Kayree Horn
Age 21, student at Ball State University
Camp Counselor at Redeemer Hospitality Mission’s Son Seekers Day Camp
Through her work the past two summers at Son Seeker’s Day Camp, Kayree Horn, a student at Ball State University, learned to better appreciate the struggles that some kids have. “My wallet was stolen during staff training week before camp started. A violation like this is not common in the suburbs where I live,” said Horn. This eye-opening experience, helped Horn realize that, while having a wallet stolen was a big deal for her, the children who lived in the neighborhood experienced things that were far worse as a part of their daily lives.
Horn feels that the families and kids who take advantage of the program realize that education is key to rising above the environment around them. “It was very encouraging to see how eager the children were to new experiences,” she said. “If you make the effort to help by giving your time to these children, they will meet the challenge.”
“These youth have made a huge impact on my life. I’ve learned not to take things for granted,” said Hearn. “The children I worked with have shown that one doesn’t need to have a lot of money and material things for happiness. It is very important to have people who care for you.”
Linda Elkins, Executive Director at Redeemer Hospitality Mission, believes Horn’s increasing maturity has made her more flexible and able to adapt to the fluid nature of working with children. “She increasingly is willing to speak up and voice her opinion to help improve structure or plans,” says Elkins. When Horn noticed that a majority of her campers were struggling with reading and righting, she found math, history, science and language arts worksheets to help improve and reinforce the campers’ learning.
The mission of Redeemer Hospitality Mission is to enhance life and community through programs focused on youth and family development. Begun in 1996, Son Seekers Summer Daycamp provides constructive educational, social, artistic, and recreational programming, along with field trips and meals, for 50 area children from the ages of 6 to 14. The program carries only a small fee and scholarships are available so that no child is excluded.
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