What is seen as the dream summer camp experience has grown sizably among students at West Springfield High School.
Young Life is a Christian youth camp dedicated to strengthening your relationship with God while gaining healthy relationships with others, but most importantly, having fun along the way.
“Young Life holds a really important place in my heart, a lot of my life has changed since I joined. It has helped me become a better Christian and better person in general,” said junior Agustin Cubillos.
To some, Young Life is seen as a ‘second home’, due to its overall welcoming environment and community. Providing a new perspective on life, Young Life has especially touched the heart of senior Juri Pina.
“It’s hard to find where you belong in school sometimes, there’s clubs and sports, but Young Life offers a feeling of uncritical satisfaction,” said Pina.
However, the summer camp was not at its peak of popularity when it was first introduced to junior Vivian Bauer.
“I remember Young Life from when it was only 20 people, and I can say I’m so happy such a safe place becoming so big in our school. Any and all are welcome,” said Bauer.
Campaigners have been a key factor when it comes to the growth of Young Life, being small gatherings between the community to play games, have bible study, listen to leaders talk and discuss announcements.
“I ended up going to campaigners twice before signing up for the Young Life summer camp at Rockbridge. The people there helped me get more involved, everyone is very welcoming because they want you to feel welcome. I felt really included in things,” said Cubillos.
Alongside campaigners, social media and previous connections grabbed the attention of many, including junior Maddie McCroskey.
“I first saw Young Life on Instagram, and had a lot of friends involved already, so I thought ‘why not try it out?'” said McCroskey.
What began as a scroll on McCroskey’s phone opened up opportunities for new experiences and connections that created memories of a lifetime.
“Summer camp provided so many activities, and being with school friends outside of a school environment made it really fun. Being able to stay align while enjoying yourself is very empowering,” said McCroskey.
Bauer shares that same passion, being very grateful for the openings Young Life provided.
“[Young Life] became a place outside of school to socialize and meet so many new people. I owe many of my closest friendships to summer camp,” said Bauer.
Another opportunity Young Life provides is the ability to relate to others on a more personal level, specifically away from technology.
“To me, Young Life allowed me to connect with my friends so much more than I had previously, despite knowing these friends for a while,” said senior Vincent Jackson.
When the seasons change and summer camp becomes memories in the past, Young Life doesn’t let the weather stop their fun. A two-day Winter Weekend is offered to keep the community together throughout the colder months,
“My friends motivated me to go, so I went to Winter Weekend and it was so much fun,” said junior Alexa Harvey.
Winter Weekend was made for the purpose of drawing in students who want to reconnect outside of summer, thriving on shared excitement for the upcoming events Young Life has to offer.
“I believe everyone should sign up for Winter Weekend, it’s not too different from summer camp, and it’s coming up soon in December this year,” said Cubillos.
As the students of West Springfield say goodbye to summer camp and hello to Winter Weekend, Young Life continues to provide opportunities to gather, participate in activities, and build strong connections among peers.
