Summer Memories

As the sun sets on summer and we welcome a new school year, I asked some of our environmental education fellows to share a single memorable moment from our summer camp programs. Included below are just a few of the highlights of a summer filled with laughter, adventure, learning, and memories that will last a lifetime. 

Calvin: One of my favorite moments from summer camp was watching the variety of emotions when campers participated in our insect show and tell. Jim Louderman, an entomologist from the Field Museum in Chicago, brought living and preserved specimens from across the world to our camp and gave kids the chance to hold some of the insects from his collection. The room was always filled with excitement, curiosity, wonder, and surprise and the range of facial expressions was fun to watch. Despite many campers having a previous dislike of bugs, the majority of our campers came away from the experience talking about how cool insects can be.

Hope: At the end of every week of camp, the trail groups have a brief reflection time to talk about what we did at camp and our "roses, buds, and thorns" of the week. One of the quieter campers in my group said that their "rose" -- their favorite part of the week -- was learning how to open up and make new friends that they didn't expect to make. This moment warmed my heart and reminded me of how formative camp can be in helping kids develop confidence and make friends.

Kate: During teen camp, we gave campers the opportunity to pick their own adventure. Campers were asked to rank their preference of the following activities: fishing/kayaking, nature photography, a 5 mile hike at Cowles Bog, insect investigations and research, and arts/crafts. Unfortunately, one of my students wasn’t selected for any of their top preferences and ended up being placed into the photography group. Although initially disappointed and disinterested, they quickly realized that nature photography was similar to liminal photography, a topic they were much more interested in. Watching them go from the least excited student in the group to one of the most engaged and passionate students was satisfying and rewarding. 

Alex Butina: During the summer, one of our most anticipated activities is spending a day at West Beach. Unfortunately, we had to cancel a beach party one week when the air quality alert was in place from the Canadian wildfires. The campers were understandably disappointed about the situation and our staff had to come up with alternative plans at the last second. It was a challenge to adjust and adapt, but I was impressed with how our campers were able to turn lemons into lemonade and still get the most out of the day. 

Margo: My summer highlight comes from teen camp, when the campers were divided into small groups and given several tasks to complete in order to earn pieces to a map that would lead to the legendary Sandsquatch. One of the tasks was to build a fire tall enough to reach and burn a piece of string nearly 2 feet above the ground. To add to the challenge, the rain started to come down during the activity. My group struggled to build the fire, but each failed attempt made them more determined to make it work. The sense of accomplishment and pride when they finally succeeded, after nearly 30 minutes of failure, was incredible.

Lauren: On one of the hottest days of the summer, I was leading a group of campers on a 5 mile hike at Cowles Bog. In the middle of the hike, we have to climb several dunes and my students were doubtful that we’d be able to handle the task. We took it slow and stopped many times, sharing many words of encouragement. We were only halfway up the dune and it was clear that energy and morale were nearly gone. At this point, one camper reached out to their trailmate behind them, looked them in the eye, and said, “We will finish this together.” Those words gave me the motivation to finish the steep climb and filled me with a new sense of confidence in the young generation.  

Alex Burdsall: One of my favorite experiences from this summer was getting the chance to see a beehive up close for the first time! Our summer camp theme was insects, and having actual beehives on site was a wonderful way to teach campers about our pollinator pals. Every person that visited the hives wore a special bee suit for protection, which allowed us to get a closer look at the intricate structure of a hive. We learned about the different roles each bee has within the hive, how bees communicate through the “waggle dance”, and why bees are an important part of the ecosystem. As the summer comes to an end, I’m looking forward to even more new adventures and experiences around the Indiana Dunes!

Hannah: This summer only confirmed the idea in my mind that there is something magical about being around a large body of water. There were several kids during our summer camps that didn't seem to enjoy anything we were doing. It being my first year, I thought "maybe camp just isn't made for them." One camper in particular sticks out in my mind: they were overwhelmed and anxious throughout the week. During our weekly trip to West Beach, I was on the lookout for them, hoping they were enjoying themselves. I almost didn't recognize them with their beaming smile and beautiful, carefree laugh as they splashed through the water. This was the first time at camp I saw a kid completely transform. Something about the water was able to wash this camper's stress and anxieties away. It reminded me why we are doing this day after day - kids need to create memories in these spaces so that they want to protect them in the years to come.

DLC Staff

September 2023