Ellington, Missouri, is a small, rural town with less than 1,000 residents. It can be easy to miss for travelers heading down State Highway 21 on their way to the various parks, lakes and natural recreational areas that the area is known for. Ellington is also home to Whole Kids Outreach (WKO), an affiliated ministry of the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND). WKO serves to “broadly address the many influences that place children at risk in isolated, rural, low-income areas. To enable a ‘whole’ child to develop, WKO has created diverse programs and activities designed to educate and strengthen both the children and their parents.”

One of these programs is their summer day camp. Turning off Highway 21 onto the WKO property, campers are greeted by towering trees, flowers, a swimming pool and lake. There is the sound of horses neighing in the barn and shady paths connect multiple buildings with wide front porches, housing such space as a craft studio, lunchroom, playroom and lodging for volunteers and staff.

The camp has been in operation for 25 years and former campers often return and help serve as counselors, where they learn leadership and employment skills. This year brought some new volunteers. For the first time, students from three SSND high schools were invited to volunteer for one of the the Camp Whole Kids’ four, week-long sessions as a service project opportunity. And the response was overwhelming. The limited spaces for volunteers were quickly snatched up by eager students.

“I was telling everyone around me how excited I was, how I was going to this camp and was going to help the kids,” said Holly Graves, a senior at Notre Dame High School, St. Louis. “I love spending time with kids; they bring me joy.”

All told, 14 students from Notre Dame High School, St. Louis; Cristo Rey, Dallas; and Academy of Holy Angels, Demarest, New Jersey, (along with their chaperones) joined alongside WKO counselors and Sisters Carol Jean Dust, Jill Laszewski and Bridget Waldorf.

“It was a great joy to have young people, especially the SSND students, participating in this week of service,” says Sister Bridget. “Each of the three schools represented has its own unique geographic and cultural background, so bringing all these girls together reinforced my belief that our charism of striving for unity is achievable despite our diversity. Throughout the week, we embodied this charism through our shared prayers, the meals we prepared for one another, and our service and presence with the children and families of Whole Kids.”

The high schoolers arrived the night before the camp started, spending that time making introductions, learning the layout of the camp and receiving a basic orientation of their roles. Campers arrived the next morning, and with that, the first week of WKO camp 2025 was underway. Campers were divided into three groups based on age and students were assigned a group for the day.

The high schoolers helped guide campers through their daily schedules of horseback riding, crafts, swimming and various play and learning sessions. They joined in with games and activities and sometimes simply provided a reassuring hand to hold for some of the quieter campers. The theme for that week was self-esteem, so many of the activities focused on ways to build self-esteem through positive affirmations.

The impact of the high schoolers extended beyond the boundaries of the camp and into the larger community as well. Knowing they were going to have so many high school students at the camp for the week, the sisters had put out an offer to residents who could use some assistance. They received a reply from a couple of families who were seeking help clearing and cleaning up the land around their homes. In response, groups of students, along with their chaperones, each took turns spending a day out at these properties mowing grass, cutting out weeds and picking up debris.

“It was a great change of perspective, and it helped me to see the things I take for granted,” said Holly. “At first, I was a little nervous to go out and do this, but after, I realized how much of a difference just a few hours can make on these peoples’ lives. The amount of gratefulness they showed, it just made me realize that I can do something that matters.”

Once the campers left each day, the high schoolers were given time to clean up, relax and reflect. The student groups each took turns developing the menu and cooking the evening meal to share together.

As to getting to meet and work with other Notre Dame students from other schools, Holly says, “It’s been really cool. I love all the girls from my school, but it’s been nice to meet other people and see how we’re not that different and are more similar than I expected.”

“I would tell other students to 100% do this,” says Holly. “If I could do this again, I definitely would. Even after a few days, I already feel like I am learning so much about myself and my community.”

As summer typically does, the week at camp went by quickly – and soon campers, sisters and students were all saying their goodbyes.

“The faith sharing on our last night was powerful,” says Sister Bridget. “Listening to each person’s experience of the week and their desire to integrate those experiences into their lives was inspiring and more than we could have hoped.”

Sister Anne Francioni, executive director of Whole Kids Outreach adds, “Spending time in service with the teens, chaperones, and other SSND left me more convinced than ever that our charism and mission are alive and well!”

Learn more about the work of Whole Kids Outreach.