When people hear "camp", most think of a place that little kids go-to for just a fun summertime. They think it is just a place kids go to be sent off and do summer activities. What they do not think of is a leadership camp in small-town Oklahoma that high school kids go to. The camp where kids walk in as just students and leave as empowered leaders; a camp where kids learn that they can be themselves and still deserve love and praise; a camp that changes lives forever.
I went to a camp called RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) as a camper in 2016 and I did not expect anything out of it; I did not even want to go. I thought I would hate it. It was also the first camp I have ever been to. When I came to the camp, I was in an extremely dark place. I had just lost my Papa the November before, and I never thought things would feel okay again. My counselors however, kept trying to break my walls down and showed me so much love and encouragement. I felt more love and encouragement from everyone at the camp than I had in years. Surely enough, throughout the course of a week, my entire perspective on life and myself changed. I felt like a weight that I had been allowing to hold me back had been lifted off of my chest. This camp changed the course of my life and helped me become the person I am today.
After my camper year, I decided I could not get enough of RYLA and that I had to go back. I have gone back every year since because I believe in what the camp is about and have seen first hand what it does for the people who come in and out of it. I wanted to give the future campers what I experienced. I returned to help give back to the campers. Every year I have seen the RYLA magic (seriously this camp is literally magic) happen and have learned more about myself. Being a counselor and seeing the way the camp changed the lives of my campers has been even better than even my experience during my camper year. I love every second I spend at camp and think people should experience it more. Camp is a safe haven for you to be yourself and feel loved.
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