For many children in Northwest Indiana, the opportunity to travel and see other parts of the country is rare. Be it due to funding, logistical challenges, or simply struggling to find the time, sometimes those chances – and the opportunities to learn that come with them – simply never come.
Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana, an organization dedicated to providing children access to high-quality, values-based education, has made it possible to provide many Region students with that experience. This last summer, as the culmination of a year-long learning program that included trips to the Adler Planetarium, the Field Museum, and more, middle schoolers from five Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana network schools journeyed to Staddle Camp, a transformative learning experience located in Saratoga, Wyoming.
“This unique opportunity exposed students to a completely different environment from their daily lives in Northwest Indiana, combining outdoor adventure with science-focused learning,” said Gisele Jones, director of scholarship programs & leadership development for Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana. “At Staddle Camp, students learned by doing, pushing beyond their comfort zone and trying new activities while disconnected from technology. Immersed in Wyoming's vast landscapes, they gained a deeper understanding of ecological systems and the importance of conservation.”
At the camp, students are almost entirely disconnected from the internet for six days. Their smartphones are held onto by teacher chaperones while students learn and embrace nature. Students hiked, studied wildlife, rode on horseback, rafted, and much more.
Andrea Murillo, teacher and trip chaperone from St. John the Baptist Catholic School, noted that it was most students’ first time being truly away from home.
“For so many of them, it is a series of firsts: first time on a plane, first time at a sleep away camp, first time camping outdoors,” she said. “Being able to bring my students on this adventure was outstanding. I just had a great bunch out with me, and they had a phenomenal week!”
One of Murillo’s students, a seventh grader named Mariana, was among those leaving home for the first time. The trip challenged the often shy girl to expand her comfort zone.
“I’m quiet and usually don’t want to meet new people, but here I did,” Mariana said. “I made new friends and learned to open up to others more.”
She also took the chance to thoroughly explore the nearby mountains, by water and land.
“I saw the mountains, rode into them on ATVs, and saw the sunsets – they were so pretty,” Mariana said. “We went tubing on the river by the mountains and saw eagles – I will never forget that experience!”
Murillo explained that, for students used to the fast-paced, mostly urban or suburban life of the Region, simply visiting a place like Staddle Camp is a tremendous lesson of its own.
“Who can honestly say that, in Northwest Indiana, they could see a shooting star or experience stargazing without special tools, with no light pollution distracting the beautiful sights?” she said.
“Who can take a deep breath of fresh mountain air while floating downriver, just to see an eagle fly above you? Or walk alongside a lake with water so clear you can look into the depths of it to see fish? Our kids deserve to experience this and more. For many of our students, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana also brings out high school students to participate as Junior Counselors at Staddle Camp. Many attendees make it a goal to return this way after their first trip.
“The trip was a phenomenal experience for our students,” Murillo said. “One of the biggest takeaways is the new peer relationships they developed with students from other Big Shoulders Fund schools in Northwest Indiana and Chicago. They formed new friendships and are now looking forward to continuing as Junior Counselors one day.”
The journey to Staddle Camp is an annual one for Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana, made possible by generous donors such as the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation. Beth White and Big Shoulders Fund team members, including co-chairman Monsignor Kenneth Velo and Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana Executive Director Dan Kozlowski, greeted the students at the camp.
Bishop Robert. J McClory and Father Christopher Stanish from the Catholic Diocese of Gary also attended and celebrated Sunday Mass with the attendees.
“Their visit was such a blessing, and it was the first time this had happened at camp,” Murillo said. “Words can't express my immense gratitude to Big Shoulders Fund and Beth White for continuing to make this opportunity available for our students. I know that Bruce White is watching out for all the kids his legacy continues to support. I look forward to continuing to be a part of Staddle Camp for years to come and bringing more St. John the Baptist students to experience this great opportunity!”
To learn more about Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana and its programs, visit bigshouldersfund.org/nwi.
