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This camp lets kids show off their imagination and battle skills. Cardboard required.

There's a camp in Minnesota that's taking kids on quite an adventure.

GIF via Julian McFaul/YouTube.


An adventure in cardboard, that is.

For the past few years, the Minneapolis-based camp Adventures in Cardboard has been opening up the hearts and minds of area youth through outdoor arts and play — and lots of it.

All images come from Amy Wurdock, used with permission.

Created by artist and teacher Julian McFaul, the camp is based around workshops that encourage kids to use nature and their imaginations to create their own fun spaces, both mentally and physically.

And they've got plenty of space to do it. With six locations scattered around the Twin Cities, you can find campers on fantastic wooded trails, high open country fields, and miles of lake or river shoreline. It looks like the ultimate adventure.

The camp comes with the mindset that when you give kids the freedom to be outdoors and be creative, it can compete with any smartphone app, video game, or television show.

I think that's right.

Julian told me that the idea for the camp came naturally from the culture of the Powderhorn Park neighborhood that his family, including his two kids, live in.

"People here just like to build stuff and play. ... We had a giant pirate ship on wheels one year that we ripped around the blocks of Powderhorn, and the kids would get off every once in awhile and storm someone's yard."

Um ... that's amazing and quite a way to get to know the neighbors. And it does pose the question: Why play video games for hours on end when you can be the star in your own real-life version?

I think it's safe to say the kids are enjoying themselves — and it's good for them, too.

"From the work of Richard Louv and others describing 'nature deficit disorder,' we know children are smarter, healthier, and happier when they have time for semi-structured play in natural places," Julian said.

And this year, the camp is trying to make sure ALL kids have the opportunity to experience the fun. Because you shouldn't have to be rich to kick butt in cardboard.

"I know the first thing a girl or boy usually does when they stand at the entrance of the Great Forest, no matter what their gender, ethnicity, or culture, is to grab a stick, do some sword-fighting moves and taunt the monsters inside to come and get her!"

If you feel like helping to make the camp available to more kids, feel free to check out the Indiegogo campaign they are running to raise scholarship funds for future campers.

Adventures in Cardboard is such a great outlet that adults want in too.

"We've had so many requests for an adult retreat organized around the same games and creative activities we do with kids that we're organizing one in the spring and one in the fall of 2016," Julian said.

I mean, I get it. Laughing and screaming with your friends while running around in handmade cardboard gear? It's like the ultimate dream.

I love that it's turned into a reality.

All images provided by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

Collins after being selected by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

True

A changemaker is anyone who takes creative action to solve an ongoing problem—be it in one’s own community or throughout the world.

And when it comes to creating positive change, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective can hold just as much power as years of experience. That’s why, every year, Prudential Emerging Visionaries celebrates young people for their innovative solutions to financial and societal challenges in their communities.

This national program awards 25 young leaders (ages 14-18) up to $15,000 to devote to their passion projects. Additionally, winners receive a trip to Prudential’s headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, where they receive coaching, skills development, and networking opportunities with mentors to help take their innovative solutions to the next level.

For 18-year-old Sydnie Collins, one of the 2023 winners, this meant being able to take her podcast, “Perfect Timing,” to the next level.

Since 2020, the Maryland-based teen has provided a safe platform that promotes youth positivity by giving young people the space to celebrate their achievements and combat mental health stigmas. The idea came during the height of Covid-19, when Collins recalled social media “becoming a dark space flooded with news,” which greatly affected her own anxiety and depression.

Knowing that she couldn’t be the only one feeling this way, “Perfect Timing” seemed like a valuable way to give back to her community. Over the course of 109 episodes, Collins has interviewed a wide range of guests—from other young influencers to celebrities, from innovators to nonprofit leaders—all to remind Gen Z that “their dreams are tangible.”

That mission statement has since evolved beyond creating inspiring content and has expanded to hosting events and speaking publicly at summits and workshops. One of Collins’ favorite moments so far has been raising $7,000 to take 200 underserved girls to see “The Little Mermaid” on its opening weekend, to “let them know they are enough” and that there’s an “older sister” in their corner.

Of course, as with most new projects, funding for “Perfect Timing” has come entirely out of Collins’ pocket. Thankfully, the funding she earned from being selected as a Prudential Emerging Visionary is going toward upgraded recording equipment, the support of expert producers, and skill-building classes to help her become a better host and public speaker. She’ll even be able to lease an office space that allows for a live audience.

Plus, after meeting with the 24 other Prudential Emerging Visionaries and her Prudential employee coach, who is helping her develop specific action steps to connect with her target audience, Collins has more confidence in a “grander path” for her work.

“I learned that my network could extend to multiple spaces beyond my realm of podcasting and journalism when industry leaders are willing to share their expertise, time, and financial support,” she told Upworthy. “It only takes one person to change, and two people to expand that change.”

Prudential Emerging Visionaries is currently seeking applicants for 2024. Winners may receive up to $15,000 in awards and an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential’s headquarters with a parent or guardian, as well as ongoing coaching and skills development to grow their projects.

If you or someone you know between the ages of 14 -18 not only displays a bold vision for the future but is taking action to bring that vision to life, click here to learn more. Applications are due by Nov. 2, 2023.
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