In the end, they had fun and they walked away a little more sure of themselves, a little more confident in what they were capable of completing. But as the competitions began, as the friendships formed, and as the laughter increased, the fear of what was to come subsided and the excitement built. They were terrified of Final Night when they had to do coordinated dances as part of a larger group. Sure there have been years when my kids weren’t so excited for the start of Color War. The students, no matter their ages, become part of a larger family. It’s one of things that makes our school unique. I watch our third and fourth graders sing Shabbat songs in an enormous circle with all the “big” kids, fully accepted as part of the team. As they watch the older kids, they’re seeing first-hand what it means to be a team player and a leader. This week I’ve seen the Lower Division kids watch Tug o’ War and sporting events, skits and divrei Torah. Where else can you hear fourth and fifth graders yelling with true excitement in the hallways of their building, “I’m on Team Red!” or “I have friends on my team!” That’s community building. Where else can a group of students perform a comical school skit in front of all their peers immediately followed by a serious d’var Torah delivered by an individual student? It takes a true team to make that happen. Where else would you see a senior helping and encouraging a sixth grader? Yes, that happens here, and it shows leadership. All the kids come together not just for their school, but for each other. But where other schools, high school in particular, may have homecoming week where students can feel invested in their school spirit, Color War at Denver JDS is a family affair. It’s noisy, it’s untraditional, and it’s without a doubt an exhausting week for the kids (and some of the parents, too). True, Color War may not be for every child. Students are divided into two teams and compete for points the entire week. It incorporates academic, athletic, artistic, and Judaic components for the entire Upper Division, with opportunities for our Lower Division kids to take part in some of the activities. Each kid is being allowed to shine in his or her own way whether it’s winning points for his or her team through a board game, academic competition, a skit, a dance or some other performance or activity.Īt our school, Color War is a unique, week-long tradition that takes place each spring. It’s not that kids are rooting against each other, they’re rooting for one another. What I’m seeing is teamwork and excitement and the building of community. It was too hard to imagine my then 5-year-old being able to stay up past 8 p.m., much less be as big as all the “big kids.”īut it makes sense now. Just wait until your kids are old enough to be a part of it!” I really didn’t get it then. I had friends with older kids here tell me, “Color War is awesome. When my oldest, now 15, was in kindergarten I had no idea what Color War was or why the entire Upper Division got so excited about it. As someone who’s worked at the school for the past two Color Wars, I’ve been able to see and experience much of the behind-the-scenes action, and I’ve been able to see it through the eyes of my colleagues, the students, and my own kids. But I’m a parent here, too, with three kids in grades four, seven and nine - all of whom have been here since kindergarten. I’m the marketing coordinator at Denver JDS, so yes, maybe I’m a bit biased about the benefits of Color War. Teen campers taking part in our Color War Weekend Sessions will transition from our Teen Camp program into either our Aspiring Leaders (AL) or Leaders In Training (LIT) programs.By Malena Jackson, Denver Jewish Day School Marketing Coordinator and parent To take advantage of this opportunity please register for the consecutive sessions and weekend session in between the two. Check out for 8-day session camper will take place Sunday 1–2pm at Y Camp. Transportation Note: If you elect to extend to an 8-day session you must provide transportation home to your camper. During Color War Weekend Sessions, campers stay in cabins with Camp staff and experience unique activities, challenges, and excursions only offered during these special weekends. New this year, Y Camp offers Color War Weekend Sessions to combine two consecutive weeks of camp! Color War Weekend Sessions allow campers to relax and refuel in preparation for their next fun-filled week of Y Camp. Would you like to extend your camper’s experience? Extend 6 days of camp to 8 days or 2 weeks!
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