Have you watched this summer’s theme video? If not, it’s best to watch before reading this post. If you have, you probably noticed some non-camp footage and you may have wondered: Who are they? And wat are they doing in this video?
When deciding how we wanted to visually represent FEARLESS, we wanted to choose clips from stories that were examples of living fearlessly can look like. Below are the stories behind some of those clips.
We might not all be prima-ballerinas-in-waiting, but there are lessons we can all learn from listening to the inspiring stories of young people who said ‘no’ to fear, and ‘yes’ to living who God is calling them to be.
Do you have a student with a fearless story who might be coming to camp this summer? We want to know!
Believe In Yourself Even When You’re Scared
Born with deformities to his right leg, Daren didn’t always feel fearless.
“Freshman year I was really negative. I was thinking I can’t do this. I’m not going to be able to compete with these guys. I was really afraid playing out in the field.”
When his dad gave him the quote ‘a negative mind will never give you a positive life,’ Daren began to reevaluate his own power to create the life he wanted. As a senior at Columbia River High School, Daren went on to play on the varsity baseball team playing first base and pitching.
Daring To Be (& Dance) Different
Shaakir and Naazir weren’t always into ballet, or even dancing for that matter.
“When we started dancing, I hated it so bad. I would just sit out and watch the girls.”
But sometimes it takes seeing someone who looks like us BE FEARLESS to know that we can be fearless as well.
“At the end of the program, this one black guy came out with the fattest afro. This guy was flipping & turning. Secretly inside, I didn’t tell my friends, I was like that was kind of cool.”
And that ‘kind of cool’ sparked into a passion for ballet and eventually full scholarships to the prestigious American Ballet Theatre’s school for both Shaakir and Naazir.
Trusting Yourself & Others
“Honestly, I think she has always been pretty fearless. She’s really inspiring going out there and breaking stereotypes.”
Julia Knapp’s friends always thought of her as fearless, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t scared about joining her high school’s all-male football team as the kicker.
“Being the only girl on the football team, it’s a little weird, honestly.(…)I was a little scared of what the boys would say, how they would treat me. Just like the overall response to me being on the team.”
Instead of being ostracized for perceived differences, Julia found that her skills, kindness, and determination made her an asset and friend to her teammates. In addition to being named Homecoming Queen, Julia went on to lead her conference in kicking.
Let Your Light Shine Bright
Akeelah : [quoting Marianne Williamson] Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
Dr. Larabee : Does that mean anything to you?
Akeelah : I don’t know.
Dr. Larabee : It’s written in plain English. What does it mean?
Akeelah : That I’m not supposed to be afraid?
Dr. Larabee : Afraid of what?
Akeelah : Afraid of… me?
If you are looking for movies to watch with your youth group, add Akeelah & The Bee to the list (rated PG for some strong language, but has no sex or violence). The movie follows 11-year-old Akeelah Anderson (Keke Palmer) as a bright student who can outspell anyone at her South Los Angeles middle school.
You CAN Be The First.
Karl Zielinski: Mary, a person with an engineer’s mind should be an engineer. You can’t be a computer the rest of your life.
Mary Jackson: Mr. Zielinski, I’m a Negro woman. I’m not going to entertain the impossible.
Karl Zielinski: And I’m a Polish Jew whose parents died in a Nazi prison camp. Now I’m standing beneath a spaceship that’s going to carry an astronaut to the stars. I think we can say we are living the impossible. Let me ask you, if you were a white male, would you wish to be an engineer?
Mary Jackson: I wouldn’t have to, I’d already be one
If you haven’t shown your students Hidden Figures, we definitely suggest it. The movie tells the true story of the brilliant black female mathematicians who worked at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) during the Space Race.
These real life heroines embody what it means to live a fearless life!