Lucy Beckett

Elk Grove, CA | 17

2019 Award Recipient

When Lucy Beckett set out for Seattle in the summer of 2017 she had no idea the impact it would have on her future. She knew she was going to be working at the Mitzvah Corps Pacific Northwest summer camp for refugee children, but she never dreamed what would happen next. After watching the way the campers responded to the experience, she knew the power summer camp could have. Lucy went home determined to bring this type of transformational experience to refugee populations closer to her home. She immediately began working to start Camp Nefesh, an organization created to bring the typical American summer camp experience to refugee children in the Sacramento area. Camp Nefesh offers children new to the country the opportunity to connect with one another as well as get acclimated with their new home all while swimming, dancing, playing, and just being kids.