October 2024:
Last year at Camp Fire Minnesota, we inaugurated our annual Youth Storytelling Contest and invited our campers to submit a work of art sharing how being in nature sparks joy, magic, or growth in their world.
This year, we called on young people to respond to the following prompt: For 100 years, Camp Fire Minnesota has helped guide young people on their journey to self-discovery. What did you discover about yourself during your time at Camp Fire?
We received incredibly thoughtful and creative submissions, and we thank each camper who shared their artwork with us. Of all the participants, our guest judges selected four finalists: one Top Prize Winner and three honorable mentions. Join us in celebrating them below!
“During my time at Camp Fire, I have discovered how much I love sharing myself and my art. This digital painting is one of myself, based off of a photo taken by Kona while on the Camp Fire Adventure trip Week 6 this past summer. I have loved creating this and sharing it with others, I’d love to share it with you, too.” –Rain
HONORABLE MENTION
“Sun Kissed Skin” by Aubree (10th grade)
The calm breeze blows through my hair.
The golden sun kisses my skin.
Laughing graces the area, with no care.
As the water cools my sun kissed skin, I watch the red fish’s fin.
I can’t help but smile as my heart fills with contempt, right as were setting up our tent.
On the car ride home, I look down at my sun kissed skin, the warmth spreads from my heart and pools around me like a dome.
My heart is forever graced with the warmth of camp, even if my sun kissed skin has turned rather pale.
If this was what life could be like all the time, perhaps I’d stop being such a mime.
HONORABLE MENTION
“Moments” by Anonymous – Camp fire was the start of the rest of my life, at least in my eyes. This was my last summer before High School. High School was a bigger world than i’d ever been part of before. One last summer, one last summer to be a complete kid.
Summer camp! Summer camp was something I’ve never done before, something i’ve wanted to do but never had the courage for. I’m older this year, last year being a little kid. I’ll be fine. And it was great! For the first five minutes.
I got top bunk woohoo! Other girls started coming into the cabin and all of the sudden this was real, i’m alone. No parents, no outside world, no nothing. Panic sets in for me at this point. I’ve never been away from home for so long. Will I have fun? Will I make friends? Will I be okay?
A day goes by. I miss my Mom. I miss my room. I miss my home. “You’ll be okay, 4 more days.” I’m surrounded by teenagers. I thought I was cool, now i’m not so sure. I like the girls in my cabin, I like my counselors, so why do I feel so…anxious? Home. Home is familiar. Home is what I need.
Another day goes by. I miss listening to music. I miss fast food. My cool counselor plays music, it’s like my mind was read. Maybe this will be okay? Day 3. I’m comfortable with my cabin mates. I tried things I haven’t before. I like archery. I like hanging out in the basement of the dining hall. I can tell i’ll miss these good moments.
Day 4. Sleeping was not the best last night, it was hot. I got mosquito bites. I love paddle boarding. I love the waterfront. I tried a water trampoline for the first time. The counselors sung a goodbye song. It’s all gone by so fast. I almost shed a tear.
The realization sets in. I’ll never be if the basement of the dining hall messing around with my buddy cabin again, i’ll never be trying to climb up the water trampoline again, i’ll never be paddle boarding with my new friend, i’ll never be messing up at archery and laughing at my aim with some girls I met 3 days ago.
The final night is really when it all happened for me. The music playing in Corona Circle, the moments with people i’d never talked to before that night, saying goodbye to my favorite counselor and favorite friends.
Time doesn’t stop. It’s the final day. We’re all just preparing to leave. It’s bittersweet.
I love this camp. I love these people. I lived life here. No judgement, no cliques, nothing from the world I’m so used to. This is our bubble. This is whatever we make it.
You can make moments can last forever because time never stops. Time will pass anyway. I’ll never experience this exact thing again. And I can’t wait to feel the same next year.
HONORABLE MENTION
“Be the Rainbow in the Rain” by Charlotte (5th grade)
Fun done, trees blowing.
awesome staff, climbing, growing.
night time walks, this is summer at Camp Fire.
Everyone, everywhere, having fun year round.
Camping, sleeping, swimming, eating,
this is summer at Camp Fire.
Thank you to our guest judges, Sam McHugh (Camper and Junior Counselor), Paget Pengelly (Board Member), and Rep. Lucy Rehm (Camp Fire Parent and District 48B Representative)!
Interested in sharing your story with us? Keep an eye out for next year’s Youth Storytelling Contest towards the end of summer 2025!