtimes, while others somehow found extra energy on the basketball court (I’d love to know where it came from). Then it was lights out—beach vibes all around.

For reference, we studied Psalm 24:1–2, Genesis 2:15, and 1 Corinthians 10:26.

---

Day Two

by Megan Edwards, Upper School Teacher

Another all-Jekyll (no Hyde) kind of day! KP duty began at 7:15, with breakfast at 7:30 to fuel up for a full day of sunshine and fresh air.

The girls started the morning with Coastal Geology, where they conducted studies focused on the horizon. The boys kicked things off with fishing—which, unfortunately, yielded little more than excellent casting practice. Later, our full group came together for the Eco Tour boat trip, where students helped haul in the drag catch. Our guides pointed out some especially interesting finds from the net, including a shrimp that can apparently snap your finger off if it’s angry enough—and judging by his expression, he certainly was.

Once the birds realized this was a catch-and-release operation, our boat became very popular. The students had a great time trying to lure the birds in a bit closer as we cruised along.

Later in the day, we explored Salt Marsh Ecology, and we were all very thankful for our tall boots as we mucked through the marsh. (Though a few managed to find water deeper than their boots were high, and while my right boot did its job of waterproofing, the left leaked like a sieve.) What a diverse and incredible design—the marsh, not the boot! Our instructor referred to the marsh as the “Buc-ee’s of the bird world,” explaining how it serves so many important purposes for both humans and wildlife—another beautiful example of God’s goodness and perfect planning.

Students had the chance to catch fiddler crabs and snails (which mostly involved leaning over and picking them up) and even sample sea pickles (salty!). Green sea pickles are not as salty as the yellow ones, so there was a bit of a race to find the rarer yellow fare. A few brave souls also agreed to have the very “good for the skin” marsh mud applied to their faces and arms.

Afterward, it was the girls’ turn to rendezvous with reptiles. Coach Edwards felt the girls had been unfairly left out of the reptile room yesterday, so he made sure they had their chance today. When I texted to ask where he was and he replied that he had taken the girls to see the reptiles, I responded, “Willingly?” As it turns out—they all loved it. I even posted photo evidence to prove it!

The girls continued their creature encounters by taking their turn at fishing later in the afternoon. Final count: four stingrays caught—and released. Well done, girls!

I’m writing this a bit early today in case our remaining activities leave me too tired to type. After dinner, we’ll head out for a night walk on the beach (perhaps catching a glimpse of whatever is leaving those mysterious footprints in the sand dunes) to experience just how dark it can get on a barrier island. We’ll wrap up the evening with a devotion titled “Creation Reveals the Creator,” followed by a campfire and quiet time before lights out.

These have been very full days, and even with 30-minute breaks before each activity, many of us are starting to feel our energy fade. But there is truly no sleep like the sleep that follows a day at the beach.

P.S. I had to come back and add that the night walk on the dark beach was BEAUTIFUL. God of wonders beyond our galaxy!

---

Day Three

by Megan Edwards, Upper School Teacher

Happy Wednesday!

Today was another opportunity to pause and notice the staggering beauty of the world God allows us to live in and care for. Our devotion last night reminded us that to ignore creation is, in many ways, to ignore aspects of God’s character: the order, creativity, attention to detail, logic, and brilliance. To truly see nature—and each other—is to see reflections of who God is.

This morning, we completed our final two classes with Jekyll 4-H. One focused on orienteering, using compasses and participating in a scavenger hunt. During yesterday’s boat tour, one of the guides mentioned a species of shrimp that can find its burrow even if it is three miles from home. Perhaps the shrimp community secretly attended the 4-H orienteering class—that must be what makes them so skilled!

The second class explored the slough. Students used nets to catch tiny fish, duckweed, snails, and other creatures that call these freshwater ecosystems home. And mud. So much mud. They also assessed the health of the slough by testing turbidity, oxygen saturation, pH, salinity, and temperature, and by examining the types of organisms present. Their conclusion: the Jekyll slough is in good shape.

After lunch, we put our lessons on ecology and environmental stewardship into action by helping clean a nearby marsh threatened by trash tossed from the causeway. Students donned bright orange vests, gloves, and grabbers and got to work removing debris before it could harm the birds and animals that live there. Not going to lie—there were some interesting finds. This gave us a chance to also consider the “caretaking” responsibility we have as part of God’s creation. And also that litter is nasty.

Alligators have been elusive on this trip, so we stopped by Horton’s Pond in hopes of spotting one from the overlook. Sure enough, there one was—clearly enjoying a midday nap, resting his head on a rock and completely uninterested in our paparazzi attempts. The large white egrets, though, didn’t even have to move to look majestic.

Next, we visited one of the most beautiful spots on Jekyll Island: Driftwood Beach. Unfortunately, the bugs tested everyone’s patience, so our stay was brief, but I hope the students managed to capture some great photos to share with you at home.

Dinner was off campus this evening and seemed to be enjoyed by all. We ended the night with a devotion led by Halen, and his message on temptation, along with the Scripture we read together, was both impactful and thoughtfully presented. I was proud of him for asking to take on the challenge of leading and of all of the kiddos who intentionally followed along, took notes, and prayed together. I will be honest—we forgot to ask the students where they saw God today. But I am willing to bet that they would agree that we saw God in each other.

Thank you for getting the waivers turned in. Tomorrow is our last full day on Jekyll, and I’m hoping that when I head out for bed check shortly, all of our little beach boys and girls will be sound asleep, ready for the next adventure. Thank you for sharing them with us.

P.S. Every night I stand in the lobby of the boys’ cabin while Coach Edwards checks to make sure the boys are all there and don’t need anything. Tonight was no different, but when I left through the side door—which I locked behind me—I found myself face to face… well, face to slippers… with an armadillo. He seemed to have no issue with closely sharing the sidewalk with me, but I felt differently. Trapped between this armored critter and the wall, you can bet I beat on that door (there might have also been screeching) until Coach Edwards let me back in. Fortunately, the armadillo finally wandered off the sidewalk into the pine straw so I could make a run for it. Well, I don’t really run, but it was an incentivized speed walk. I kinda prefer my nature from a distance. Yikes!

---

Day Four

by Megan Edwards, Upper School Teacher

There is something special about waking up at the beach to the distant crash of the waves, the salty scent of the air, and—on this particular morning—some of the densest fog we have ever seen. Interestingly, the fog only added to the mystery and beauty of horseback riding along the shoreline.

The girls rode first and proved to be a confident and accomplished group. Each horse had a personality of its own, along with an interesting backstory. Many were retired Amish horses, once used for fieldwork and pulling buggies. One horse had even survived a vicious dog attack years ago without throwing its five-year-old rider. Talk about grace under pressure. Early in their ride, the girls were treated to the sight of a dolphin swimming remarkably close to shore in pursuit of fish. On their return, they encountered a fisherman on the bridge proudly displaying a bucket of blue crabs he had caught using a basket and a raw chicken leg. Who knew crabs liked chicken? Clearly, God is so intentional in His creation of the cycles and rhythms of life.

The boys enjoyed an equally memorable ride, and afterward we headed to downtown Jekyll for lunch and a few hours of exploration. Several girls rented bikes and gleefully zipped around the square, while other students shopped or took time to relax. Our first three days of the trip were extremely busy, so it was nice to sit and just enjoy each other’s company.

Our second community service project may have been a favorite for many of our students. We spent nearly three hours with more than 300 children at the Boys and Girls Club in Brunswick. Even our most reluctant participants jumped in, helping with homework, reading, and playing games with these delightful children in grades K through 5. There was plenty of time spent in the gym, on the playground, at the pool table, and out on the field. It was genuinely difficult to say goodbye when it was time to leave.

Dinner was back in downtown Jekyll, followed by a meaningful devotion led by Cannon. I am incredibly proud of him for stepping up to share a message on trust, and his peers responded thoughtfully and respectfully. We touched on the difficulty of change and how we need to give our concerns over to the Lord. God was clearly at work during this time together, and the students have already begun discussing plans to continue meeting for Bible study moving forward. I truly hope they do.

When asked, “Where did you see God today?” the most common answers were “with the horses” and “with the kids.” For me, the answer was in the spirit of connection among our students during our time of sharing in devotion.

Somehow, after devotion, they managed to convince me to extend outdoor basketball time until 9:45. We eventually returned to the cabins for “quiet time” (ha!) and packing before bed. It was truly a day that nourished our bodies, minds, and souls.

---