Making the leap into a staff role, Willky became a specialist at Merrowvista summer camp. He quickly connected with campers and became an inspiring role model and mentor. After two summers at Merrowvista, Willky answered the call to fill the newly created role of Camper Experience Coordinator at Miniwanca Boys Camp, applying his exceptional knowledge and insight to the role of helping campers achieve their best.

Willky has also embraced great adventures in his life beyond AYF — excelling as a high school student and gaining acceptance into the highly competitive (MS)² Program, Mathematics and Science for Minority Students offered through Phillips Academy Andover. Willky is now in his senior year at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, where he is pursuing double major in American Studies and anthropology. Last spring, one of his professors nominated him for a five-week archaeological service trip the Alaskan village of Togiak.

At each step in his journey, Willky has been open to new experiences, always moving with great respect and curiosity. We are grateful that his enkindled spirit has brought light to both of the AYF camps, and we look forward to seeing him continue to soar with great achievements while inspiring and supporting others.

This article was originally published in the 2019 Founder Fire. 

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Over the past month, you have adjusted to changes and experienced the loss of many beloved aspects of your lives. You’ve heeded the call for distancing and made sacrifices to help your families and communities to weather this storm. Our communities, our nation, and our world are being changed daily by this coronavirus pandemic, and so too are the program possibilities for the AYF in 2020.

I write to share a difficult but clear decision – we will not be able to gather for residential programs at Miniwanca or Merrowvista this summer. That includes summer camp and Miniwanca and Merrowvista, the National Leadership Conference, Summer Seminars for Women, and Alumni and Family Camp. In truth, it is not a decision, but a blinding recognition. Along with national leaders in outdoor programming, we are announcing that we need to make a major change of course this season. In this time of physical distance, we will offer only free online programming to connect our community until we can safely gather in person.

Our AYF directors and Board members have been working for the past month to consider every barrier and issue before us as we prepared for Miniwanca and Merrowvista camps and the National Leadership Conference. After exploring medical practices and protocols, licensing regulations, accreditation standards, staffing requirements, and program promises, this team came to the conclusion that we will not have the staff, health screenings, resources or expertise necessary to conduct safe programs in the traditional NLC, in-camp and Four Trails formats.

We know this change comes as yet another disappointment among so many you have had to endure this spring. As staff, we share your deep sadness; we know what this means in the lives of all who have been looking forward to a summer experience at both Merrowvista and Miniwanca.

As we navigate this unprecedented time, we are keenly aware that many of our families are feeling financial strain and uncertainty. Please know we will provide full refunds of all fees paid in hopes of offering some relief. Our staff will email the families next week to initiate the refund process and to offer several options for a timely return of their deposits or apply their payments toward a place in summer 2021.

This news certainly will bring up questions for you and especially the participants and campers you are connected to. We do not have all the answers right now, but we will do all we can to support our communities through this transition.  The future of our summer camps will be more flexible, offering the possibility for more choices among program offerings. Campers enrolled in programs such as Voyageur or Odyssey will have options in 2021 like participating in the trip that was missed in 2020 or enrolling in another program. Participants in the National Leadership Conference will be able to continue through their program progression as they would have during the 2020 National Leadership Conference.

While the AYF is taking a different path this summer, we are still on mission and in motion, and we fully intend to be for another 100 years. Thanks to the generosity of our donors through the decades, our nonprofit is supported by an endowment that will help us navigate through this storm and stay vibrant and buoyant as we reach our centennial in 2025.

As we have often said in our AYF communities, “It is in the shelter of each other that the people live.” Let’s lean on one another, offering the shelter of connection and understanding as we strive to live at our best during these uncertain times. We will look for you in new ways, gathering on the Cyber Sand Dunes and in the Virtual Valley, our online hubs for connection and virtual programs. Trust that when we can gather safely on the sand dunes of Miniwanca and the hillsides of Merrowvista, we will. I look very forward to seeing you there.

Until then, let’s do all we can to ensure our own health and the health of others. Let us bring our best to this needy world. And let us all…

Aspire Nobly, Adventure Daringly, and Serve Humbly

Anna Kay Vorsteg
AYF President

Andy Mulcahy
AYF Director of Operations

Liz Marshall
AYF Director of Advancement

Matt Loper
AYF Director of Programs

The post Adjusting Our Sails appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

You can help by spreading the word about this global initiative. Read more about the origins of #GivingTuesday, the non-profit behind this day of gratitude. Challenge your friends to start their own fundraisers to support scholarships. Spread the word on social media or by sharing the link to this new AYF giving initiative.

Together, we can expand the reach of AYF’s programs and make our communities reflective of our entire nation. We look forward to building community and reaching new donors on Giving Tuesday!

The post Get into the spirit of #GivingTuesday appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

With much joy, the community rushed to the Eating Lodge for lunchtime TACO TUESDAY! We all sang our taco song and enjoyed the meal. After, campers had Rest Hour followed by Quad Meetings. In Quad Meetings, campers started to plan and prepare for Low Council, which is coming up on Friday. In Low Council, they will have to perform a skit, a song, and another act. Their three acts will be judged on creativity, brevity, and inclusion.

The afternoon Interest Groups were full of more fun, games, and laughter as campers sailed and paddle boarded, crafted, made projects in the woodshop and more. After a fun Free Time hour, it was dinner and campers filled their bodies with ravioli, green beans, and garlic bread. Tonight’s Nights Doings included an epic game of Grab Bag with Bre! We’re still waiting to hear who won, but in an exciting turn of events the Trails found the paddle that has been hidden since Friday!

To close our night, we ended on the beach with Evening Reflection by Cabin 26 on the theme of flexibility. The campers shared how important it is to be flexible in life and how flexibility can lead to so much more happiness. The sunset as we reflected was absolutely beautiful and now campers are off to another peaceful night’s sleep.

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Campers had their CORE meetings. CORE stands for connect, orient, reflect, and empower and allows campers the chance to connect a little more deeply with their own best selves and each other. Today sister cabin groups met to think about how they can balance their lives mentally, socially, physically, and spiritually.

For those here on the lovely sand dunes of Miniwanca, the day continued with morning Interest Groups. Sandwiches, macaroni salad, pretzels, and watermelon were all scrumptiously consumed at lunch time, followed by Rest Hour. Campers awoke from Rest Hour to the sound of the bell and met in their Quads to prepare for Low Council. Later on, campers went to their afternoon Interest Groups followed by Free Time. Hungry after a long day, campers enjoyed delicious slices of pizzas with carrots on the side, and brownies for dessert.

The day continued with a thrilling Night’s Doings of Gold Rush! The campers adventured to Creek Field where they channeled their energy into searching for gold while evading the bandits. The Sailors (combination of Sands and Trails Quad) Quad won the game and points towards the Shield! The campers ended their evening on the beach, growing their ‘R Fold’ through an Evening Reflection lead by Cabin 19A. The glorious blues and pinks of the sunset provided the perfect backdrop for a reflection centered around positivity. Campers trickled to bed and another sunny day turned into a memory on the sand dunes of Miniwanca.

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After breakfast, the campers got to dress up their leaders and they had a blast. We had special guest appearances from Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers! For lunch we had hot dogs, potato wedges, vegetables, and grapes  and the campers ate it all up. After lunch the campers had a much needed extended rest hour. In the afternoon, the campers were able to do their Interest Groups which involve going to the craft house, high ropes, to the lake, and so much more. After their Interests Groups the campers had their usual Free Time before dinner.  Tonight’s delicious dinner included herb chicken, mashed potatoes, and coined carrots.

Tonight’s Nights Doings were special because our Avail campers got to lead the activity! They came up with a game called Troll Hunt in which the campers had to get hints from trolls to find flags of their Quad colors. Tonight was also special because the leaders got to perform their songs to all of Girls Camp. We had songs with the tunes of Old Town Road, Sucker, and Thank you, Next.

Evening reflection tonight was lead by the Explorers who talked about compassion. As always, the night ended with a beautiful sunset on Lake Michigan.

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In St. Louis, we were also excited to visit City Academy and the Danforth Scholars, both Community and School Groups that come to camp during our spring and fall seasons. At City Academy, Tiwi and Chelsea were able to answer many important questions from parents and students as they anticipate their first ever visit to camp in April. Hannah and Andrew spent some time with the Danforth Scholars in the hopes of recruiting some interested and interesting adults to work in our summer camp communities.

If all this talk of house parties and events intrigues you and you’re interested in connecting with us, the Miniwanca team has already planned several more events where you can reconnect with camp, learn more about our programs, and share the joy of Miniwanca with others.  You can join us in Shaker Heights, outside of Cleveland, on February 9th from 3:00 – 5:00 PM. There you can meet longtime camp family, the von der Heydts, as well as Liz Marshall, the Director of Camp Programs. Tyler “Tiwi” Freeman, the Boys Camp Director, and Hannah Patterson, the Girls Camp Director, will be traveling to Mason, outside of Lansing, and Bloomfield Hills, outside of Detroit, the weekend of February 23 and 24. Both events will take place between 2:00 and 4:00 PM. 

If the Miniwanca team isn’t traveling near you this winter, you have the opportunity to come see us in the spring! Volunteer Weekend is a free weekend program happening April 26-28 this year. Alumni, family, campers, and friends will all travel to the shores of Lake Michigan to join the team at Miniwanca and help open up the site! Friday night is a chance to connect and meet everyone who attends. On Saturday we’ll dig into the work: raking leaves and opening cabins, pulling up snow fencing, preparing the garden for spring, making granola and torches, and even some high skill projects like roofing or stair building. Young ones can also enjoy the day on Saturday with age-appropriate service projects and games in Kids Camp (ages 4-8) and Adventure Camp (ages 9-13). Saturday afternoon and evening we’ll have our first optional Polar Bear Plunge and Council Circle of the year! Sunday winds down with a closing activity and a chance to climb the high ropes course. Registration opens for Volunteer Weekend on February 4 and space is limited.

Come out and connect with us. We’d love to see you!

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After some tasty sausages, french toast, and oranges for breakfast, camp was well underway. Today saw campers in their final rotations of week 2 Interest Groups. Everyone was finishing up projects, making s’mores, heading down to paddle sports, or hopping on a sail boat one final time before our third round of Interest Groups start tomorrow. Next week’s IGs will feature the high ropes course, Hanging with Hannah (an IG centered around hanging with at least one of the 5 Hannah leaders in camp), RASKALs (Random Acts of Kindness and Love), and many crowd favorites from past IG rotations.

We rounded out the night by heading off in different directions. Our Darers had their very own council circle with coordinator Madeline. The in camp 6th and 8th grader campers took a jaunt over to Boys Camp to enjoy the High Ropes Course. The 7th graders started their Forester adventure, a two night and one day trip to the Well Site at the edge of our property where they will learn to tent, cook over camping stoves, orienteer, build fires, and more. The Trailblazers enjoyed a beach bonfire and s’mores. The Avail campers also headed out to Boys Camp to have a co-ed Boys and Girls Camp Avail 4 way capture the flag bonanza! It was an incredible night full of lots of adventure for everyone.

Now, as the sun sets over Miniwanca, campers are snuggling down in their sleeping bags and readying themselves for another grand adventure tomorrow.

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The Boys’ Camp community had to say goodbye to our Four Trails friends this morning.  The boys’ Odyssey and boys’ Explorer trips left on their respective biking and hiking journeys.  Odyssey will be cycling 1,400 miles to our AYF sister camp, Merrowvista in New Hampshire over the next 6 weeks.  Explorer will be hiking in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore as well as cycling in coastal Michigan over the next two weeks.  They were an active part of our community throughout the last five days, acting as role models for our younger campers.  The Four Trails participants and trip leaders will be missed, but will return to Miniwanca with determination, endurance, knowledge, and perseverance.

Today has been especially warm so we have been reminding our campers to put on lots of sunscreen and drink even more water. It has been an exceptional day for our waterfront IGs because of the heat. Everyone has been coolin’ on down in Stony Lake.

Lunch was amazing as always. We had some quesadillas, veggie chili, and of course the trusty salad bar. Rest hour was a hit because the sun had somewhat zapped our energy. After a much needed rest, we went to our Council Circle for Assembly. Assembly is where we sing song, and put on skits for the campers!

Dinner was great, we had some herb chicken, potatoes Au gratin, and carrots! And we cannot forget about dessert!! Dessert tonight was amazing and delicious chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches. Dinner led right into some of our campers’s favorite time of the day, night’s doings.  Today was a big day for night’s doings, where the four tribes compete in a friendly, competitive activity.  One of those activities was WancaKart, comparable to the classic Nintendo 64 video game, Mario Kart, with cardboard, rope, and duct tape.  WancaKart gives each tribe an opportunity to build a cardboard cart and race them around a track, Flintstones style.  This race will include power-ups and obstacles such as Blue Shells, Gold Stars, Banana Peels, etc., just like in Mario Kart.  The campers will have fun and be safe while building their carts and racing around the track.

After a settling Evening Reflection we all scurried to our bunks for a great night sleep. See you all tomorrow!

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Cabin Photos

After such a packed morning we scarfed down a delicious lunch, followed by a much needed rest hour. The LITs woke everybody up with a hilarious Assembly filled with skits and songs to get us movin’ and groovin’.

Then interest group time was upon us. Stony Lake paddle sports, t-shirt time, and yoga, oh my! All the campers were able to stretch their four folds with the wide variety of options available. Free time followed interest groups, allowing the campers to hang out with both new and old camp friends.

After dinner Girls Camp participated in the famous Miniwanca version of The Amazing Race game for Night’s Doings. While across campus the Boys Camp had an awesome game of Wizard’s and Lizards! Both camps proceeded to move into some R fold activities with Evening Reflection. Girls Camp focused on today’s theme, which is Preparation. We all  scurried off to our bays where we brushed out teeth and got into our pajamas, ready for bed after our first full day at Miniwanca!

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We recognize that the people and programs of the American Youth Foundation benefit tremendously from the passion and effort of our volunteers. To all those who have and will share their gifts with the rest of the AYF community, please know the AYF is more grateful than it can ever express.

Whether it’s at one of the upcoming Volunteer Weekends at each site, summer camp, Conference, an event, or on the Board, our volunteers are a vital part of the mission to inspire people to discover and develop their personal best, to seek balance in mental, physical, social and spiritual living, and to make a positive difference in their communities and in the wider world.  The AYF is undoubtedly better because of its volunteers, and the thousands of youth we serve every year are positively impacted by the example they set and the work they do.

Thank you, volunteers, for your humble service and for leading the way!

The post A Moment of Gratitude appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

After breakfast and some brief camper free time, we headed into C.O.R.E., which stands for Connect, Orient, Reflect, and Empower. This is a time for campers to be with members of their own age groups. They get to know each other and themselves better while participating in positive community, best self, and balanced living activities.

Following C.O.R.E., campers were excited to begin their classes, or Interest Groups. Some went all the way to the waterfront for sailing and paddlesports. Others had the opportunity to climb our high ropes course. With classes like pottery, zumba, yoga, zen doodling, and many more, the possibilities for fun are seemingly endless.

After lunch and rest hour, campers played Tribal Games, engaging in friendly tribal competition such as deck tennis, smash ball, block soccer, and captain ball. They then dispersed into their afternoon Interest Groups and free time. Free time is a great opportunity to swim at Lake Michigan, play games in the Hollow, work at the Craft House, or even take a shower.

Our nightly activity was Wacky Olympics! Campers ran from activity to activity alongside their sister cabins. Some challenges were competitive while others were collaborative. It was incredible to feel all the energy around Miniwanca while campers settled in to their routines at camp.

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The typical day got off to a great start as campers headed down to the Green Acre to play some kickball while others went to the crafthouse for knitting and dream catchers, and more campers headed to Stony Lake to sail. We ate pizza for lunch today and found out that the Dunes (or rather, the Crunes) won Tribal Cup yesterday! A Trails camper, Abby,  won a few points for her tribe today by finding the Paddle on the way to Assembly. In Assembly, the campers challenged Liz Marshall, our Girls Camp Director, to sing any song they named from the song book. They tried to stump her, but Liz Marshall is just too good! Liz claims to know every song in our song book here at camp.

The afternoon was full of more interest groups, including ceramics, improv, dancing, and Glitter and Girl Power, and many a camper enjoyed the beautiful weather down at Lake Michigan today during Free Time. Night’s Doings tonight was Safari! This crazy activity has leaders dressing up like animals and roaming around while the campers try to lure them back to Assembly to gain Tribal points. Congratulations to the Ridges, our winners of the night.

We closed our day out with a Vespers led by cabin 24, and watched a beautiful pink and orange sunset over the lake. It’s been a wonderful day at Miniwanca, and we’re excited for another one tomorrow.

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It’s amazing to realize that we are coming to the end of our first week of camp already! The time has surely flown, and yet we have fit so much in. We had an epic Gold Rush last night, bonded as cabins and age groups, went on an Amazing Race, we sang and danced, shot arrows, created ceramics and woodshop projects, climbed the high ropes course, and did so so very much more.

We finished our final interest groups for the week this morning. Campers finished off projects in the pottery barn and the craft house, got in one last game of Nucomb, read a few more pages of their favorite books, and climbed and paddle boarded one last time.

This afternoon, after a chill extended rest hour, all of our Pipers and 6th grade Juniors had the chance to make their own ice cream. Our 7th grade campers headed down to Stony Lake to do a little fishing while our Trailblazers went to Graceland to start packing out their trips. The Avail campers headed to the craft house for some Wanca Spa 2.0, where they made their own scented candles.

In the Four Trails world, today was a huge day! This morning we said good bye to our Adventurer campers who are starting their 500 mile bike trip up to Traverse City and the Leelanau Peninsula. At lunch we said good bye to our Explorer campers who are heading off on a biking adventure as well. Our Odyssey campers also headed out this morning for an overnight shakedown to Ludington. Ody will be back tomorrow for their final few days in camp before heading out to Merrowvista to start their incredible journey back to Miniwanca.

Tonight we ended our night with a Tribal Council, where the campers presented skits based on titles they drew out of a hat earlier in the week. The Ridges presented “Little Red Riding Darers” – a Rom Com. From the Dunes we had “Tinkerbell and the Lost Paddle” – a gameshow. The Draws had “Twin Princess Tiny Hand and the Bean Stalk” – an action adventure. And the Trails, our victors of the Tribal Council, presented “Hansel and the Fairy Gretel” – featuring a boy band! While the official results of this week’s tribal competition won’t be announced until tomorrow at the one week Closing Council, it might be safe to guess that the Trails are currently in the lead.

We’ll be sad to see our one week campers head home tomorrow, but we hope they’ll rejoin us again next summer!

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During morning free time, campers returned to Tribal Meetings where they are busily preparing for tomorrow night’s Council Circle. Excited friends were hard at work, sharing creative and wacky ideas for their large group skits.

Our Adventurers took off for a loaded bike ride to neighboring Montague. They are completing final preparations and packing to leave on their bike adventure through coastal Michigan in the morning. Our Odyssey riders focused on learning cycle maintenance and the Team Challenge course tonight. Explorers will take their cycle shakedown ride tomorrow as they prepare for their longer trip on Saturday.

This afternoon, the LIT’s led an entertaining Assembly before we headed out to day four of Interest Groups– reaching the conclusion of classes like Wanca Spa, where campers used their homemade products.  Warm breezes made for great conditions for paddling on Stony Lake and exploring the dunes.

After a delicious turkey dinner, we gathered in the Hollow to play Wild West Showdown. Campers hunted for silver while leaders tried to steal it back as silly robbers. We circled around for some favorite competitions– Hog Calling and Pyramid building, before a final round of searching for loot.

We closed out the evening with a quiet reflection in the Upper Tipi, where we sang True Colors and heard about inspiring leaders in our campers’ lives. It’s hard to believe that we are heading into our last full day with our one week campers! Our happy, tired campers headed right for bed after a satisfying day.

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The day started off with some sun in the sky for Polar Bear, and we had the chance to listen to cabin 18 talk about when they are their own Best Selves during Morning Stretch. After breakfast campers headed off to CORE where they and their cabin mates talked about the idea of being their own selves, at their very best, all the time, and what that entails. The morning interest groups went off without a hitch, and just as campers were walking to lunch the first drops of rain started to fall.

Rest hour was a peaceful affair with the sound of rain gently falling on the roofs of the cabins, and the afternoon involved many indoor activities. The rain abated long enough for our intrepid sailors to head out on the waters of a perfectly calm Stony Lake, but on the other side of the dunes the wind kept campers from playing in Lake Michigan for Free Time. Campers headed to the Wood Shop and the Ceramics Barn instead to finish projects or to see what they could experience in their days here at Miniwanca.

This evening our campers split off to do Night’s Doings with their age groups. Our Four Trails campers had some cabin choice time, where some chose to create homemade spa products, some created crafts for on-trail activities, and others helped out with the younger campers. Our one week cabins and our 3 week Pipers and rising 6th graders headed up to the Upper Tipi for a Pajama Party. They sang, danced, roasted s’mores, and read stories by the fire. The 7th grade campers got to create a little tie dye and then learned to make ice cream with just a few supplies! Warning parents: this project is so easy your campers are almost guaranteed to come home and ask to do it again! Our Trailblazer campers had the chance to participate in a team challenge and worked together to build a bridge designed by DaVinci himself.

All in all, it was a beautiful silver day. We’re all looking forward to being lulled to sleep by the rain.

The post A Beautiful Silver Day appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

I think overnight summer camp will be a great experience for my child but they are hesitant and nervous when I talk about it. What should I do?
We have a few different approaches to pre-camp nerves:

1. Normalize their feelings
It is normal for campers to feel nervous about going to sleep away camp for the first time, so affirming the validity of their feelings may help ease their worries. Many other campers feel the same way before going to camp for the first time, and even returning campers feel nervous too! It is perfectly fine to be nervous about going to camp, but it does not mean they shouldn’t try it out.

2. Affirm their decision
It is also important to tell them how confident you are that they will make their camp experience a good one. It may be challenging at times, and your camper may miss home, but that is okay. Once here, your child will get to make new friends and do all kinds of activities they do not get to do at school or at home. We have found that talking about the things campers can look forward to can  help them see that there are plenty of good things, even if they are nervous.

3. Check in and prepare
Your camper may go back and forth between being excited and scared for the months leading up to camp, so encourage them to talk about how they are feeling regularly. Prepare them for the reality that they may even feel sad when they first get to camp, and that is also normal and okay! They can always talk to their leader, coordinator, or even the assistant directors if they feel sad. Our staff will support them every step of the way.

Who are our staff members and what training do they have?
Many of our staff members are former campers who have a diverse range of experience in our programs. All staff members receive extensive and position-specific  training at Miniwanca and Merrowvista, learning skills to help them safely lead activities, help campers who are feeling homesick, lead overnight camping trips, and build relationships with campers.

Our youngest staff members, called Leaders in Training (Miniwanca) or Itokans (Merrowvista), are recent   high school graduates. All other staff members have participated in a year of college or equivalent program away from home. In-camp leaders are Wilderness First Aid and CPR certified. Our waterfront staff is lifeguard certified, as are most of our leaders.

Four Trails Leaders are at least 21 years of age and receive an additional week of training to practice more in-depth skills for leading backpacking, canoeing, and cycling trips. Four Trails Leaders are also Wilderness First Responder certified (requiring completion of an intensive 10-day course covering trail emergencies and basic health care).

On opening day, you may notice that our staff shirts say Youth Development Professional on them– we all take pride in helping young people grow into the very best they can be.

My child is coming to camp alone and worried that everyone else will know each other, is that true?
While some campers come to Merrowvista and Miniwanca with friends, most of our new campers come alone, and that’s great! We are intentional about cabin assignments and train our staff to foster connections between campers as soon as they arrive. Each year, leaders treat cabins (called “villages” at Merrowvista) as a new group, and work to build fresh relationships between them, establishing a positive group culture. This helps campers feel comfortable within their group so they feel safe being themselves. Staff members show campers that it is okay to be goofy and honest right off the bat, so by the second day of camp, everyone is on the same page.

My child is coming to camp with a friend, can I request that they be in the same cabin group?
Yes, we will do what we can to make sure that happens, and we will also ask your child to make new friends as well.

It is great when friends from home want to share a camp experience together, and we also believe it is important to be inclusive and make new friends at camp. Campers may be placed in the same cabin or village, but in separate sides of their duplex cabin, so they will be sleeping in the same building at night, but in separate rooms. This means campers will still be able to enjoy meals, Village Insight discussions, and daily Village Time together.

We cannot guarantee it, but we will do our best to honor your request, and most of the time we are able to put campers in the same cabin or village when asked. If we come up against any obstacles in placing them in the same group, such as age difference or cabin capacity, we will get in touch with you before camp begins to figure out the best solution together.

The post Preparing for Camp appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

The excerpt below, originally aired on CBS’s This I Believe radio broadcast in the early 1950s, features William H. Danforth reading a classic essay. In addition to toe reaches and liver squeezers, he offers up many more sincere and thoughtful reflections as he seeks to better understand himself and his relationships to others.

We hope his words provide a bit of inspiration as you look to the year ahead and the pursuit of your best.

Transcript:

As a boy, I lived in the country surrounded by swamps. I had chills and fever, and when I came to the city to school, I was full of malaria. One day a teacher took me by both shoulders and in a voice I’ll never forget said, “Bill Danforth, you’re a mess.” He told me to straighten up, throw my shoulders back. He said, “I dare you to be the healthiest boy in the class.” That teacher opened up a whole new world to me. Of the fifty-two in that class, now only two are left. One of these two was the sickest boy in the class.

From that day, I started to stand tall. I’d take care of my health. This means a sensible diet, plenty of rest, good habits. I walk at least a mile a day. Every morning, I take my exercises—I hate ‘em, but I do them. I reach for my toes fifty times, and fifty times I turn my body to the right and to the left—the liver squeezer. Everyday I eat something green. Everyday I drink eight glasses of water.

But a strong body alone isn’t enough. I must also think tall, develop my being. To me, this means reading a book a week. In the back of each book, I make notes as I read. Also, I make it a daily practice to meet people—people who know more than I do. I learn from them and add to my knowledge. I get a lot of inspiration from the sermon I hear on Sunday. Much of what I know has come from others. Many, many of the ideas that seem original with me, really aren’t mine. I borrowed them from friends, and neighbors, and even strangers.

Then I dare myself each day to smile tall. I’ve learned that if I start out in the morning with a grouch and a chip on my shoulder, I promote arguments and troubles. I found that smiles attract smiles. Sure, there are lots of mornings I don’t feel like smiling, but I smile anyway. And smiles keep coming my way. Often I’d walk down the street thinking of something that made me smile and have been surprised to have strangers smiling back at me. Smiling tall has brought me friends.

But most important of all, I’ve found that I must live tall. What would be accomplished if I had a strong body and alert mind and a winning personality, if my friends, my neighbors, and my business contacts couldn’t depend on my word. No great achievement stands the test of time unless it is based on honesty, truthfulness, integrity, clean living, and a love for our fellow man.

This four-square plan of living has become my religion—a religion that encourages me to strengthen my body, to think more creatively, to develop a more friendly personality, and to so live that others have confidence in me. Stand tall, think tall, smile tall, live tall, if you please. After more than eighty years, it continues to make me start each day determined to beat my yesterday. And for tomorrow, it makes me ask—what next? This I believe.

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