"Go" stained glass by Colleen Clifford
When you think about who inspires you, who drives you, who you’d like to be when you grow up, who comes to mind? March 8th celebrates International Women’s Day. Join the North Star Quest Camp for Girls in celebrating the women and girls who inspire, drive, and motivate us at the fourth annual community art show, “Inspiring Girls” at the Brenda Tuxford Gallery. Inspiring Girls runs through the month of March, with an opening reception during Arts Alive!
North Star Quest Camp, or NSQ, is an Ink People DreamMaker project. It is a summer camp facilitated by women on the beautiful Mattole River just outside of Petrolia, for girls going into the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. A powerful coming of age experience, the program is designed to give girls the tools to navigate the modern world and live up to their potential. Growth opportunities are created by a daily theme: Who am I? Who am I in my Community? Who am I in the world?
For many, summer camp is a memorable experience, often full of “firsts”: first time sleeping away from home; first time jumping off of The Rock into the river; and sometimes, the first time we feel safe among others outside of our family and friends. One of the main rules is that we are safe at camp. To NSQ campers, this can mean that they are safe to take healthy risks and try new things.
A typical day at NSQ starts early with stretching and a healthy breakfast before Morning Gathering, where campers and staff stretch, get active, and reflect on their experiences. Then the campers head off to mini-workshops which reflect upon the daily theme, culminating on the last day with a large workshop on mass media messages. After lunch, the campers pick two workshops each day, such as songwriting, healthy relationships, belly dancing, Zumba, clowning, and crafting. Free time is a great time to head to the river! After dinner each night, each cabin gets some time to talk about the day and play games before campfire. Each morning brings new adventures, friendships, and experiences that help our campers maneuver through adolescence and the world as a smarter, safer, more confident, better prepared human.
NSQ never turns away a camper unable to pay, offering camperships to any who qualify, with staff and campers throughout the year fundraising to raise funds for the camperships.
For more information about North Star Quest Camp for Adolescent Girls, please visit us at northstarquest.org.