Meet Spectrum’s Camporee Reporters
Raquel Mentor is our associate editor and social media manager. She graduated from Andrews University and earned her MA from La Sierra University. She lives in New Mexico.
Sofia Lindgren is our office manager and bookkeeper. She graduated from Pacific Union College with a BA in Business Management. She lives in California.
Samuel Girven is our special projects correspondent. He is a rising senior at Shenandoah Valley Academy in Virginia and grew up in Michigan.
What will you be doing at Camporee for Spectrum, and any additional responsibilities?
Raquel: For the Camporee, I will be coordinating our team. I’ll also be gathering content—taking pictures, filming vertical video, and creating social media posts. (Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, X, and Threads)
Sofia: I will be a chaperone for my local church’s Pathfinder club along with helping Raquel out with reporting and social media content.
Sam: I will be reporting about Camporee all week and capturing key moments as a photographer. I’ll also be helping out with some content creation for our social media pages.
What’s some of the things you liked and didn’t like about being a Pathfinder?
Raquel: Pathfinders was my world growing up. I looked forward to the meetings every weekend. I loved donning an immaculate uniform. I found joy in marching, tying knots, and completing every class. As someone who thrived on structure, I embraced every rule and wanted to excel in every way. It was through Pathfinders that I discovered my passion for youth ministry. I am sure there were things I disliked growing up, but most of my memories now are happy nostalgia.
Sofia: I loved doing the different fun honors that my group would do and going on the weekend trips just my group would do. However, I HATED explaining Pathfinders to my friends and family that weren’t Adventist.
Sam: I loved going to the camporees and events. In Michigan our Pathfinder events were always a big deal. I also enjoyed my Pathfinder club’s community outreach, like our yearly Thanksgiving food drive, even if it was sometimes a bit lowkey and traditional. March and drill was something I was passionate about, even if I wasn’t the best at it. Now, I’m out of practice, but I can still tell you how to salute correctly and do a smooth “about face!” Perhaps my favorite memories involve being a T.L.T. (Teen Leader in Training). I taught several honors to younger Pathfinders and took an active role in ensuring they had great experiences as Pathfinders. I did have some dislikes, though. Ironically, I disliked camping, partially because I hated smelling like campfire smoke and being unable to shower for several days. The Investiture Achievement paperwork always felt like pointless schoolwork. Sometimes, the culture within Pathfinders gave me pause; were we prepared to include Pathfinders who didn’t precisely align with the “correct” standards of Pathfindering? For example, I once debated with my peers about whether someone who identified as LGBTQ+ was “worthy of wearing the Pathfinder uniform.” Each Pathfinder club and conference is different, though, so my experiences are not necessarily representative of Pathfindering as a whole.
What Camporees or other major Pathfinder events have you attended?
Raquel: In 2019, I went to my first International Camporee. But, I remember attending the Southern California Conference camporees growing up. Then, when I lived in Indiana, I attended their camporees and events, too.
Sofia: I went to the 2014 Forever Faithful camporee. I would also go to the different regional camporees and events.
Sam: I attended the International Pathfinder Camporee in 2019. I’ve also attended numerous other union and state camporees, fairs, and outings, many of which I’ve covered for publications I’ve worked for in the past.
What honor are you most proud of earning, and why?
Raquel: The cycling honor – it’s a rigorous one, culminating with a 50-mile ride. Our Pathfinder club started cycling at 5 in the morning, going along the Los Angeles River Bikeway to get to Long Beach, California. It felt like an insurmountable distance, but with each mile closer to the halfway point, the smell of the ocean got stronger as we approached our destination. Our very underprepared team was incredibly sore from the trek the following week, but that was a patch we were all proud to receive.
Sofia: I was most proud of the cake decorating honor that I have because it made me feel like Buddy Valastro i.e., Cake Boss.
Sam: The hiking honor. To earn the honor, I hiked all over Mackinac Island in one day. I’m not normally a hiker, so I was pretty proud of myself. I paid for it, though, in the form of muscle pain and blisters!
What’s one thing you’re looking forward to at this Camporee and/or being in Wyoming?
Raquel: It’s a small Adventist world, and gatherings like Camporee are moments to reunite with people from all previous walks of life. I am looking forward to seeing college classmates, the church family I grew up with, and the friends I’ve made as I’ve moved around the country.
Sofia: I can’t wait to see the yaks in Wyoming and do some additional sightseeing. I also look forward to eating the different vendor foods.
Sam: The pin trading. I’m anxious to see what various regions have come up with for their pins, and I look forward to meeting all kinds of new people.
What Camporee food vendor spot are you looking forward to eating at again?
Sofia: I’m looking forward to all of the different kinds of food available. However, the Filipino vendors and boba stands will always have a special place in my heart. Sam: There was a great pizza vendor last time, and I hope to find it again. The bad thing is that I can’t remember what it was called!
