When I was in 3rd grade my mom told me I was going to summer camp for 2 weeks. I was nine and obviously did not want to leave home and my parents for 2 weeks, but by the end of the time, I asked to stay longer, and stayed for an extra 2 weeks.
I really believe that ILC– especially the connections to people and activities– has led me to explore who I am and who I want to be. I believe that this camp has made me the person I am today, and I can’t imagine a world without all of the amazing friends I’ve made.
I always knew that camp was important to me, but it was when I sat down to write a speech did I truly see its significance in my life. I saw how all my experiences and explorations at camp has led me to discover my interests and has shaped me for my future. I’ve learned to love trying new things, I’ve learned to be the kindest person I can be, I’ve learned to stay connected with friends, and most important, I’ve learned to feel comfortable with myself and love whatever I do.
Not only is circus a very large portion of my life, but photography too. I feel like I am most known at camp for my circus personality, and now that is the same for outside of camp. Yet, additionally, the other large portion of my life is focused on photography, which I learned at camp. Learning photo there and getting the know what it means to explore art with so many people that are so passionate about it has made me see how important art and photography are to me, and now I plan to study photography in college and my future years following that.
