Our family’s first exposure to IEA was through the Yunasa summer camp. Two years ago, we were searching for a program to help support our daughter Sydney. We desired a chance for her to spend time with kids and adults who would “get her” and an opportunity to feel less alone with her many wonderful gifts. On paper and the computer screen, Yunasa seemed perfect. Even to the degree we had trouble believing such a group of people truly existed. As Syd has experienced, it is too easy to become jaded by the constant availability of promises that ring hollow. However, we concluded that even if most of Yunasa’s promises were in fact inflated, it still sounded worth a shot.
Sydney tentatively packed up for camp; she really wanted to feel included but didn’t want to get her hopes too high. She had been to summer camp previously but came home feeling less than fulfilled.
As we entered the Howell Nature Center, all our hesitation and worry about potential disappointment disappeared. We were greeted with warm smiles and handshakes. Unsurprisingly, parents of gifted children are likely to have some, if not many, of the same traits that make our own kids so special and unique. As such, both of us almost instantly felt a sense of peace and belonging when we walked into the lodge. The opening meeting with the fellows felt like a gathering of like-minded people. We both wanted to stay for camp ourselves and learn more! We left Sydney with trust that she would grow as a person and find her people.
When we returned that final day of her first camp, the energy in the closing ceremony was electric. Sydney’s smile and energy glowed through the room. The beautiful echoes of her laughter coupled with an obvious bond with the campers and fellows was heartwarming to witness. It felt collectively, all the staff, fellows, campers, and parents were a family on that day. A few tears were even shed. As we left, the first words Sydney said were “Mom and Dad, I have to come back next year!”
Over the course of the following year, she continued to grow her spirit and mind along with her intelligence. She became more at peace with herself. The second summer at Yunasa continued this development. She reconnected with old friends and gained new ones. Again, she glowed when we picked her up. By virtue of the transformative impact and breath of fresh air the camp has provided us, we regularly reference positive things along the line of “this has a Yunasa type of feel.”
Yunasa, and by extension IEA, have become a byword for good people doing good things.
To close, a quote from Sydney: “To me, Yunasa is a place that is rather difficult to describe. It’s a place which fosters curiosity, companionship, and spirituality in young minds. I feel quite honored to be among that community – at camp, and at heart.”
Joel and Molly Parker
Yunasa Parents of Sydney