At Miniwanca, campers are encouraged to be their own self, at their very best, all the time, and this process begins with building community. Creating a space for youth to feel supported to be their own self begins by acknowledging that each person at Miniwanca is working to grow each day.

This summer, the community at Miniwanca has worked to define what it means to trust others, and what it looks like to practice trusting your own self. During Something Sacred, a period of group reflection, campers discussed the importance of trust.

One of the standout points from this group think was that in order to trust someone, that person must make you feel accepted and respected. This lesson was quickly put into practice as campers joined together to sing campfire songs and share laughter. 

Following Something Sacred, campers were set to spend the day together at the historic Well Site on the outskirts of East Camp. Unfortunately, a rainy weather forecast required a change of plans.

The hike was postponed for a later date, and programming redirected toward the Activity Center. Here, campers challenged staff members to games of dodgeball, basketball and trivia. 

Campers who were more interested in participating in quieter activities moved into a breakout room in the Activity Center to play cards or read books. Some campers even learned how to strum a few guitar chords.

The day wrapped up with a game of Animal Crossing, where leaders dressed like animals and dispersed throughout camp for the campers to find. Upon finding their leaders, campers had to convince them to come back to Bryant Field in order to earn a point for their quad. 

The days ahead at Miniwanca are looking much brighter now that the rain has passed, and the community is together as one.