CHRIS CODUTO / Arizona Daily Wildcat UA student camp-counselors and about 60 Tucson children spent Friday getting acquainted during last weekend's Camp Wildcat at the Southern Pines Baptist Camp atop Mount Lemmon. Camp Wildcat is a volunteer organization managed by UA students that provides a variety of activities for underprivileged children.

Underprivileged children from a local elementary school experienced the outdoors this weekend on a camping trip with UA students and Camp Wildcat.

Camp Wildcat, a volunteer student-run organization that hosts weekend camping trips and various activities for underprivileged children, took about 60 fourth- and fifth-graders from Menlo Park Elementary School, 1100 W. Fresno St., to Southern Pines Baptist Camp on Mount Lemmon for fun in the mountains.

The children arrived on busses and began their trek up the winding roads to the top of the mountain.

Once at the top, Camp Wildcat directors Erica Koltenuk, an undeclared sophomore, and Julie Fenn, an undeclared sophomore, announced the groups and cabins.

After choosing beds and getting changed into warm clothes, one group run by Christi Gerstle, a creative writing senior, went outside to share their "unity item," that each member of the group had to show everyone at the camp.

Their item was a yellow lanyard necklace with happy faces and a small roller blade that hung from their necklace.

Inspired by their necklaces with happy faces, the group decided to name themselves "The Happy Wildcats."

To learn everyone's names, The Happy Wildcats played a game where each person said their name and what item they brought to camp that started with the same letter as their first name.

In the middle of their game, snow started to fall and many of the children who had never seen snow before grew very excited trying to catch snowflakes on their tongues and eyelashes.

The dinner bell rang and it was music to each of the hungry children's ears as they all ran down the hills toward the kitchen. Each group raced to their tables and waited until they were called to get in line for sloppy joes.

Many of the children had never been to camp before or even up on Mount Lemmon, others who had said what they enjoyed the most about camp was "getting away from the fast food and some family members."

One camper said she really enjoyed being in nature and the peacefulness of the mountains. Nighttime activities included stargazing and telescopes for everyone to see the stars and the moon.

Many of the students who participate in Camp Wildcat do it because they find it rewarding to become involved with underprivileged children, Gerstle said.

"You can look into their eyes and see that they are having a wonderful time because we are spending time with them," Gerstle said. "They are having so much fun, and I'm so glad that I can be a part of that. I do Camp Wildcat because I want to make a difference."

Clayton Clark, an aerospace engineer and Camp Wildcat counselor, said he volunteers because he likes working with kids in the outdoors and feels the experience makes a difference in their lives.

"It's really fun to work with kids and Camp Wildcat allows you to be a kid for a weekend," Clark said. "I like to give back to the community. All the kids are impressionable, and it feels good to help those are underprivileged."

Camp Wildcat is also somewhat of a training ground for students who want to work with kids after graduation, said Bryan Getchell, a secretary for Camp Wildcat and an education senior.

Gerstle, who wants to eventually become a teacher, said Camp Wildcat has taught her how to deal with different kinds of children and has given her a chance to experience being a role model.