1985 was the first and only year I attended SSP as a student. I had just moved to California. I graduated from high school in Massachusetts and moved to Danville, CA eight days later.
My parents had learned the high school MYF program was going on SSP later in the summer so my sister and I signed up to go. She had just finished her sophomore year in high school.
I don’t remember a lot of SSP the summer of 1985, but I know the week had a huge impact on me and who I am because in 1998 my church in Oakland was looking for a youth leader to take seven kids to SSP for the first time – I signed up! The week after I agreed we got our dates and it was the week my sister was due with my first nephew. I didn’t know he was a he or that he would be born the third day of SSP. I met him when he was five days old.
So much of that week was remembering my own experience as a teen.
So much of that week was remembering my own experience as a teen. In fact, when we showed up at camp, the site director asked where our leader was because at 32, I looked like one of the kids! I’ve had the privilege and honor to watch those kids from the summer of 1999 grow into leaders themselves.
I led those same kids until they graduated high school in 2002 and still maintain friendships with many of them today.
I can say being involved as a teen and as a leader, SSP changed my life for the better!
I can say being involved as a teen and as a leader, SSP changed my life for the better!