A place to be me

By Paicheal Petty

Harper High School

When I was 8, I was burned in a house fire. I got burned on the whole right side of my body.

I don’t know how long I stayed in the hospital, but after I was released people always were looking at me like I did not belong--no matter where I went.

I was never ashamed to show myself to other people, yet, I never told people what happened. Since third grade, I have been home-schooled. Now I’m 15, and attend Harper High School on the South Side. My counselor told be about the “burn camp” during my freshman year. The camp, sponsored by the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance, meets during the summer for one week at YMCA Camp Duncan in Ingleside, Ill. Camp “I Am Me” is filled with courageous burn survivors where everyone just blends in.

When I heard about this camp I thought I wasn’t going to like it. However, when I went to camp I met a lot of people and I had a very excellent time during the week. I didn’t want to come home because I felt good there, like I belong there. The people were very welcoming. It was just like a regular week with parties, a Fun Fair, karaoke, campfires and dances. I met a lot of kids who had injuries but also had a lot of talent.

One of the kids, Breanna Gates, a student at North Chicago High School, is a top beat boxer. She is so good that she makes up beats on the spot. We even we made up a dance for her beats at camp. “Beat boxing is a way that I connect with the people around me and how I really enjoy my life as being saved not burnt,” she says.

I loved my cabin mates who are very funny and cool. I loved all the counselors and the firefighters who took time out to be with us. This camp experience was a good one that I will never forget. I can’t wait to go back next year because I already missed the people I met.  
For more information on camp “I Am Me” go to http://www.ifsa.org/

Paicheal Petty, 15, is a sophomore at Harper High School.