Our summer team has officially wrapped up the first session of 2026, the Girls and Non-Binary session!
Over the course of the four weeks, campers bonded into a close community of belonging and showed immense care for one another. Throughout the session, campers gathered daily to share stories, share a meal, sing and dance together, and do the hard work of growing into the leaders they are meant to be.
There were so many highlights — from all of the typical Rising Sun traditions like the Nature Trip, Council, Teamworks, Variety Show, Vigil Night, and more, to simply witnessing leadership in action, small moments of understanding between people across cultures, and pure joy while singing karaoke together.
There were heartfelt conversations about identity, beauty standards, human rights; there were moments of cultural exchange and appreciation; and there was a lot of courage shown by campers as they stepped bravely into the unknown in many ways.
One major accomplishment was the construction of a 20-foot bridge along the creek at Camp. Over 30 campers contributed to the building of the bridge—a true testament to teamwork and collaboration—and they learned new skills about engineering, mechanics, and how to use saws, drills, and other tools.
Our team is so grateful to have had the chance to watch each camper take on challenges, think deeply about topics they were introduced to, and build friendships that span countries and continents and will shape who they will be as they continue to grow.
Swipe through a photo gallery of some of this session’s best moments below!
