Maybe I’m tired. Maybe I’m emotional. Maybe after almost an entire summer of packing and unpacking, airports and rental cars, tents and trails, early mornings and late nights, I’m just feeling all of it today. We are heading to Sitka for our 12th and final STEAM in the PARK camp of the summer, which means today was the last time we would head to an airport and board a plane for STEAM in the PARK this year. I knew that would probably get to me at some point. I just didn’t expect it to happen in the TSA PreCheck line.

As we headed through security this morning, Steve had Touchless ID on his boarding pass, and for some reason mine had disappeared. The agent told Steve he could go ahead and use the other line while I went through the regular PreCheck line. Steve didn’t even hesitate. He just said, “No, I’m going to hang with her.”

And for some reason, those words hit me harder than they probably should have. Because that is exactly what he has done. He has hung with me. Not just today. Not just this summer. He has hung with me through every crazy idea, every “Steve, what if we…,” every park, every mile, every tent, every box of supplies, every flight, every exhausted night, every moment when I wondered if we could actually pull off the thing I had somehow dreamed up.

There have been plenty of times when he could have taken the easier line. There have probably been plenty of times when the faster line would have made a whole lot more sense. But over and over again, he has chosen my line. He has carried the bags, driven the miles, filmed the stories, solved the problems, made me laugh when I was tired, and believed in this work right alongside me.

So there I stood this morning looking at that silly red line on the airport floor and trying not to get emotional because suddenly it felt like so much more than TSA PreCheck. Thirty-four years of marriage, thousands and thousands of miles, more adventures than I could ever count, and this wild life we have built together somehow wrapped itself up in six little words: “No, I’m going to hang with her.”

And he has. He does. And I hope somewhere along the way he knows that there is no one else I would rather have hanging with me.

One more flight. One more STEAM in the PARK. One more camp. Sitka, Alaska, here we come. And I’m awfully thankful that after all these years, we’re still choosing the same line.

You know those days you wish you could tuck away somewhere safe so you could pull them back out when you need to remember that the world is still full of really good things? That was our last full day at Voyageurs. By Day 4, nobody was trying very hard to impress anybody anymore. Hair was questionable, clothes had definitely been worn more than once, and we knew who needed coffee before conversation and who was going to make us laugh before breakfast was even over. Somewhere during the week, this group of people had simply become our people, and goodness, I love when that happens.

After breakfast, Rodney led us through our Kindness Web SEL lesson, and it was one of those activities that looks simple until you realize what is happening right in front of you. One person connected to another, and another, and another, until there was this beautiful web stretched between us. It was such a picture of what had happened all week. We had held one another up, noticed each other, encouraged each other, made room for each other, and somehow created this little community in the middle of Voyageurs National Park.

Then Tiffany led us in Sound Mapping, and for a little while we got quiet enough to really listen. We heard the water, the birds, the wind, the insects, the leaves, and all those little sounds we miss when we are busy talking and moving and doing. There is something powerful about simply sitting still and paying attention. The world has a lot to say when we quit trying to fill every bit of silence, and Voyageurs certainly had plenty to say to us.

Rodney brought out Shadow Drawings, where sunshine became part of our art supplies. We traced the shadows of nature and played with light and shape and perspective, watching science and art get all tangled up together in the best possible way. Then Ann led us through Belly Botany, looking at the plants and pine cones, trees and bugs, rocks and things we couldn't identify. Diving deep!

After lunch, we gave ourselves the rest of the day for free time, and I think it may have been exactly what all of us needed. We swam, fished, canoed, climbed into hammocks, sat beside the water, talked, laughed, and just enjoyed being together. Nobody needed to accomplish anything or be anywhere else. There was so much love in that campground, and sometimes I think those unscheduled hours are where the real magic of STEAM in the PARK happens. You look around and realize people who didn't know one another a few days ago are sitting together like old friends.

That night we topped it all off with one absolutely crazy KampiOKE, and I am not sure Voyageurs National Park will ever be quite the same. There was singing, dancing, strange performances, great song choices, and so much laughter. Lord, did we laugh. It was loud and ridiculous and joyful, and it was exactly the way this group needed to spend our last night together.

Morning came awfully early, and by 6:00 a.m. we were taking down tents, stuffing sleeping bags, packing gear, dismantling our little camp kitchen, and hauling everything toward the water. Somehow all the stuff that had fit on the boat coming in had to fit on the boat going back out, and for a while it felt like we were moving in twenty different directions at once. It was busy and hectic and a little bit ridiculous, but somehow it was also perfect. Everyone jumped in, everyone helped, and before we knew it we were loaded up and heading across the water toward the Ash River Visitor Center.

As I looked back on the week, I kept thinking about how Voyageurs gave us this perfect blend of everything. We had beautiful weather and incredible wildlife, eagles and eaglets, loons and otters, white pines and dark skies, water that seemed to stretch forever, Ellsworth Rock Garden, fishing poles and canoes, daisy chains and night hikes, science and art and music and laughter. We had adventures we planned and moments we never could have planned, and somehow they all fit together into one beautiful week.

But the greatest gift was the people. I know that I say this every week, but it is true. That is the thing I keep learning summer after summer with STEAM in the PARK. We come to these places thinking the national park is going to be the story, and of course it is a huge part of it, but then the people show up. They bring their stories and their gifts and their weirdness and their laughter and their kindness. They sit beside one another at picnic tables, paddle together, learn together, sing loudly together, and help take down somebody else's tent at six in the morning. Somewhere in the middle of all of that, strangers become friends, friends become community, and a place on a map becomes part of who we are.

Voyageurs, you were everything we hoped you would be and so much we never could have planned. Camp #11 is officially in the books, and somehow this summer that began so many miles and memories ago has brought us to our final camp. Now we pack everything up one more time and head toward Camp #12 — Sitka, Alaska, ready for one more group of people, one more incredible place, and one more chance to show up, pay attention, and be where our feet are.

We started our morning back on the water with Captain Kevin and Ranger Mark, headed toward one of the most wonderfully unusual places in Voyageurs National Park—Ellsworth Rock Gardens. Of course, getting somewhere in Voyageurs is half the adventure, and on our way we stopped to watch bald eagles and eaglets. Eagles are truly part of the Voyageurs landscape. The park's tall shoreline pines, huge lakes, and abundant fish create wonderful bald eagle habitat, and seeing them from the water never gets old. There is something pretty incredible about shutting off the boat, looking toward the treetops, and realizing that we are visitors in their home.

Then we arrived at Ellsworth Rock Gardens, and what a story this place holds. Beginning in the 1940s, Jack Ellsworth took a rocky outcrop along Lake Kabetogama and began creating. Over roughly twenty years, he built more than 60 terraced flower beds, planted thousands and thousands of flowers, and created more than 200 rock sculptures. He wasn't a famous artist arriving with a grand plan. He was a carpenter from Chicago who looked at this rugged piece of northern Minnesota and saw possibilities. Rock by rock, flower by flower, hour after hour, he transformed it into what became known as the “Showplace of Lake Kabetogama.” Walking through it today with Ranger Mark, I kept thinking about what happens when imagination, persistence, engineering, art, and nature all meet in the same place. That sounds an awful lot like STEAM to me.

Back at camp, we had lunch and then welcomed Chanda from Voyageurs Conservancy, who shared another very special part of this place with us. Chanda is Ojibwe, and she spent time sharing her culture with our campers while teaching us how to make daisy-chain bracelets. As our hands stayed busy, we listened. We learned. We asked questions. She also shared about the work she does with the Conservancy and the role she plays in caring for and connecting people to this incredible place. These are the moments I love—the ones when learning isn't something being delivered to us. It happens through conversation, stories, relationships, and sitting together around a table making something with our hands.

And then came one of those glorious Voyageurs afternoons when everyone could simply be where their feet were. Fishing—and actually catching! Canoeing. Hammocking. Swimming. Laughing. Sitting beside the water. Nobody needed to rush anywhere. For a few hours, this beautiful place was simply ours to experience.

After dinner, our classroom changed one more time. We watched our National Parks Adventure film together and then met up with the one and only Dark Sky Lord, Jesse Gates. Jesse helped us look UP and think about Voyageurs in an entirely different way. The darkness here isn't empty. It is full of wonder. Stars, planets, stories, science, questions—and that feeling of realizing just how enormous our universe really is. Protecting dark skies means protecting something that humans have looked toward in wonder for thousands of years.

Today we learned from an artist who left his imagination on the rocks, from eagles raising their young along these waterways, from an Ojibwe educator sharing culture and connection, from the lakes that gave us a place to play, and from a sky that reminded us how very small we are.

Rock gardens. Eagles. Culture. Fishing. Canoes. Hammocks. Swimming. Stars.

Day 3, you were pretty spectacular.

There is something that happens when you finally slow down enough to really notice where you are. Today at Voyageurs National Park was filled with those moments—the kind when you stop walking quite so fast, look a little closer, listen a little longer, and suddenly realize just how much has been there all along waiting for you to notice it.

We started our morning with some really special SEL time led by Tiffany. These moments have become such an important part of STEAM in the PARK because this week isn't only about learning about Voyageurs National Park. It is also about learning about ourselves and each other. Tiffany gave us space to think, share, connect, and simply be present together. There is something pretty powerful about sitting in a national park with a group of educators and giving ourselves permission to slow down and talk about the things that matter.

That feeling continued during To Each Its Own, one of those activities that always reminds us that nature doesn't make everything exactly alike—and neither should we expect that from people. We spent time looking closely, noticing differences, making connections, and thinking about how those differences are often the very things that make something interesting and beautiful. There were some special conversations tucked into those moments, and I found myself once again thinking about our theme for this week: Be Where Your Feet Are.

We carried that noticing into our nature prints, where the tiny details suddenly became the stars of the show. Shapes, textures, lines, patterns, edges—things we might have walked right past became things worth studying and creating with. I love activities like this because there really isn't a right answer. Everyone can look at the same piece of nature and see something completely different.

Then we headed out for our hike to Mosses Meadow. We identified plants along the way, but even more importantly, we practiced noticing. We slowed down. We looked up. We looked down. We stopped to examine things that normally would have gotten only a passing glance. We noticed colors, textures, smells, sounds, and all of those tiny pieces of Voyageurs that are easy to miss when your only goal is getting from one place to another. Sometimes the best part of a hike isn't where you end up. It's everything you almost walked past along the way.

This afternoon, things got a little strange.

Okay. Maybe really strange.

It was time for our Adaptations Auction, and apparently we have a group of campers with some VERY interesting imaginations! After bidding on adaptations and creating creatures that could survive using the traits they had collected, we discovered that many of our campers are, well, extremely strange. HAHA! Their creatures were completely off the wall, wonderfully ridiculous, scientifically questionable in places, and absolutely hilarious. You will get to see some of that craziness when our end-of-camp video goes up, and trust me—you are going to want to see these creatures.

After all that creativity, it was time for some much-needed free time. Swimming and canoeing were once again the favorites, and there was so much laughter coming from the water. One of my favorite things about camp is watching grown-ups remember how much fun it is to simply play. No lesson plan. No agenda. No bell telling us where to go next. Just water, canoes, friends, laughter, and another beautiful afternoon at Voyageurs.

After dinner, we launched something completely new: the first-ever Voyageurs Loon Network! Our campers took the events of our day and turned them into their own versions of famous television shows. It was ridiculous, creative, hilarious, and exactly what we hoped it would be. Who knew the day's adventures at Voyageurs could become television? Apparently our campers did. I have a feeling the Voyageurs Loon Network may need to become a camp tradition.

As darkness began to settle in, we gathered outside to watch our CCC video under the open sky, which was just plain fun. . From there, we put our learning into our hands and created our CCC LEGO designs, building, imagining, problem-solving, and sharing our ideas with one another.

And because apparently we hadn't squeezed quite enough into Day 2, we ended our night with a Night Hike led by Ann. Out we went into a completely different Voyageurs—the one that appears when the sunlight disappears and our eyes and ears have to work a little harder. It was the perfect ending to a day built around noticing.

Today we created. We hiked. We learned. We built. We swam. We canoed. We laughed—a lot. We got weird—a lot. And somewhere in between all of those things, we slowed down enough to notice the place around us and the people beside us.

Be Where Your Feet Are

There is something different about beginning a STEAM in the PARK adventure when there isn’t really an “arrival” at all. There is a boat. There is a pile of gear. There are new tents and Pelican boxes and food and fishing poles and paddles and people looking at all of it wondering, “Is this REALLY all going to fit?” And somehow, aboard the Ne-zho-dain it did. For the first time, our entire group came over early, and EVERYONE jumped in to help build our home for the week. We unloaded, hauled, carried, organized, raised our new tents from ROMO Family Camp, created our kitchen, and turned a little piece of Voyageurs National Park into STEAM in the PARK.

And then we got to enjoy it. Before dinner, fishing poles came out and canoes slipped into the water. We started looking around and realizing just where our feet had landed. Water in every direction. Eagles overhead. Beavers doing what beavers do. A sunrise that reminded us why waking up in a national park is worth every uncomfortable sleeping position imaginable. Voyageurs was already showing off, and we had barely begun.

After dinner, things got a little more…secretive. There was an initiation. There were Eastern White Pines. There was sniffing. And just like that, another group of unsuspecting educators entered the highly prestigious and slightly ridiculous Secret Society of Tree Sniffers. If you know, you know. If you don’t, find yourself an Eastern White Pine, get your nose in there, and perhaps someday you too will understand.

But underneath all of the laughter and adventure was our intention for this week: Be Where Your Feet Are. We talked about what it means to really be here—not thinking about what is happening at home, what needs to be done next week, what email is waiting, or what comes after this. Just here. Right now. On this island. In Voyageurs National Park. With these people. We exchanged our Book Buddies, began learning about the history and stories of this incredible place, and settled into our tents as the day finally grew quiet. Day 1 wasn’t about rushing through a schedule. It was about building something together—quite literally. A campsite. A kitchen. A community. And maybe the beginning of a week where we practice being fully present in the place where our feet happen to be.

It was a beautiful first day at Voyageurs National Park. Eagles. Beavers. Canoes. Fishing. White Pines. Laughter. A boat packed with more gear than seemed humanly possible. And a group of people willing to jump in and make this place home.

For this week, our feet are at Voyageurs.

And that is exactly where we want to be.

​Every STEAM in the PARK week has its own soundtrack.

Some weeks are quiet ballads. Some are full of adventure anthems. Others are songs you don't realize you'll remember until long after the music has ended.

Indiana Dunes has been all of those.

It began with "Here Comes the Sun." Twenty-four educators arrived from across the country, carrying different stories, different experiences, and different expectations. By the end of the week, those individual melodies blended into something far richer—a chorus of encouragement, curiosity, and friendship.

There were moments that deserved "Walking on Sunshine." We wandered through Miller Woods searching for monarch eggs, climbed towering dunes, laughed our way through karaoke, paddled across the waters of Lake Michigan, explored the Great Marsh, discovered the secrets of ecological succession, and somehow managed to find joy in nearly every hour. Even the moments that left us sweaty, sandy, and a little exhausted became part of the rhythm of the week.

Some memories sounded more like "Three Little Birds." We learned that nature has a remarkable way of reminding us that things have a way of working out. Whether watching pollinators, studying dunes shaped by wind and waves, sitting quietly during our Wave Break along the shoreline, or simply noticing the beauty hidden in the smallest details, Indiana Dunes kept whispering the same message: notice more, worry less.

The laughter, though, deserves its own song. Maybe it was "Happy." Maybe it was "Don't Stop Me Now." Maybe it was a song without words because no title could ever capture the sound of friends laughing until tears rolled down their faces during free time, campfires, boat rides, meals, and one more inside joke that somehow became part of camp history. If Glacier gave us quiet reflection, Indiana Dunes gave us contagious joy. The laughter became the soundtrack playing underneath everything we experienced together.

There were moments that felt like "Stand by Me." We encouraged one another on long hikes, celebrated each other's successes, shared stories that mattered, and discovered once again that community isn't built in one grand moment. It grows through hundreds of small acts of kindness, shared conversations, helping hands, and the simple decision to keep showing up for one another.

As we packed this morning, another song quietly found its way onto the playlist: "On the Road Again." Our time among the black oaks, shifting dunes, monarchs, Great Marsh, and the incredible team at the Dunes Learning Center has come to an end. To Ranger Erin, Erin Croft, Leo, Kayleigh, Bethany, Joe, and every educator, staff member, volunteer, and behind-the-scenes supporter who welcomed us so generously—thank you for allowing us to become part of your story this week. You reminded us that Indiana Dunes is far more than a beautiful landscape. It is a place where restoration happens—in habitats, in communities, and sometimes in ourselves.

Now the playlist changes once again. The next song is "Leaving on a Jet Plane." Tomorrow we fly toward Voyageurs National Park, where forests meet water, where canoes have carried stories for generations, where loons call across quiet lakes, and where another group of educators is waiting to write the next chapter with us. The scenery will change. The wildlife will change. The lessons will change. But the heart of STEAM in the PARK never does.

Different park. Different songs. Different adventures. Yet the same purpose continues to guide us. We leave Indiana Dunes with sand still tucked into our shoes, laughter still echoing in our hearts, and gratitude that is impossible to measure. Thank you for being part of this week's soundtrack. The music isn't ending. It's simply carrying us north, where a new melody is waiting to begin.

There is a tendency to think that the biggest emotions are always the hardest ones to carry. We think of grief, fear, heartbreak, or uncertainty. But this week has reminded me that joy can be just as big. Laughter can fill every corner of a room. Happiness can be so overwhelming that your cheeks hurt from smiling, and a simple moment can stay with you long after it has passed.

That has been the story of this week at Indiana Dunes National Park. Everywhere we've turned, there has been laughter. The kind that starts quietly and grows until an entire group is laughing together. There have been chuckles over unexpected moments, stories shared around the table, conversations on the trail, and those little moments that no one plans but everyone remembers. Joy has been woven into every part of our adventure.

Joy has a remarkable way of doing that. It invites us to let our guard down. It reminds us to notice the people beside us as much as the places around us. It helps us celebrate small victories, laugh at ourselves, and appreciate the simple gift of sharing an experience together. Sometimes the most meaningful learning doesn't happen during a lesson. It happens in the spaces between—the conversations while walking a trail, the laughter at dinner, or the quiet moments watching the waves roll onto the shore of Lake Michigan.

Tomorrow we'll head home carrying lesson ideas, photographs, and memories of Indiana Dunes National Park. But I hope we leave with something even more important. I hope we remember that some of life's biggest emotions aren't the difficult ones. Sometimes they arrive wrapped in laughter, shared experiences, new friendships, and the quiet joy of realizing that for one remarkable week, we were exactly where we needed to be.

The world doesn't always reveal its best stories all at once. Sometimes they are tucked beneath a milkweed leaf, buzzing quietly through a patch of wildflowers, or carried on the wind across a lake. Our morning at Miller Woods was spent looking closely. Really closely.

With Sea Grant intern Kayleigh, we searched milkweed plants for monarch eggs and tiny caterpillars, learning how scientists monitor one of North America's most recognizable migrations. Every discovery was photographed and uploaded to iNaturalist, where our small observations become part of a much larger picture. It's comforting to know that paying attention still matters.

Just down the trail, Bethany from the USGS introduced us to another group of often-overlooked heroes—the bumblebees. We walked the pollinator gardens learning about their surprising strength, their remarkable ability to buzz pollinate flowers, and the quiet work they do every day without anyone stopping to applaud. Nature has a way of reminding us that some of the most important work is also the least noticed.

By afternoon we found ourselves standing along the shore of Lake Michigan. Neysa led us through a Wave Break activity, inviting us to simply breathe, listen, and let the rhythm of the water do what it has done for thousands of years. It was peaceful...for us, anyway.

To everyone walking by, it probably looked a little different.

Imagine twenty-four educators dressed head-to-toe in matching pink shirts, standing silently in a line facing the lake with our eyes closed. Hands in the air, waving up and down with each crashing wave. Parents began gathering their children just a little closer as they hurried past. We couldn't have planned a funnier scene if we had tried. Sometimes the best laughs come from seeing yourself through someone else's eyes.

Ranger Erin took us from the shoreline into the story of the dunes themselves. We talked about waves that build and reshape beaches, examined rocks that have traveled farther than most of us ever will, and then set off on the Ecological Succession Trail. The word "trail" doesn't fully prepare you for the sandy climbs, winding hills, and those famous 272 steps waiting at the end. Fortunately, someone understood exactly what tired hikers need because ice cream was waiting for us at the finish.

The rain arrived just as we made it back to camp, creating the perfect excuse for comfort food, dry clothes, and an evening of karaoke. There is something wonderfully freeing about a room full of educators who are completely willing to sing off-key, clap loudly, laugh at themselves, and cheer everyone else on.

Tomorrow we trade hiking shoes for life jackets as we head out onto Lake Michigan. Here's hoping for calm water, blue skies, and another day filled with things we never would have noticed if we hadn't gone looking.

This morning, we became part of Indiana Dunes National Park history.

As the inaugural STEAM in the PARK group to stay in the newly restored Goodfellow Lodge, we realized that we weren't just visiting a historic building—we were helping begin its next chapter.

Originally built in 1941 as the centerpiece of U.S. Steel's Good Fellow Youth Camp, the lodge welcomed generations of children whose parents worked at the Gary Works steel mill. After the National Park Service acquired the property in 1976, the building waited decades for its next chapter. Today, thanks to an extraordinary restoration effort and the dedication of people who believed this place was worth saving, Goodfellow Lodge is once again filled with laughter, learning, and community.

One of those people is Judy Collins, who has spent decades working to preserve the history of Indiana Dunes National Park and advocating for the restoration of Goodfellow Lodge. Because of her perseverance, along with the efforts of countless others, educators from across the country are able to experience this remarkable place. We are incredibly grateful for her vision and commitment to ensuring that future generations will continue to learn from and enjoy this historic lodge.

One of the highlights of our day was gathering outside the lodge for a group photograph that will become part of the new Goodfellow Lodge time capsule. What an incredible honor to know that years from now, someone will open that capsule and discover the faces of the very first STEAM in the PARK educators to call this beautifully restored lodge home.

Our learning continued with the incredible Great Marsh Wetland Restoration team. We learned about the importance of native plants and wetlands before rolling up our sleeves to help clean seeds that will eventually be grown in their native nursery. It was rewarding to know that such a simple task today will contribute to restoring habitats throughout the Indiana Dunes ecosystem. Conservation isn't always glamorous, but it is always important, and today we became a small part of that ongoing story.

From there, it was time for the Indiana Dunes Rescue Challenge. Campers worked together to solve problems, think creatively, and discover just how interconnected the plants, animals, and people of Indiana Dunes really are. We also explored our artistic side by creating paints from natural materials we found around camp. Every color came directly from nature, reminding us that the landscape itself can be both our classroom and our art studio.

Then came one of the funniest moments of the week so far—our Adaptations Auction. This year was a first for me because I stepped into the role of auctioneer, and I have to admit...I think I found a new favorite job! Pacia and Neysa embraced their roles as my wildly enthusiastic auction assistants, helping keep the bidding moving while adding plenty of laughs along the way. Emily wisely chose a different strategy—she mostly stood back and laughed at all of us as the competition became more and more spirited. It was energetic, a little chaotic, and exactly the kind of joyful learning we love.

Our Rewilding session was another success as we continued talking about the small actions each of us can take to restore habitats and make a positive difference long after camp comes to an end. It is always encouraging to watch educators begin thinking about how they can take these ideas home to their students and communities.

We closed the evening with our CCC LEGO Build, where campers recreated Civilian Conservation Corps projects while learning about the lasting impact the CCC had on Indiana Dunes and parks across the country. It was a fitting way to end a day that connected history, conservation, creativity, and community.

Tomorrow we head out for an all-day field experience with our amazing Indiana Dunes National Park rangers. We can't wait to explore more of this incredible park together.

Today marked a milestone we've been looking forward to for a long time—our very first STEAM in the PARK camp at Indiana Dunes National Park.

For years, we've driven past these dunes, admired this incredible landscape, and dreamed about bringing educators here. This place is unlike anywhere else in the National Park System. More than 15,000 years ago, glaciers helped shape these towering dunes along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, creating one of the most biologically diverse national parks in the country. It's a place where forests, wetlands, prairies, rivers, and beaches exist side by side, offering endless opportunities to wonder, explore, and learn.

We're especially grateful to be spending the week at the Dunes Learning Center, a place with an incredible story of its own. Our campus was originally Camp Good Fellow, a summer camp built by U.S. Steel in 1941 for the children of employees at the Gary Works steel mill. Thousands of children spent their summers here exploring the woods, the river, and the dunes. After the National Park Service acquired the property in 1976, a vision emerged to transform it into a place where new generations could learn about this remarkable landscape. Today, through a unique partnership with Indiana Dunes National Park, the Dunes Learning Center serves as the park's official outdoor school, welcoming students and educators from across the region to experience one of the most biodiverse national parks in the country. 

One of our favorite moments happened before camp even officially began. Every one of our 24 campers had arrived within the first 90 minutes. That almost never happens! There was so much excitement as hugs were exchanged, new friendships began, and returning campers welcomed those joining us for the very first time. It already feels like this is going to be a wonderful week together.

This afternoon we introduced one of our favorite activities, To Each Its Own. Each camper selected an apple tree leaf, carefully observed every detail, and then entrusted it to us for a while. Later, when dozens of leaves were mixed together, the challenge was to find their own. At first glance they all looked nearly identical, but as campers slowed down, they began noticing tiny characteristics they had overlooked before—the shape of the edges, small blemishes, subtle color differences, the curve of the stem, even tiny insect bites. Before long, almost everyone had reunited with their leaf.

It reminded us of an important lesson that extends far beyond nature. The world is full of incredible things waiting to be noticed, but too often we move too quickly to really see them. Whether it's a leaf, a bird call, a kind gesture, or someone sitting quietly who could use a friend, noticing changes everything.

One of our campers, Jen T, shared a wonderful children's book called Noticing and suggested it might become part of our future camps. We loved the idea. Sometimes the best ideas come from the people around us, and we're grateful whenever campers help make STEAM in the PARK even better.

This evening we met with our new Book Buddies, sharing stories, conversations, and the excitement of getting to know someone new. Those partnerships always become one of our favorite parts of the week, and we can't wait to watch those friendships grow over the next few days.

As the sun began to set, we gathered around the beautiful campfire area at the Dunes Learning Center for one of the best camp traditions—s'mores. This year's version included classic chocolate bars from Walmart alongside some delicious Albanese chocolates, which made for some pretty amazing combinations. We also celebrated Satomi and Stefannie's birthdays with s'more cupcakes, plenty of laughter, and a campfire full of new friends singing "Happy Birthday."

We're so thankful to finally be here at Indiana Dunes National Park. A huge thank you to our host, Erin, at the Dunes Learning Center and to Ranger Erin from Indiana Dunes National Park for welcoming us so warmly. We have a feeling this first Indiana Dunes camp is going to become one we'll remember for a very long time.

Here's to an incredible week of learning, exploring, laughing, and noticing all the wonderful things this remarkable place has to teach us.