By Jackie Yoselevich

Start by lining up on the center of the hockey rink. Close your eyes as I read a few statements out loud. If the statement applies to you, please take one step forward. If the statement does not apply to you, please take one step backward. 

Statement 1: I had fun at the Iron Pigs game.

Statement 2: I love being at camp.

Statement 3: Camp has lots of different people.

Statement 4: Sometimes I feel hurt by the things people say to me.

Statement 5: Sometimes I say things that are hurtful to other people.

Statement 6: I want to and I know that I can be better.

Please open your eyes and look around. Thank you for your openness with your answers. I would like to point out that everyone is at a different point in the line. What do you think that shows us?

That we are all different.

That is true. Everyone is different, but something that brings us all together was our response to the last question. Every single person stepped forward for the last statement. We are all different, but we all want to be the best that we can be. That is the beauty of camp. We can all figure out how to be the best versions of ourselves. 

Yes, we are all different. We like different foods, enjoy different sports, and have different interests in life. In life and at camp, our differences can make it hard for people to work together, to get along with each other, or find the similarities between each other. Tonight we have seen that we all want to grow into our best possible self. We can continue to have our differences, but they don’t make us different or have to tear us apart. They become a part of the glue that holds our bunk together. Our differences are our strengths, and we can use those strengths to help others find the confidence in themselves. We can be different and still respect each other. We can laugh, play, and be ourselves while being respectful and caring to each of us. We are a bunk, we are different, and we won’t let that tear us apart. Let’s make this summer our best one yet.

Jackie Yoselevich will be a junior this fall at Ithaca College where she is a Legal Studies Major. Her passion  for Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) has helped her to plan a haircutting fundraiser on campus to raise money and hair donations to help cure cancer and make wigs for cancer survivors. This summer she will be an Assistant Unit Head. This is Jackie’s  8th summer at camp.