Stories of Impact: Wayfinders
This Story of Impact highlights Wayfinders, a Women’s Impact Fund grantee. Wayfinders’ mission is to ignite students’ potential by expanding their confidence, connections, and horizons and they achieve this through summer camps, year-round enrichment programs, and mentor relationships for self-motivated, underserved students.
Itzel and her growth and development are a remarkable example of Wayfinders’ impact. As a fourth grader, she attended Camp Celo for her first overnight camp experience. That year, she was matched with her mentor, Holly, who quickly built a close relationship with Itzel’s family.
Over six summers at Camp Celo, Itzel grew from a shy camper into a Camp Helper—the step before becoming a Leader-in-Training. She also attended several college camps, including one at Wake Forest University focused on policy and politics, where she discovered her passion for psychology and public service.
These experiences prepared Itzel to serve as a Leader-in-Training at Green River Preserve (GRP), another mountain camp partner. There, she guided younger campers on challenging hikes and learned to push her limits. GRP is eager for Itzel to join their full-time staff next summer.
“Through hiking mountains in the rain, you learn what your body and mind can do.” – Itzel
This past year, Itzel flourished as a founding member of the Wayfinders Youth Leadership Council (YLC), a group of 10th–12th grade scholars who participate in workshops such as résumé writing and public speaking. Through the YLC, she attended a County Commissioners meeting, gaining firsthand experience in local policy, and later shadowed a county psychologist to explore potential career paths.
Itzel is currently thriving in her first year at CPCC. Holly has supported her every step of the way—from her quinceañera to her high school graduation. Wayfinders is deeply grateful to WIF for investing in scholars like Itzel.
A core part of Wayfinders’ impact is made possible through long-term mentor relationships. Wayfinders’ mission is to ignite students’ potential by expanding their confidence, connections, and horizons through summer camp experiences, year-round enrichment programs, and mentoring for self-motivated, underserved students. Their vision is that every child, regardless of zip code, has access to transformative life experiences through camp, mentorship, and educational opportunities.
Mentors commit to meeting monthly with their mentee over five to eight years, with most gatherings lasting two to three hours. Wayfinders offers a variety of organized activities throughout the year—such as hikes, bike rides, canoe outings, and children’s theater tickets—while also encouraging mentors to plan their own meaningful time together. These gatherings can be as simple as sharing a meal, getting ice cream, or attending a sporting event.
The average in-person time commitment is about three hours per month, with a few additional hours required in the spring for onboarding and training. Optional mentor socials and occasional communication with a mentee’s family support these relationships, which are designed to be both manageable and deeply impactful.
Wayfinders hopes members and friends of Women’s Impact Fund will consider applying to be a mentor and playing a role in stories like Itzel’s—helping students build confidence, discover new horizons, and reach their full potential.
Learn more by visiting: Wayfinders
