Hello everyone! My name is Grace Dearhamer (she/her) and I am from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. This upcoming year will be my senior year at Eureka College in Eureka, Illinois where I am double majoring in philosophy/religion and psychology/sociology with a minor in criminal justice.
In my free time I like to go to the movie theater, try all kinds of caffeinated beverages, eat lots of chocolate chip cookies, and roller skate! I am so excited to explore the larger Disciples of Christ denomination this summer while visiting unique camps all over the place!
While at school I get the amazing opportunity to serve as a youth ministry intern at Eureka Christian Church alongside my partner Hayden Skaggs! Working with such wonderful kids is so fulfilling and quite possibly the best “job” ever. Rev. Jennie Churchman has even entrusted me with the pulpit as a guest preacher! Being involved in youth group when I was a kid is what helped me discover the joys of summer camp. I remember the first time that I got to meet a Peace Intern and I thought it was the coolest job in the world! I am so excited to be the Peace Intern that gets the pleasure of inspiring incredible kids at camp throughout this summer.
This summer I will be sharing the importance of intellectual hospitality and intercultural understanding with campers across six different camps. Engaging with ideas and cultures that we may not understand helps us to flourish as individuals and better understand the world from many different perspectives. These ideas were introduced to me in both my childhood and my adult life. As a kid, my family moved from place to place quite a lot and we even lived in London, England for about four years. Interacting with so many different cultures taught me the importance of understanding the lifestyles of others. I am so grateful that I was exposed to such amazing experiences so early in my life. As a college student I am pushed every day to not only welcome new ideas but to encourage them. To better understand ourselves, we must understand others. I am so excited to build relationships with campers and hopefully guide them on their faith journey along the way!