It’s 8:30 on the steps of Norton Auditorium. Bubbles float through the air. Pop music blasts from the speakers. Counselors shake pom-poms, exchange high-fives and wrap returning campers in hugs. New faces quickly become familiar ones. And the day hasn’t even started.
This is how summer should look for every kid.
There’s a lot to love about Spotlighters, but it’s moments like these that tell you what kind of place we’re building. The little things that aren’t necessarily part of the schedule, but somehow become the things we remember most.
And there are plenty of other things I love, too.
So, as we roll into October and begin dreaming about next summer, I wanted to share five things I loved about Spotlighters this year.
1. The VIEW FROM MONDAY TO FRIDAY
There’s something wonderfully unpredictable about Spotlight On, our afternoon tradition where one team gets to show off what they’ve been learning.
Every morning, campers compete for the chance to drop our coveted PLINKO chip, which determines which team takes the stage that afternoon preview. Judging by their reactions when that chip falls, you’d think somebody had just won the lottery!
But here’s what I really love.
Monday’s performances can be a little rocky. Someone forgets a dance move. Another camper misses a lyric. Some are still figuring out what to do with their hands! And that’s exactly why we invite families to watch.
Because by Thursday, something remarkable has happened. Those same kids are standing taller, singing louder and owning that stage in ways they couldn’t have imagined just a few days earlier.
I love that our families get to witness the journey, not just the finished product.
2. WAtching friendships defy age
Where else does a teenager high-five a six-year-old like they’re lifelong friends?
At Spotlighters, we bring together kids from different schools, different communities and different walks of life. Some arrive with a whole group of friends. Others walk through our doors without knowing a single person.
And somehow, in five short days, those differences begin to disappear.
I love watching our older campers encourage the younger ones. I love seeing friendships form between kids who might never have crossed paths outside Spotlighters Camp. And I especially love watching our campers discover that they have something meaningful to contribute, regardless of their age or experience.
For one week, we bend time. Friendships that might ordinarily take months to develop begin forming in a matter of days.
And when the week is over, they leave with more than a performance under their belts. They leave knowing they belong to something bigger.
3. The Traditions We Didn’t See Coming
We’re only three summers into this adventure, which means we’re still creating our Spotlighters traditions. And I’ve discovered that some of the very best ones aren’t even our ideas.
This year, Mrs. G and our Purple Team counselors took it upon themselves to surprise our 11 graduating seniors with a special ceremony. They presented each senior with a purple sash, celebrating their accomplishments and the friendships they’d formed.
Enjoy this school year Allyson, Nora, Riley, Kade, Aubrey, Kylie, Cam, Preslee, Gunnar, Josh, and Avery!
Meanwhile, Mrs. Laurie and I had been dropping mysterious hints all week about a secret Sixth Team.
Three weeks before camp, we’d recruited a handful of unsuspecting dads, sworn them to secrecy and given them a mission. On Friday morning, the curtain opened, the stage lights came alive and KC and the Sunshine Band started blasting.
Our very first Dad Squad delivered a fully choreographed disco routine to an auditorium full of screaming campers and counselors.
I think it’s safe to say we’ll be seeing those dads and a few more again!
4. THE KIDS WHO TEACH US
We spend a lot of time thinking about what we can teach our campers. But sometimes, they’re the ones who teach us the most.
This summer, one of our counselors was joking about how much she wished our beloved Mrs. B could be her mom. A young camper overheard the conversation and asked if Mrs. B really was her mother.
When the counselor laughed and said, “No, I wish,” the camper offered an unexpected response: not everyone has nice moms and dads.
Then, the camper shared a little of their own story. Our counselor suddenly realized they had something deeply personal in common. What began as a playful conversation about Mrs. B had opened the door to a connection neither of them could have anticipated.
For our counselor, this wasn’t simply a child sharing something difficult. It was an opportunity to connect with someone who understood an experience from her own life.
We have no idea what every child carries through our doors each morning. But we can make sure they find people who care about them while they’re here.
Sometimes the brightest moments at Spotlighters happen nowhere near a spotlight.
5. When the confetti falls
There is a moment at the end of every Spotlighters performance that I wish we could bottle up and keep forever.
The final notes of our finale ring through Norton Auditorium. 203 kids take their final bow. And then, BOOM! The confetti cannons fire, the auditorium erupts and suddenly everyone is standing beneath a shower of celebration.
The directors, the counselors, the parents, and families look across that stage and see so much more than a group of kids who learned some songs and choreography.
I see the camper who arrived nervous on Monday. The teenager who discovered a new friend. Our incredible counselors who poured everything they had into their teams. The families who made it possible for their children to spend a week with us.
And I see what happens when hundreds of individuals come together to accomplish something extraordinary.
That technicolored confetti celebrates every single one of them.
I could have listed fifty other things. What did I miss?
If you’ve experienced Spotlighters, hit reply and tell me what YOU love most. I’d love to hear it.
Keep Shining!
