For our students, the hands-on experience not only occurs during the school semesters, but even with outside opportunities during the winter and summer breaks. For Kyleigh Chavez, this summer was more than just a break from the classroom, it was a calling. Kyleigh served on staff and Camp Beloved and Beyond, a Christ-centered summer camp designed for individuals with special needs located in Rosebud, TX.
“The reason I started working at Beloved and Beyond is I just changed my major to special education and I was looking for special ed opportunities during the summer. I heard about Beloved and Beyond from a few friends who went on a spring break mission trip and hearing from them during GO Week.” (Kyleigh Chavez, Special Education, 2027)
What started as a simple introduction turned into a life-changing opportunity to live out her faith, her calling, and her passion for serving others. “I just loved the ministry and what they were doing.” (Kyleigh Chavez, Special Education, 2027)
At Camp Beloved and Beyond, each camper is paired one-on-one with a buddy, a volunteer who walks alongside them every moment of the day. As a staff member, Kyleigh is there for buddies if they need help with their campers.
“The most impactful part of being on staff is mentoring buddies,” Kyleigh shared. “Seeing them work with kids with special needs, some for the first time, is so sweet, and getting to help them learn how to minister to children is amazing.” From offering encouragement to modeling patience and compassion, she played a key role in helping others learn how to serve with both confidence and love.
Watching the buddies grow in their understanding and form genuine connections with the campers reminded Kyleigh why this ministry matters—and why she felt so called to be part of it.
Everything that is taught in the classrooms is expanded upon with real life opportunities. Students truly gag what their field of study truly entails with hands-on learning, which is why it’s a key aspect in the full experience as a LeTourneau student.
Kyleigh states, “everything I'm learning and the training I'm getting here is more than what I could get in a classroom. You wake up and go to bed with special needs campers.” It wasn’t just about applying what she had learned in her special education courses, it was about living it out with empathy, adaptability, and grace.
Kyleigh’s time at Camp Beloved and Beyond didn’t just impact her summer—it reshaped her perspective on her future career. “I will take the lessons I’ve learned into all of my schooling and the experience I will have as I continue to pursue my career in special education.”
Serving others is at the heart of the Christian faith and modeled perfectly by Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve. For Kyleigh, camp was a reminder that ministry isn’t always behind a pulpit, but all Christians all called to minister in different ways.
At Camp Beloved and Beyond, she learned that true service sees the whole person—body, mind, and spirit.
