LYDIA Urban Academy student receives top awards at summer camp

For the past three summers, LYDIA Urban Academy students have attended Kids Across America (KAA), a one-week Christian camp in Missouri. Here, LUA Principal Mandy Ross reflects on how this camp has changed one student’s life. 

Antonio is a relatively quiet student. He is well-liked by his peers and tends to work hard in his classes. Last year at KAA, he made a decision to rededicate his life to Christ.

This year, the fruit of that decision was made clear at Vespers, the end-of-camp celebration where campers are honored for their performance in sports as well as their ability to reflect Christ-like behaviors.

KAA presents two awards to campers, the Titus Award and the Barnabus Award. Unlike the sporting awards, if the staff believes that no one deserves the honor, they will not give it to anyone. Antonio received one of each!

The Titus Award is presented to any male camper who demonstrates his faith in practical ways by doing good for the sake of the Gospel and demonstrating integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech.

Antonio was the first LUA student to receive this award, and he beamed as he took the stage with his fellow recipients.

The Barnabus Award goes to only one camper from each age group. It honors the individual who is an encouragement not only to his fellow campers but also to his counselors.

When Antonio received this award, he was ushered to the center of the celebration and given a seat of honor for the remainder of the ceremony.

The following day, as we packed up the vans to return to Chicago, I saw Antonio bounding towards me out of the corner of my eye. I turned to him in time to return the giant bear hug he came to bestow on me and told him how proud I was of him. 

“Antonio! You are a beast, dude!” I said (this is a term of affection, meaning that he did an incredible job). He smiled in his own special way, his face radiant with pride, and said, “I know, right?”