As part of OUTLOOK’s recent photo/essay contest, Mid-America youth (ages 10-16) were asked to describe how a past camp experience impacted their lives. Participants were also asked to submit up to three photos to accompany their essays. The grand prize: a free week at any Mid-America Union-sponsored camp. The first, second and third place winners were also published in the May 2014 issue of OUTLOOK.
The winners, honorable mentions and other entries are featured below. Click the “next” or “previous” buttons to navigate between entries.
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Third Place Winner: August Black
Attending Broken Arrow Ranch my first year, I was surrounded by a group of people I had never met. I was worried if I would be able to make friends.
As I moved through the registration tables, all the staff had a smile on their face, which made me feel welcome. Once I completed registration I headed up to my cabin, selected a bunk and deposited my luggage. Then I ran down to the pool.
Just as I have jumped into the pool for three years now, I have been immersed into a pool of friends from the Kansas-Nebraska Conference and even one from Texas. I have been able to meet them again at conference events, Pathfinders and Teen Ministries.
A few weeks after camp, I was texting one of my friends and we were surprised to find out that she was the daughter of my mom’s friend from when she went to camp! I met another good friend at camp. Amazingly, our birthdays were one day apart! I have superb memories of racing around the track in a go-cart, riding the horses, jet skiing, and tubing. Despite my food allergies, I enjoyed three excellent meals a day, thanks to a great cook.
I would highly recommend that everyone go to camp. You get to spend time with kids your age, having more of a blast then you would at an amusement park and this lasts all week. To me, it was worth it to go to camp so much that I mowed yards to earn the money. I may write to you about my experience, but the only way to realize your own adventure would be to go to camp yourself.
