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Impact Stories

Learning Grace

Sheridan shares how camp played a major role in her leadership development.

Sheridan Skerritt can look at photos of herself at camp as far back as when she was an infant in her parent’s arms posing at Inspiration Point. She has fond memories of Doll Camp, dressing her dolls up for fashion shows and tea parties with her friends and four generations of women in her family. She also remembers that the drive home always included a stop for cherries!

These memories are fond and helped shape Sheridan’s love of camp but where she really sees camp as a part of who she is is in the development of her leadership skills. It was at Middler Camp that Sheridan was in a small group with Isaac, who told her about the Counselor in Training program. That sparked something for Sheridan that has led her to become a leader not only at camp but also in her community. At an early age she was leading songs and activities for youth-led small groups around the state sharing a taste of camp with adults. She found that even though she was a young person leading groups of adults she felt like it let them get an idea of what is experienced at camp, and to share what happens and how it affects people.

“I feel like the number one thing I’ve learned from camp is unconditional love and acceptance. That’s what I try to show the kids…so they get the best experience out of camp possible.” This year Sheridan used her gifts of leadership to show that unconditional love and acceptance as a dean-in-training for the Tween Camp program.

Sheridan’s natural and graceful leadership style is obvious to many, as during interviews of Tween staff nearly every one recommended her as a future dean for the program.

Sheridan knows that it was her camp leaders that helped shape who she is today. “Living in Montana is tough because not everyone agrees that everyone should be treated equal or have equal rights. Here everyone gets treated the same, you all get to have this love and joy.” While this year is Sheridan’s last as an age-level camper, and she is quick to say how much she’ll miss that, she also knows she’s is taking away from camp an ability to communicate better and gain more perspective about where people are coming from. “I feel like camp helps you make better connections with people and have a better understanding of what everyone is going through and how everyone has their own unique story. Coming to people with more grace is something I”ll take with me out into the world.”