Ella Holyfield is a dedicated college student at Lyon College, studying to become a Child Life Specialist. Her dream is to bring comfort to children and families navigating medical procedures. In addition to her studies, she’s also a member of the Lyon Archery Team—a passion she first discovered at Ferncliff.

Ella’s journey began as a shy first grader when her youth leader at First Presbyterian Argenta, Emily Wernsdorfer Hooker, encouraged her to attend day camp at Ferncliff. Although nervous about overnight camp, Ella quickly fell in love with the care and gentle encouragement from counselors, finding a sense of belonging that kept her coming back year after year. In no time, Ferncliff wasn’t just a summer destination—it felt like home. “Ferncliff felt like where I grew up. I spent all my summers here. It was one of my favorite things.”

That first summer, Ella eagerly awaited the chance to try archery, only to learn she was too young. But, when she finally got to hold a bow and release her first arrow – she was hooked. Archery quickly became her favorite camp activity, a skill she honed as a camper and later shared with kids when she became a counselor. One Christmas, she asked for her very own Genesis bow, just like the ones at camp but in her favorite color. Her mom called Joel, Ferncliff Executive Director, to make sure she got the exact model used at camp.  “And it was one of the Ferncliff family days, actually, that I got my first target from Joel. They had an extra one that didn’t match the set that they had,” Ella said.

Today, Ella thrives as part of Lyon’s collegiate archery team. Her love for archery, first sparked at Ferncliff, earned her a scholarship that helps fund her education. Reflecting on her experiences, Ella says, “Camp is always worth a shot. There’s so many opportunities for brand new experiences. Otherwise, I never would have been comfortable getting in a creek and helping kids catch crawdads.  I never would have tried archery. I do all sorts of things that I never would have been comfortable with before and these skills do genuinely translate into life. Like, for example, I have a scholarship for archery now.”

By supporting Ferncliff, you’re creating moments like Ella’s—opportunities for campers to discover passions, build lifelong skills, and grow into inspiring young adults. Thank you for giving kids a shot at something extraordinary.  Click here to make a tax-deductible donation.