The Power of Waukeela

A paragraph from counselor Jill Phillips' final paper for coursework

This summer was quite possibly the best thing that has ever happened to me as a person.  Every single girl that I met at Waukeela taught me something about life, strength, courage, love and faith.  Every one of the campers is incredibly intellient beyond her years, not to mention smart, strong, and truly beautiful inside and out.  I admire every single one of them - they are my role models.  The love that these girls have for this place hidden among the pines and the love they have for each other is overwhelming.  I stepped out of my car into a lonely camp two weeks before it started and I didn't fully understand the power of this special place.  But when the girls arrived, camp transformed inot an increidble, magical place where girls are allowed to embrace their individuality and really build their own identities, which are not clouded or influenced by the outside world, but by the love of their friends and the magic of the pines.  I found myself changing.  The counselors were amazing women whom I suddenly felt closer to than people I had known my entire life.  I find myself to be stronger, more courageous, more independent, more self reliant, and just plain happier.  Perhaps its not just the magic of the pines, but the combination of the pines and the campers and counselours who come from all over the world to share themselves with us.  I am a completely different person and I have many people to thank for this.  There is really no way to express my gratitude but I know who is responsible.  I owe it all to the little camp hidden away in the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire, a place where girls of any age can go to find out who they really are.