Valka teen returns from month-long US camp with bridge-building skills and a life lesson
Amanda Kušķe, 16, from Valka has returned from a month-long camp in the United States, where she learned to build a bridge and write letters by hand. Her main takeaway: nothing happens unless you dare to try.
Amanda Kušķe, a 16-year-old from Valka, will start 10th grade at the Jāņa Cimzes Gymnasium in Valka on September 1, enrolling in the entrepreneurship program. She recently returned from a month-long camp in the United States called “Austošā saule” (“Rising Sun”).
During the camp, participants gained practical skills, including bridge-building and writing letters to family by hand. These activities allowed the teenager to step out of her daily routine and gain experience that is not typically taught in school.
As Amanda told “Ziemeļlatvija”, the main lesson she drew from the adventure is simple but significant: if you do not dare and at least try, nothing will happen. She recommends this lesson to her peers who are still at the beginning of their own challenges.
In a conversation at the newspaper’s office last Friday, the young woman noted that the experience made her realize how important personal initiative and courage are. The practical knowledge acquired at the camp will be useful as she starts the new school year and studies the entrepreneurship programme.
