HIGH SPRINGS — More than 170 kids from age 7 to 17 enjoyed a week away from their daily lives for a week of fun, friends and adventure at the Seminole Tribe’s annual visit to Camp Kulaqua from July 29 to Aug. 2.

The event was organized by Seminole Recreation. The camp is nestled on about 600 acres of lush forest, open fields and rolling hills 20 miles northwest of Gainesville in High Springs. The camp schedule focused on fitness, sports and team building activities, which made for an active week and engaging week.

The kids lived in cabins with peers, some who they already knew and others who became new friends. Together, they learned to get along without having parents around.

“Camp is a good opportunity for the youth to grow, especially if they haven’t been away from home before,” said assistant camp director and Big Cypress Boys & Girls Club manager Vera Herrera. “They had a blast doing all sorts of challenges, both mental and physical.”

There were more teens than youth at camp this year, 91 teens compared to 80 in the 7 to 11 age range. But the enthusiasm both groups showed for camp was the same; high energy and upbeat.

Even between activities, the kids picked up balls and had their own impromptu games and ran from place to place.

Highlights of the week included horseback riding, a zip line, the always exciting box car race, Wacky Wednesday, Hornsby Spring and the infamous blob, tubing on the Ichetucknee River and, for the first time, the amazing race scavenger hunt.