Teachers Life sent two students to Me to We’s Take Action Camp this summer!
In the spring we took applications from Ontario students aged 9-18 for two scholarships for a week at Me to We’s Take Action Camp. Our winners were the amazing 17 year-old Jathusha Mahrenthirarajan and the delightful 12 year-old Falak Somani!
Teachers Life staff were so happy to hear that the campers had an inspiring time and we are thrilled to share with Members letters from both girls about this unique summer camp experience.
Read Jathusha’s letter:
With the generous scholarship from Teachers Life, I was able to do the two-week L.I.T (Leader In Training) program at Me to We’s T.A.C (Take Action Camp) this summer. T.A.C is a home like no other for youth who are passionate to the core about “being the change they wish to see in the world”.
These two weeks, I have believed in something greater than myself and my spark has been reignited and my flame is brighter than ever. I believed in camp magic.
Camp magic is so much more than the secret recipe we throw into the flames the first campfire night. The magic comes from the staff at camp who believe so wholeheartedly in social justice and who LIVE the change every day of their lives, the work we do, conversations we have, the activities that grow our empathy and knowledge, and mostly from the open hearts, spirit, uplifting energy, different perspectives and passions each camper brings.
From volunteering by helping out at a soup kitchen, painting benches, gardening, to indulging ourselves in a module that opens our eyes to the issues at home and globally to dancing and cheering during games like it is another form of breathing, to performing spoken word pieces, speeches, songs about our dreams, passions and our stories, T.A.C is a place where you can be yourself, find yourself and find what makes you spark. At camp, being my ridiculous self was not only accepted, but celebrated. I learned that I didn’t need to perform extraordinary acts but just little things with extraordinary amount of love and I learned that one action, one person, and one spark can transform lives. We volunteered in the day, reflected in the night and we were moved to tears when we broke down barriers and walls, learning that vulnerability and asking for help is not a sign of weakness.
I felt meaningful, accepted, worthy, loved, powerful, positive, happy, raw, empowered, inspired and ready to be the change. It starts with a spark, and only one, to light up a fire and begin a journey. Take Action Camp has been a spark for me and hundreds of other campers, and hopefully, for you, the reader, it will be too. From the late night life chats, to the stargazing and smudging, to the shining positivity and never ending goofiness, to the affirmations and compliments, to the raw realness, to sharing our stories, to others for weaving themselves into my story, to the honesty in which everyone stood by, and to inspiring me in ways that are indescribable, no number of thank-yous will ever be enough. This summer has been definitely been one to remember.
Jathusha
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