Monthly Archives:November 2025

For Estefi Guevara, camp has always been more than a summer experience. It has been a second home where she has grown, developed, and discovered her own creative voice. Her connection to camp began long before she arrived as a camper in 2016. Her aunt Marce first came in 2004, paving the way for other family members to follow. Eventually, Estefi, her sister Nat, and her brother chose to attend as a gift in place of a traditional quinceañera celebration. That one summer for both Estefi and Nat turned into multiple summers (7 years total for Estefi and 4 for Nat in 2025). 

Over the years, Estefi has seen camp from nearly every perspective. She began as a camper then CIT, later worked in the kitchen, spent time as a counselor, and now leads canoe trips and directs the arts and crafts program. Each role has given her a new understanding of how camp operates and how people connect within it. Working in the kitchen allowed her to experience the rhythm of feeding a whole community while forming friendships with people she might never have met otherwise. Her time as a counselor helped her develop empathy and patience while guiding younger campers. Through leading trips and arts activities, she has learned how to bring creativity and structure together in ways that inspire others.

Her background in architecture has strengthened her approach to problem-solving and design at camp. She has a natural ability to visualize how a project will come together, to plan each step carefully, and to make thoughtful choices about materials and methods. Whether organizing an art project or planning a canoe trip, she draws on her architectural training to think critically and anticipate each stage of the process.

Camp has also played an important role in helping Estefi grow more confident and independent. An introvert by nature, she first came to camp from another country and had to step far outside her comfort zone. The experience opened her up to new friendships and gave her the courage to explore unfamiliar situations. That spirit of exploration carried into her travels through Europe, where she met new people and built connections much like those she had formed at camp.

Many of the habits and passions that shape her life today trace back to summers at camp. She has brought home projects she first learned there, such as craft techniques, cooking experiments, and even the patience to make her own yogurt. Recently, she has begun making her own clothes and hopes to try baking sourdough bread. These creative pursuits reflect the same curiosity and care that guide her work as both an architect and a camp leader.

Estefi often reflects on the importance of slowing down and appreciating each stage of life. In a world that pushes people to move quickly from one milestone to the next, she values taking time to enjoy the process rather than rushing toward the outcome. Camp has shaped her not only as a designer and leader but also as someone who knows how to appreciate every step along the way.

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From Camp to Career: come join us! If you are or know an emerging leader who is wanting to explore personal and professional skill development, we invite you to let us know HERE (first time staff members) or RETURN staff (have been on staff at least one previous summer).

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