It starts long before the music and cheering. In the days leading up to Carn-Avail, Avail campers work behind the scenes to design every game, build props, plan the schedule, and transform a corner of Boys Camp into a full-blown carnival. This summer’s event featured a mix of wild creativity and classic camp charm: a water relay course that left campers and staff soaked and laughing, ropes strung between trees to create a “spider web” maze, a homemade skee-ball setup, trivia competitions, and so much more.

Each station was entirely camper-run. Avail participants planned their games with intention, thinking about what would be inclusive, challenging, and most of all, fun for the rest of camp. Then they had to lead: explaining rules clearly, managing lines, adjusting when things didn’t go as expected, and making sure every camper felt welcome and included.

Carn-Avail is fun, but at its core, it’s a leadership lab in disguise. Avail campers model maturity, navigate group dynamics, and show the kind of presence that makes younger campers feel seen and supported. It’s a tough job, and this summer, they rose to the challenge with energy, humor, and real care for their community.

What’s most impressive is that, by the time the carnival begins, it feels effortless, but behind the scenes, it’s been hours of brainstorming, building, troubleshooting, and teamwork. That quiet effort, that willingness to do the work for the sake of others’ joy, is what leadership at Miniwanca is all about.

In a camp full of meaningful moments, Carn-Avail stands out as something special because it reminds us what happens when young people are trusted to lead and supported as they bring their ideas to life.

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Avail is a program option for youth entering grades 9 through 12. Unlike its Four Trails adventure program counterpart, Avail campers remain in camp to focus on community building and leadership through service learning. Projects can include things like mural painting, dune restoration, and community volunteer work.

Boys Camp Avail Program Coordinator Ollie Williamson said projects offer older campers the opportunity to make a difference in their community.

“The Avail program uses its leadership and service-based learning to allow these campers to find their places here at Miniwanca by becoming seriously valued members of the camp community and how it runs,” he said.

Some campers serve as Quad leaders, providing direction and leadership for the Quad teams while serving as role models for younger campers.

Avail camper Ben, 17, said he enjoyed stepping into a leadership role this summer. A large part of being an Avail camper is taking the time to teach younger campers about the traditions of Miniwanca and AYF values. “Now that I was one of the older campers, I enjoyed that the younger campers looked up to me,” he said.

In addition to empowering Avail campers to become leaders within the community, the campers also work together as a team during their service learning project. This year, Avail girls campers restored seating areas around camp and worked on restoring the Lake Michigan waterfront shed.

Avail boys campers helped renovate the Blazer building so campers could better use that space during personal time and interest groups. The also memorialized their contribution to the community by creating a new table for the Eating Lodge. This year, Avail paid homage to the Miniwanca tradition of taking Polar Bear swims in Stony Lake each morning.

“The Avail community is quite accessible because there is no standard for measuring each camper’s ability to lead or serve,” Williamson said. “The goal of the program is to empower youth to become the best version of themselves through practicing leadership and service.”

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