Trying Something New and Finding a Place to Belong
For the young people who joined Camp Lucy this summer, rowing was only part of the experience.
Some arrived eager to try a new sport. Others came back because of the friendships they had formed in previous summers. Each discovered a place where they could challenge themselves, support one another, and feel welcome - both in the boat and on land.
That growth is intentional. Camp Lucy’s curriculum uses rowing as a vehicle for social-emotional learning, with activities and experiences designed to help camp participants build confidence, strengthen relationships, practice teamwork and leadership, and develop a stronger sense of belonging.
Their stories are reflected in this summer’s evaluation results. Campers showed growth across all eight Developmental Asset categories measured by Search Institute. Perhaps most significantly, campers’ greatest growth was in Positive Identity (+8.9%), reiterating that Camp Lucy is helping young people build confidence, strengthen their sense of self, and see more of what they are capable of achieving.
Just as importantly, campers told us that Camp Lucy was a place where they belonged: 98% agreed that they felt like an important part of the program, and 93% said they could be themselves at Camp Lucy.
Kora Found Her Rhythm
Kora came to Camp Lucy for the first time with a simple goal: to have fun with a friend and try something new.
A swimmer, Kora quickly recognized something familiar in rowing -the steady rhythm and continuous movement shared by both sports.
“One thing I like about rowing is how it’s continuous,” she said. “Because I also do swimming, and that’s kind of like a continuous mental stroke. It’s similar in that way.”
But the rising seventh-grader found more than just a new physical challenge. She also found a welcoming group of peers.
“I think I’ve made some good friends from this camp,” Kora said.
Her three words for Camp Lucy captured the full experience: “Fun, social, and challenging.”
Mud Found a Place Where Everyone Tries
For Mud, finding a camp that intentionally welcomed non-binary youth mattered.
They had never rowed before and weren’t initially convinced it would be for them. That changed once camp began.
“I’d never done rowing before, but when I joined, it was really, really fun,” Mud said.
What stood out most was the way campers and instructors treated one another. Mud appreciated that feedback was honest and useful, but always delivered with kindness.
“They give you tips that actually help while still being really kind,” they explained. “I like how people here actually try.”
That combination of effort, encouragement, and acceptance helped Mud form meaningful friendships they plan to continue beyond camp. Asked for three words to describe Camp Lucy, they offered an answer all their own: “Fun, friendly, and… muscle!”
Gwyn Came Back to Her Team
Gwyn returned to Camp Lucy for a second summer because her first experience had given her something worth coming back to.
This year, she continued building her rowing skills while learning an even bigger lesson: “Teamwork is very important.”
Rowing asks young people to move together, communicate, and trust the people beside them. For Gwyn, those connections have lasted well beyond her time in the boat.
“I’ve made good friends through Camp Lucy,” she said. “I still keep in contact with the friends I made here.”
Her description of camp - “exercise, friendship, and fun” - reflects exactly what brought her back for another summer.
Claire Discovered Something New in a Familiar Sport
Claire already knew she enjoyed rowing. She had attended Camp Lucy at Renton a few summers earlier, but this year she chose the Mount Baker site for a new experience.
“I wanted to try something different and something new,” she said.
Claire describes rowing as both relaxing and fun, and she found the Mount Baker community equally welcoming. Like the other campers, she made new friends and discovered that Camp Lucy offers something valuable even for young people who aren’t yet sure whether rowing is for them.
“Even if you don’t know if you want to do rowing, it’s still a fun community and environment to be in,” Claire said.
She plans to tell her friends about Camp Lucy when she returns to school. Her three words for the experience: “Fun, exciting, and calm.”
More Than Learning to Row
Kora, Mud, Gwyn, and Claire each arrived at Camp Lucy with different experiences and different reasons for participating. By the end of camp, their stories shared a common thread.
They tried something new. They challenged themselves. They learned how to work as a team. And, perhaps most importantly, they found friendships and a community where they could be themselves.
The survey results reinforce what we hear in their stories. Ninety-three percent of campers said they often or very often learned teamwork, leadership, or peaceful conflict-resolution skills, and ninety percent said they were often or very often given opportunities to lead.
Together, their stories and experiences show what Camp Lucy makes possible: not simply the chance to learn how to row, but a place where young people can discover their strength, build their confidence, find their team, and begin to see what they are capable of achieving.
