6th Grade Camp Experience

The 6th-grade outdoor education program at Clinton Middle School has been a cornerstone of the curriculum for over 50 years. While Camp Upham Woods (located north of Wisconsin Dells) is the current long-standing site for this tradition. Starting in 1959, Clinton students originally attended Camp Wakanda on the north shore of Lake Mendota before transitioning to the Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center in 1963.

Key Historical Milestones

Program Longevity- The annual 6th-grade trip has taken place for more than five decades, with many current teachers having attended the camp themselves as Clinton students.
Establishment of Upham Woods- The site itself was founded in 1941 when sisters Elizabeth Upham Davis and Caroline Upham Keene donated 310 acres to the University of Wisconsin to be used as an "outdoor laboratory".
Curriculum Evolution- Originally a more traditional camping experience, the program has evolved into a rigorous five-day academic residency. It now integrates state and national standards across subjects including botany, astronomy, geology, and physics.
Winter Weather at Upham Woods- In 1997 and 2001 the sixth grade campers went in March, and to their surprise there was snow making for a unique camping expierence.
Recent History: After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Clinton students were the first group to return to Upham Woods in the spring of 2022.

Core Activities & Traditions

Blackhawk Island- Students traditionally hike through this 210-acre state natural area, which was part of the original Upham land donation.
"The Cookie Press-" A well-known tradition involves students navigating a narrow sandstone cave passage known as the "cookie press" during their cave hikes.
Skill Building- The program emphasizes team-building and outdoor skills such as canoeing, campfire building, and night hiking.

Preservation Efforts

The Clinton Community Historical Society actively preserves the program's history at the Cobblestone House. They collect camp booklets, photographs, and memorabilia, with documented records dating back to at least 1960.

"... to maintain Blackhawk Island in an unmanipulated condition, preserving it in an as natural a series of successions as possible in order to preserve its unique character and vegetation and in order to stimulate in Wisconsin youth an appreciation for nature and things natural. " (University of Wisconsin Scientists, 1959).

Camp Upham Woods (Map Pictured Right)
History- Upham Woods is a gift to the youth of Wisconsin by Mrs. Carl Davis (Elizabeth Upham) of Florida and Mrs. Alden Keene (Caroline Upham) of Delaware in memory of their parents, Horace J. and Mary Greene Upham. Horace Upham purchased the property shortly before the construction of the Wisconsin Dells Dam in 1907. Camp Upham woods is a 320 acre piece of land which includes Blackhawk Island. It has been the spot for sixth grade campers for over 50 years, and today it still is. The layout of Camp Upham Woods includes 14 buildings and offers lodgings and meals for about 140 people.

Blackhawk Island (Map Pictured Left)
History- Blackhawk Island is 250 aces, and all the camp property which is owned by the state in conjunction with University of Wisconsin, is a wild life refuge. The Island is also designated as one of Wisconsin's state scientific areas. The reason why it is called Blackhawk island is because several places were named for Blackhawk following the disgraceful "Blackhawk War" episode. Blackhawk and Keokuh were chiefs of the Sac-Fox in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois, but this land was occupied by the Winnebago Indians.

Camp Wakanda (Map Pictured Right)
History- Camp Wakanda started in 1921-1922 as an all boys camp. Originally, this 22 acre piece of land was gifted by the Olbrich family to the YMCA of Dane county but, In 1972, when the camp closed, it became a part of Governor Nelson State Park. Clinton sixth graders attended this camp as the first camping experience from about 1959 to 1962 before transferring to Camp Upham Woods in 1963. Although Clinton Sixth graders no longer attend this camp, the YMCA of Dane county still hosts summer camps inclusive of boys and girls with numerous activities.

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