This Monday we will welcome nearly 60 Advance campers to HoneyRock! We're excited to have these high school freshmen on camp, living and learning in community. Our Advance Camp program exists to build meaningful relationships and provide challenging experiences that ultimatlely encourage students as they "advance" to make Christ the foundation of their lives.
We thought that today we could introduce you to five of our Advance Camp counseling staff, giving you a little idea of where they're from and why they're here. But, before you take a couple minutes to meet Korey, Tana, Nate, Emily, & Kathryn, visit this page to read about preparing for camp, packing list included.
To start off the introductions, say hi to Korey Gregornick! He's originally from Lake Geneva, but is now pursuing music and youth ministry at Wheaton College. While not in class, Korey loves longboarding, drumming, and sports. He participated in Passage before his freshman year and was ready to return for a full summer. We asked Korey about his favorite part of working at HoneyRock, and he replied, "The community and wilderness. Everywhere you go there are people to love and beautiful things to see...I love the outdoors and chillin with bros and doing adventurous things."
Tana Schendel, from Shoreview, Minnesota, shares Korey's love for adventures. When asked about her favorite part of HoneyRock, Tana answered, "incredible food and going on adventures!" She's excited to "hang out with high schoolers and grow in relationships with each other and Christ." Tana will return to Wheaton this Fall to study Psychology and Christian Ed.
Nate Mulder comes to us from Grand Rapids, Michigan where we lived and worked at a camp for nine years before coming to HoneyRock. He has really apprecaited HoneyRock as a place to "help others discover God's love for them through time out of their comfort zones and in his creation." Nate is an Education major who loves frisbee, juggling, and tall-bike riding.
Emily Korzeniewski, like Nate, sees HoneyRock as a place grow closer to God. Emily studies music composition at Wheaton and in her free time, loves creating. This includes crafting, sewing, and knitting, not to mention music. Emily has been up at HoneyRock for Wilderness Passage as well as her SLS winter retreat. She loves HoneyRock, saying, "The community here is so srong and it's a beautiful place to see God in people and nature." She is really excited to work with students going into high school and thinks HoneyRock is a great place to grow closer to God.
Finally, let us introduce you to Kathryn Brightly from Clinton, New Jersey. She's been up to HoneyRock a few times, first for Passage, then a work/play weekend, and finally the SLS winter retreat. Emily is a English/Secondary Education major who loves playing piano, reading, & writing. When asked about her favorite part of HoneyRock, Kathryn answered, "I love the community. We can be absolutely crazy together, but also vulnerable and open about our lives..." she continued "I wanted to challenge myself in my relationship with others and God as well as have an AMAZING time with incredible high schoolers! Get pumped!"