Share Your AYF Story

I believe that people should support the AYF, because this place is special. How many other places exist for the sole purpose of empowering the youth to become their best selves?

I'll always remember ... my first cabin of campers came in. It was some of their first years. They were all pretty nervous about making friends and everything. By the end of the week, they were all writing each other's emails and phone numbers down.

At camp, I learned a lot about self-control—how to balance my ADHD, when to let it shine during playtime, and how to manage it when I needed to focus. But the most important part of camp was the time spent with my friends.

The thing I'll remember most about camp is all the people and the community that they built here.

"The most important lesson I’ve learned at camp is how to work with people of all ages. There’s so much to learn from the campers and from the staff. It’s incredible to see the campers embrace the freedom to be themselves. That’s one of the biggest reasons I keep coming back to Miniwanca."

What Miniwanca provides is a chance for reflection: Who are you? Who do you want to be?

"People should support the AYF because there are very few places on Earth that provide an intentional community where the motto, My own self, at my very best, all the time, is truly lived out."

"Something I’ll always remember is one of our last nights on the trail. We were boiling water for dessert, waiting for it to boil while it was pouring rain. All of us were huddled under a rainfly, singing songs together. It was such a special moment for me, and I’ll never forget it."

"’ll always remember when me and all my cabinmates met this 63-year-old thru hiker on trail. He told us about his childhood and how he grew up in Italy. He went to the summer camp just like this. It was such an amazing memory. I cried. It was awesome."

"The things I will never forget about being at camp include the singing. The beautiful harmonizing that happens in these spaces is truly special. It's not just specific memories; it's more about the feeling I have when I'm here—walking through the woods, sand under my feet at the beach, and experiencing the love that people show each other in their interactions."

"I think the American Youth Foundation is helping to build a stronger country and a stronger world. If you want to come and feel loved and like you belong, come here."

"I remember after her first year, when she came home, she was just a better person—more confident, surer of herself. She was simply a better person, and I think it was because of Camp Miniwanca."

"Two of my most treasured memories come from one night after working, when Dr. Benjamin May, who was a mentor to Martin Luther King Jr., sat down and talked with me about life. ... His perspective on life was very useful to me, and I found that his views weren’t that far apart from mine."

"The most important thing I’ve learned in my ten-plus years here, both as a camper and as staff, is gratitude."

"One thing I'll always remember about camp is the sense of belonging that I found here."

It was the best experience of my entire life—also the hardest. Our group became so close, and there were many obstacles along the way. I learned that no matter what, I can do anything with my group and for myself. It was the most amazing experience of my life, and I’m thankful for it.

If I could give advice to a future camper, it would be to take time to let the lessons we experience here sink in. We often talk about our motto, “my own self at my very best,” and while it may not always resonate perfectly, I believe that if you truly reflect on it and strive to be your best, you can excel and grow tremendously. Take time to appreciate the lessons and the people around you, and you will soar.

We embarked on a long canoe trip in Canada, an incredible and life-changing experience for me. During that first week at camp, I was deeply impressed by the philosophy of the camp and its Four Fold philosophy of balanced living. That is what has stuck with me the most and left a lasting impression.