Brennan Ackerman
University of Vermont, Senior
Construction Coordinator, Spokane 2017
United Methodist Church of Thousand Oaks
Eight years ago, I just finished up my last year of middle school and was headed into high school. I knew the roller coaster of high school was ahead, but little did I know I was headed into another big first. My first SSP.
I had heard so much about SSP over and over again from my two older siblings who had gone in years prior. When the time came, we woke up early, hopped into mini vans with my youth group, and drove two days to McDermitt, Nevada. As we arrived the staff members ran and jumped on our cars to greet us with an almost frightening amount of energy.
Pretty soon I was on a work team and headed to a work site in the middle of the desert. My first “SSProject” with my work team was starting a roof. This more or less means they gave us a bunch of shovels, hammers, and pry bars, and instructed us to “take the roof off this house”. We had a pretty great time, needless to say.
I learned more and more each summer and I have been challenged in ways I couldn’t have imagined.
I went to SSP as a youth for the next four years, each time learning something new, meeting new people, and spending a lot of time with my family and friends. Each year, I was challenged with an opportunity to be a leader. These opportunities started small, eventually growing to being the go-to youth between my church’s counselors and youth.
During my time as a youth I decided I wanted to be on staff, and after my first year of college I got that opportunity. My first summer on staff I was a Construction Coordinator in Walker River, Nevada. The seven of us had the opportunity to create for others the experiences that shaped each of us, six times over the summer.
My job had many moving parts. My job included leading projects and work teams at sites, speaking in front of the youth and adults. But also, so much more that can’t be fit into a job description.
I learned more about how to be a leader from SSP than anywhere else, because it gave me the most opportunities to grow.
Over the next two summers I reprised my role as a Construction Coordinator in Chiloquin, OR and Spokane, WA. Each summer I got to be a part of a new team, be in a new place, and have whole new experiences. I learned more and more each summer, and have been challenged in ways I couldn’t have imagined.
I learned more about how to be a leader from SSP than anywhere else, because it gave me the most opportunities to grow. I know I am a better leader because of SSP. I know that as I stay a part of the SSP community, my abilities and knowledge as a leader will only continue to grow.
Editor’s note: Brennan most recently served on staff in Spokane, WA as a Construction Coordinator. He is a Leadership Academy fellow and his story is the fourth part of the #mySSPstory series highlighting SSP staff leaders and their stories. Join Brennan and apply for 2018 summer staff!