Absolutely Incredible Kids Make Great Decision-Making Partners

Every year on Camp Fire’s birthday, we celebrate Absolutely Incredible Kid Day?, a time to tell the young people in our lives how much they matter and what makes them amazing. Camp Fire founded this holiday to encourage and inspire young people nationwide. And this year, I’m celebrating my mentee, Lydia.

Lydia is a member of Camp Fire’s Youth Advisory Cabinet (YAC), a group of high school student leaders who partner with our Senior Leadership Team. This special group of young people weighs in on important decisions about the organization. And, in the process, they make us better.

I sat down (virtually) with Lydia to talk about her experience as a YAC member this school year. When I asked her about how she got involved, she said that her local group leader played a big role.

“I have gone to Camp Fire summer camp with the same group of friends since 3rd grade, and I’m a senior now. My Camp Fire leader encouraged me to apply to YAC. She does so much for us and has been involved this whole time. I applied because I thought I could help our future leaders and help them grow and put out new ideas for Camp Fire.”

For some context, Camp Fire has had a Youth Advisory Cabinet for several years, and its purpose has evolved over time. Since 2020, we’ve seen YAC find its voice in a stronger way. That was kicked off by a couple of things. First, we brought young people into the design process for our new reward and recognition system. We wanted them to be part of addressing and ending cultural appropriation with us. It was in a multi-week process called "Make Your Mark" that the young people realized two things: 1. that we were serious about being thought partners with them and 2. that they really could make a change and have influence in the organization.

After “Make Your Mark,” a group of young people who had been a part of YAC worked closely with their staff liaisons to redesign YAC. They came up with a model of working closely with the leadership team each month and the leadership team bringing important organizational decisions to them to engage in an intergenerational form of decision-making. The 2021-22 school year was the first year of this format and the current school year is the first year we’ve added a mentoring component. Next year, we hope to add an in-person retreat.?

I wanted to get Lydia’s POV on her experience in YAC this year. I was curious what she finds valuable about it.

“I love learning about what’s going on nationally and relaying that info to my local group. I love having a voice in it and listening to everyone else’s opinions. I’ve learned so much from you and the rest of the leadership team.”

From my view, collaborating with YAC has been really important. Any sort of change or impact is based on trust and relationships, and YAC and the leadership team are building that trust by engaging openly and honestly together. There are so many diverse lived experiences and perspectives within the group, and to have everyone come together once a month to share and work toward consensus is a very special thing.?

In addition to the group discussions, Lydia and I meet once a month to check in about Camp Fire, school, and life in general. Getting to know her has expanded my view. We live in two different states. She plans to pursue a totally different career path. In a lot of ways we’re different, but we still connect. I asked Lydia what she thinks of the new mentoring component of YAC.

“I like having 1:1 time because it’s a chance to talk about anything and everything and let off steam. I can say things that I wouldn’t always say in the group. I’m more of a listener with a large group on a video chat.”

Both Lydia’s and my life are busy—she’s a high school senior involved in lots of activities and I’m a working mom—but having the intentional time to connect has been great. YAC is about making good on Camp Fire’s promise to be by and for young people. Working with Lydia and with YAC keeps me in touch and making sure Camp Fire is relevant to them. It’s a good filter for me to know what’s important. If it’s important to young people, it’s important to me.

Since Lydia will be moving on to college in the fall and graduating from YAC, I asked her what she would tell a younger student who might be interested in a leadership role like YAC.?

“I would tell them that YAC is a powerful group of students all coming together and we all have ideas that we want to share. You get to meet people from all over the country and have your voice heard.”

I couldn’t have put it better myself. Told you she is absolutely incredible. Speaking of #KIDDAY, I wrote Lydia a letter to let her know how much I value her and have enjoyed getting to know her. Maybe you’ll be inspired to write to a young person in your life.

Dear Lydia,

Today is Absolutely Incredible Kid Day? and I want to take this opportunity to tell you why I think you are incredible! We first met last fall through Camp Fire’s Youth Advisory Cabinet (YAC) and have gotten to know each other since through the group meetings and one-on-one mentoring. In that time I’ve learned that your interests are incredibly varied and so are the reasons why you are incredible.

In your application to join Camp Fire’s Youth Advisory Cabinet, you helped the leadership team at Camp Fire get to know you by sharing a quote that you live by. Hard work pays off. Little did I know when I first read that, how true it would ring. From senior year classes to post-high school plans, from powerlifting to track, from 4H to Camp Fire, you give your all. But you don’t just work hard, you find the joy in doing the work. That makes you incredible!

When we discussed your post-high school plans, I was immediately struck by your sense of care for people. You have chosen a professional path where you will support people at times when they need it most. To create space for people to feel safe and supported in their most vulnerable moments is a gift you have that few others have. That makes you incredible!

I haven’t shared this with you before now. As you’ve been running track and field this spring, I have been learning to run, too. In the 8 weeks it has been since I first laced up my running shoes, I have learned the hardest part is showing up. And that’s what you do. From joining YAC calls from the bleachers after track meets to comparing notes about our pets during our mentoring calls, you always show up! You show up fully and authentically, offering and receiving, present in each moment. That makes you incredible!

Keep being you, Lydia! There are endless people, animals, and spaces that will be better off because of you!

With Much Respect and Admiration,

Shawna

#KIDDAY