A Trip Planning Guide for Teachers
GENERAL INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS & PARENTS

Contents

What to pack

• Pillow and sleeping bag or twin size sheets and covers (No linens or pillows provided)
• Towels & washcloths
• Toiletries (shampoo, soap, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.)
• Daily change of clothing (Some days you may need two or three)
• Bag or basket to carry supplies from the cabin to the bathhouse
• Old shirts & jeans (for ropes courses)
• Jacket or sweatshirt (for cool mornings and nights)
• Rain gear (classes continue regardless of the weather)
• Shoes (Some to keep dry and some that can get wet):
  Note: Wearing wet socks, shoes or sandals all day causes blisters.
• Sun block
• Plastic garbage bag (for wet clothes)
• Water bottle

What not to pack

• Chewing gum
• Flip-flops or any sandals without a heel strap (except for showering)
• New or nice clothes

GEORGIA 4-H STATEMENT REGARDING CONSUMER ELECTRONICS:
Youth participating in 4-H programs are to leave video and music players, computers, televisions and video games at home unless authorized by and used under direct supervision of a chaperone. Youth are discouraged from using cell phones and pagers at 4-H centers. No programs are to be disturbed or interrupted with personal electronic equipment. Do not bring skates, roller blades, bicycles, laser pointers or other personal items that would make safety an issue. Safety and damage or loss of expensive items is the concern.

Note: Wahsega 4-H Center is not responsible for lost or stolen items.

Our location
Wahsega 4-H Center is 12 miles north of downtown Dahlonega, Georgia. We are on Forest Service Road 28 one mile from Camp Wahsega Road and the entrance to Frank D. Merrill Army Ranger Camp. The center is in a valley shared by Ward Creek on property owned by the University of Georgia in the Chattahoochee National Forest.

No housekeeping service
CLEANLINESS IS THE STUDENTS’ RESPONSIBILITY
There is no cleaning service for the bathhouses or cabins. It is the responsibility of the students to keep bathhouses and cabins tidy.

KEEP UP WITH YOUR OWN BELONGINGS
You will share the bathhouses with other schools. Please be considerate of them and keep the bathhouses clean. Each time you leave the bathhouse, carry your own dirty or wet clothes and towels as well as soap, shampoo and other toiletries with you.

Kitchen Patrol
KP duties in the dining hall consist of setting tables and acting as a server while others eat. When the meal is over, students serving on KP help the kitchen staff clean up by clearing tables, drying bowls and silverware and sweeping and mopping the dining area. Those assigned to KP duty arrive at the dining hall before the meal starts and are the last to leave at the end of the meal. KP duty is assigned on a rotation basis. Adults are expected to chaperone students serving on KP.

Bathhouse cleaning
Students clean the bathhouses at the end of the session. About 8 students plus one adult will be assigned to clean the bathhouse on Wednesday or Friday morning.

Cabin cleaning
Students will clean the cabins before breakfast on the last day of their session. Wahsega Staff members will check cabins for cleanliness and let the adults in each cabin know if their cabin passes inspection.

Trash and recycling
Throw trash in a trashcan and recycle plastic bottles. Students who are not assigned to bathhouse cleanup will help with grounds cleanup on the last day before leaving.

Bring a pillow & sleeping bag or twin size sheets & covers
Pillows and sheets are not provided for guests. Bring a pillow and sleeping bag or twin sheets and adequate covers for the bunk beds. Cabins are not heated, but a blanket is available on every bed if needed.

Do not forget toiletries
Towels, washcloths, soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant and other toiletries are not provided. Some of these products may be available for purchase in the canteen.

Money for the canteen
We sell a selection of souvenirs, clothing and snacks in the canteen. Soft drinks are available in vending machines on the outside of the canteen building.

Do not plan to wear sandals without a heel strap
Sandals with no heel strap are not allowed at Wahsega. To prevent injury, you must wear shoes that will stay on your feet.

Bring old clothes & shoes
Bring old clothes and shoes that can get dirty. Bring old shoes for attendance in the Stream Ecology class.

First Aid
Wahsega’s First Aid Station is on the right at the end of the hall in the Canteen Building. It has Ace bandages, band-aids, water and soap. We are not authorized to stock or dispense other supplies or medications. A nurse is not on duty. We will help teachers get emergency medical treatment at the hospital in Dahlonega if necessary.

Medication
If a child is taking any medication, the medication must be left with a teacher who will oversee its use. A refrigerator is available in our First Aid Station or in the Pavilion 4 kitchen for refrigerated medication.

Rules For Students

1. A raised hand indicates that it is time to be quiet.
2. Shoes must be worn at all times even if they are wet.
3. No swimming.
4. No throwing rocks.
5. No chewing gum.
6. No skipping rocks on the pond.
7. Phones may not be used.
8. Do not leave your money in the cabin.
9. Never enter a cabin other than the one you are assigned to.
10. Do not harass the water snakes living alongside the stream.
11. Hurry to your group meeting area when the bell rings for class.
12. No food or drink in the cabins.
13. Do not throw trash on the ground.
14. Curfew is 11:00 p.m. (or earlier according to school rules).
15. Never walk down a trail or go off into the forest except during supervised class times.
16. Do not go beyond the deck near the waterfalls except with adult supervision.
17. Do not climb on the Climbing Wall except during supervised class times.
18. Follow any other rules set by your teachers.

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