At A Thousand Summers we try to capture photos and testimonials about the young people we serve while they are at camp or involved in our other programs. We share their stories of friendship and fun and often some life lessons that camp taught them.
What we don’t often share, however, is the long-term impact of camp on their lives. In this first installment of Where are They Now?, we want to reintroduce you to Roger, an ATS alum who attended Cheley Colorado Camps from 2014-2017.
Recently, at the ATS Countdown to Camp Open House in Dallas, Texas, Roger spoke about how camp has shaped his life. More than anything else, going to camp taught Roger how to step out of his comfort zone and try new things. Whether it was traveling to camp where he knew no one, committing to a month without his phone, or going on a mountain biking trip that he thought was going to be too challenging, Roger persevered.
Fast forward to spring of 2025…Roger is a second-year law student at the SMU Dedman School of Law. He chose to attend a law school where he didn’t know anyone else. In doing so, he had to step out of his comfort zone to find friends and adjust to his new environment. He knew how to do that from his time at camp and, as a result, he was able to find a strong community and great opportunities. He also had the necessary resilience to meet the rigorous academic challenges of law school.
“Embrace things that may be a little awkward or a little new at first.”
We are so grateful to Roger for sharing his story and inspiring our current campers. He has a very bright future ahead of him, and we can’t wait to see what he does next!