HANCOCK — Camp Nesbit Director Jen Beaudette reported 2018’s camp experience to the Copper Country Intermediate School District Board on Tuesday night.

“Smokey the Bear comes,” Beaudette said.

The camp, which happens the third week of June, is for current and former students of special education programs with moderate cognitive impairment. The youngest campers are 12 years old and this year the eldest was 69. This year marks the camp’s 40th year in operation.

Camp Nesbit, which is deep in the Ottawa National Forest, offers campers the chance to experience more independence, form new relationships, and get outside.

“You’re pretty unplugged,” Beaudette said.

Along with Smokey came the Ottawa Forest Service rangers with their fire engines to teach campers about fire safety and the other work they do in the forest. The campers get to ask questions and even spray a fire hose. The same rangers come year after year.

“They form a bond with those firefighters,” Beaudette said.

Campers this year also got to spend time on the beach, meet and eat lunch with a Michigan State Police trooper, participate in arts and crafts as well as listen to musical entertainment like guitarists and finnish dancers.

The camp is staffed by two special education teachers, a nurse, a lifeguard and counselors. The number of counselors depends on the needs of campers. Some counselors are responsible for two to three campers, some will be one-on-one, according to Beaudette.

Board Vice President Nels Christopherson remembered his kids talking about how they enjoyed working at the camp as counselors.

After Beaudette’s presentation, the meeting continued with the nomination and election of new officers. The board voted unanimously to keep trustees in their current positions.

“It’s been working so we can stick with it,” Secretary Karen Johnson said.

The board also confirmed their meeting schedule to remain the same, as well the legal council, financial institutions, authorized designees, and board delegates, with the exception of Dale Kero being added as alternate for the Michigan Association of School Boards.

The superintendent also briefly discussed the passage of HB 4069, which lowers the requirements for substitute teaching.

“That should help us this coming school year to have more people eligible to be substitute teachers,” Superintendent George Stockero said.