Rita is not the best at anything. Not tennis, not archery, not swimming. She’s too nervous to try waterskiing, during the soccer game she’s daydreaming, and she has trouble paddling in sync with her fellow canoer. Rita can’t find her towels – one of them was dropped on the way to the waterfront and the other, well, your guess is as good as mine. She needs more than a few reminders to make her bed and clear the table.
Camp Jeanne d’Arc is a Place for Girls Like Rita
Okay, so Rita is not a real camper. But I will tell you this: Camp Jeanne d’Arc welcomes kids just like her every summer. The girls who take time to warm up, who don’t always want to participate, who never shoot a bull’s eye, have trouble keeping her trunk organized.
But sometimes these same campers are the ones who offer to run all the way to the Hearth from the Chalet Lawn to refill her thirsty friend’s water bottle. Or the one who, in the comfort of her cabin group, contributed her idea for the Cardinal cabin chant. She might have created a cool bird sculpture for the Art Show. And the real kicker … when the candy cart came along, she let her friend have the last Nerds Gummy Clusters.
Realizing her Potential and Finding her Voice
And I am willing to bet that when “Rita” comes back next summer, she’ll be ready. Ready to try paddleboarding. Ready to go on an overnight at Camp Cormier. She might join the play. By year three, there’s a good chance that she will give a morning talk to the whole camp or go for junior mountaineering club. And you wouldn’t believe me if I told you that this same camper, during her fifth summer at camp, becomes one of the leaders. The one who raises her fellow campers up, who leads the traditions, who is recognized for her camp spirit. Because it’s kids like Rita who need camp the most – who benefit from the community of strong girls to help her realize her potential and find her voice.
She’s on her Way!
So for now, we’ll give Rita plenty of time to look at the clouds and figure out how to keep track of her towel. She’s on her way to becoming a more full, confident, and strong version of herself!