My love and curiosity about the environment arose through a culmination of experiences growing up. In elementary school, our playground was the forest, and I began to associate playing and exploring with the natural environment.
My love for being in the natural environment was strengthened as I attended camps such as Widjiwagen in elementary school and Wolf Ridge and Menogyn during my 7th and 8th grade years at FSMN. As I learned more about the intricacies of the living world and the ecology of places special to me, I followed more opportunities that drew me closer to this learning. I find that nature holds many roles for me, such as a sanctuary, a classroom, and a teacher.
I returned to Menogyn to be a guide for the summer in 2023, and this past May I was a guide for a group of 8th graders from FSMN. It was very special for me to reflect on their growth after my realization that they were in Kindergarten while I was in 8th grade at FSMN. It was a very full circle. I really valued my time with these students.
The first night the students were at camp, they sang “Vem Kan Segla,” which brought back memories of graduation for me. We chatted about how it felt to be the leaders at the school and all of the bittersweet feelings that come with leaving FSMN. We shared our gratitude for the school and acknowledged that when it’s hard to leave something, it shows how much it means to us. It was an honor to guide this trip this year, and I am very thankful that FSMN connected me to Menogyn. Now, I am privileged to be the one to share it!
Here is the full interview with Ingrid. Thank you, Ingrid, for sharing your story with us. We couldn’t be more proud.
Ingrid Leads the 2025 Menogyn Trip
