Head Down to Camp Starlight!⭐
The interns host Camp Starlight in celebration of their summer at Starlight.
As the 2026 internship program comes to an end, the interns carry on the Starlight intern tradition, planning an end-of-summer celebration with staff where they present a group project, reflecting on their summer.
The special events intern, Lyndsey Mekelburg, worked closely with Patience Christensen, the community engagement intern, to plan the end-of-summer celebration and organize the interns class group project.
The 2026 intern class collectively worked on planning the celebration, developing various committees to work closely together for a month to bring Camp Starlight to life. That included budgeting, working with vendors, planning activities, creating decor, laying out the floor plan, etc.
Theme
What’s more nostalgic than summer camp? After much discussion and thought, the interns decided on a camp theme for their celebration. With a very small budget, the interns didn’t have a whole lot to work with, so they got pretty creative. From friendship bracelets to DIY Camp Starlight t-shirts, they brought summer camp straight to Starlight.
Intern Project
Next came the idea for the project. The 2026 interns came together to decide how they wanted to represent their summer at Starlight as a group. A time capsule came up in conversation, and the interns ran with it.
Each one of them put an item in a small chest that represented a favorite memory from their time at Starlight. From Broadway themed buttons to reliable wrenches, the chest was filled with items from a variety of experiences and memories at Starlight this summer.
The interns decided the time capsule was to be opened 24 years from now, in 2050. So, in 24 years, we will see if the 2026 intern class returns and opens their time capsule. Time will tell.
To document their time capsule, they created a short video where each intern described their item as they reminisced about their final days at Starlight.
The video started off light-hearted with staff smiling and laughing, but towards the end of the video, silence. The room quickly turned somber and sad.
The time capsule’s location is still to be determined but will remain at Starlight for the foreseeable future.
Closing Notes
While the summer has quickly come to an end and the interns only have a couple of days left at Starlight, we couldn’t have asked for a better intern class! They sought out opportunities, gained hands-on experience in a variety of departments, and played key roles in Starlight’s success so far this season.
Starlight wishes each one of you the best of luck in your future endeavors, and you will always be a part of the Starlight family.
Every summer, we’re able to provide 14 paid internship opportunities through our Bob Rohlf Internship Program, and we’re so grateful to the donors who make this possible. So, if Starlight’s internship program sounds like a magical time to you (because it is), make sure to watch our website and social pages for when applications open later this fall.
Cheers,
Taylor Mayne
