By Iris Krasnow

     As our Agawak summer is to rolling into its last weeks, I am observing your girls and remembering how I felt as a young camper at summer’s end. Of course, I felt very sad that I would  no longer be with my friends 24/7. 

    Yet I also felt strong, empowered, changed.

    Without the guidance of my parents, I had learned to stand on my own. I learned to trust my gut and make smart choices, even when it meant not following the crowd. I learned how to adjust to communal living with cabin mates far different than me.

    I learned to be a leader, this is perhaps my most important takeaway. From the youngest cabins to the CIT group, counselors are constantly encouraging your girls to believe in themselves, to speak up when they see something wrong, to reach out to those who are new and to lead others in the right direction, the route of goodness and inclusiveness.

    We were taught by Agawak staff from the day we arrive to realize our potential and to own our power.

    At Agawak, we learn the importance of getting back out there and trying again and again until we achieve our desired goals. Perseverance turns into the crucial character of leadership. And at the age of 64, I am certain that these core qualities, gained at Agawak more than a half-century ago, are what has propelled me into a solid adult citizen.

    This is also what is developing in your girls. I see it every day as I walk around camp.

    Although “Leadership” is not an official camp activity, everything our campers do is contributing to their ability to lead.

    My mom and dad used to tell me when I got back from camp that I was a new person. First off, I knew how to fold hospital corners when I made my bed and I was highly skilled with a broom from being responsible for the daily cleaning of our cabin. They noticed that I took the initiative to make my own decisions without asking what I should do.

    I gained increasing confidence each day at camp, and I am witness to this happening to your girls, too. In Agalog, we often talk about people that inspire us. We discuss how the national and international leaders we admire did not just get there with a snap of their fingers. 

    People who are the heads of companies and countries, or rise in the entertainment business, ascend because of hard work and they never let failure stop them.

    What a joy to watch how your daughters, our Agawak girls, are becoming unstoppable in all of their pursuits, in mentoring younger campers, in sports and in working to achieve their full potential in everything they do.