We often look at camp as a natural inflection point in our year as we move into the fall. We reflect on our successes and challenges from the previous summer, set goals for the upcoming off-season leading up to camp, and have a chance to start fresh. This year it is harder to feel this natural inflection point without running camp. Does anyone else feel that way too?
The past 6 months have been so surreal, the fall just does not feel quite like fall. Typically, at this time of year we are coming down off an adrenaline rush brought on by the excitement of summer. We always look forward to coming home from camp and seeing what has changed in our neighborhood since the spring. Unsurprisingly, not much changed this summer, and we certainly do not have that same post-adrenaline rush feeling upon returning home. Our natural inflection point was lost, but we are working on creating one on our own.
We found a silver lining in these challenging times for Beyond Akeela, as this summer gave us a chance to evaluate our program and get a head start developing new programming for 2021. We have developed a progressive program that meets the needs of teens as they get older and closer to their post-secondary lives, and opened our doors to campers who have completed their 10th grade year of high school! With the addition of sophomores into the community, high school teens can now be in the Beyond Akeela community for three years and experience new challenges, engaging activities, and increasing levels of independence in each year. Shifting our focus to summer 2021 and our new programming became our inflection point.
So how will you create your inflection point this fall? What goals do you have for this coming school year? Navigating this new social and academic environment is challenging, and sometimes it’s easy to focus on simply getting by. We have talked with families whose teens are picking up new outdoor hobbies, searching for part-time work, and challenging their teens to prepare more meals at home. They have created an inflection point by creating a goal to work toward and giving themselves something to look forward to, even if it feels simple.
Like you, we cannot wait until summer 2021 gets here, and our self-made inflection points will help us get there faster!
Warmly,
Kevin & Kristin
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