Future Teacher Went to Summer ‘Boot Camp’ for Teaching Within the Mission

Sometimes when you Transform Culture in America, you start with a summer camp.

Maria Stedwill of Peoria, Illinois, is studying English education and theology — and is already putting Benedictine College’s mission into practice.

“This summer, I was a camp counselor at Camp Tekakwitha,” she said.

Call it boot camp for Raven educators.

“Camp was one of the best things I did, not only for my future job as an educator, but for my formation as a young adult,” Catholic educator Kari Ashley said. “Twenty years later, I’m still using the skills I learned as a counselor at camp.”

Benedictine College School of Education’s mission is “to prepare Educators as Builders of Community.” Stedwill credits Benedictine College with preparing her for the experience by “showing me the beauty of serving others and what a life-giving experience it is to be on mission for Christ.”

Her own experience with Benedictine College began at summer camp through BCYC Immersion. “I loved the idea of coming to a place where people were so enthusiastic about living their faith and just so happy to live life fully,” she said. Because her siblings attended Benedictine, Stedwill also grew up visiting the college. “When I arrived on move-in day, it felt just like coming home,” she said.

Benedictine prepared her for Camp Tekakwitha through its mission as a community of faith and scholarship.

Community

Stedwill serves as a student ambassador in the Admission Office.

“I love being a student ambassador on campus because I’m able to live out our call to hospitality every day,” she said. “Welcoming guests to campus is a daily reminder of all the wonderful blessings we have here at Benedictine, and I love getting to share this amazing place with others.”

Through mission trips, service-learning opportunities, and her work in the Admission Office, Stedwill has experienced the joy of meeting and serving others.

“I’ve often been reminded at Benedictine that every time we meet someone new, we see a different part of God,” she said.

That spirit of community also shaped her own welcome to Benedictine.

“Everyone here is truly so joyful, and all of the professors and upperclassmen have become such great mentors to me,” she said.

Faith

Stedwill is active with FOCUS and participated in a spring-break mission trip to Chicago, where she spent a week living and serving with the Missionaries of Charity.

That experience helped prepare her to serve at Camp Tekakwitha, an apostolate of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.

Before camp began, Stedwill said she could see God directing her toward the opportunity.

“It was clear God was opening the door to serving at Camp Tekakwitha,” she said. “I’m excited to serve the kids through this experience and continue to grow in my relationship with the Lord.”

Scholarship

Stedwill is also a Gregorian Fellow, studying leadership and the enduring principles of effective leadership.

Above all, however, she said her preparation as an education major equipped her for her work at camp.

“Camp Tekakwitha is all about guiding children to Christ, and I was excited to take the things I learned from my catechesis class with me,” she said.

Benedictine College’s emphasis on hands-on learning was especially important.

“During my time at Benedictine, I’ve had the opportunity to take part in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd formation class,” she said. “It has taught me about the sacredness of a child’s relationship with God and the importance of allowing children the opportunity to encounter Christ.”

Camp Tekakwitha uses the beauty of the natural world to reach the hearts of its participants. At Benedictine, Stedwill has discovered that natural and architectural beauty can likewise draw people toward God and the good life.

“At Benedictine, I feel like I am surrounded by beauty everywhere,” she said. “It really draws my heart and mind to so many amazing things and has given me a deeper understanding of what it means to live life well. I’m so excited to spend the next three years here!”

Isabella Wilcox contributed to this report.

By Editorial Staff