Snowbird Institute Students

Justin Buchner is a student in the Snowbird Institute, and works alongside the Grounds department ‌each week. He is from Warner Robins, GA, and first came to SWO as a summer camper in 2020. After a few years attending as a camper, he was accepted into the 2023 LMNT team and then served on Summer Staff in 2024. 

“I’ve never found another ministry where everyone is bought in to the mission and practices and lives it out daily.”

Ava first attended a SWO Winter retreat in 2020 and then applied to serve on the LMNT team during SWO24 Summer Camp. Later that fall, she was accepted as an intern in our SWO Institute program.

The Lord saved Ava through the ministry of Snowbird when she was 14 and she is focused on impacting students in the same way during her year with the Institute.

Avery is a student in the Snowbird Institute program, and supports our office team on a daily basis. She’s originally from Statesville, NC, and pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice at Mitchell Community College. Avery was first a camper in 2018 and eventually joined our staff team as part of the LMNT high school program in 2023. 

“The community and discipleship first attracted me to Snowbird. I love the teaching, but the value placed on building relationships brought me back for another summer and intern year. The bold preaching of the Gospel and relational aspects of SWO are what keep me excited to serve here. Getting to see the Lord change lives and grow my own faith is so encouraging, which is why I love the role I get to serve in.”

Eliana Cook is originally from Fort Myers, FL, and is studying Exercise Science while taking part in the Snowbird Institute. She first joined SWO as a summer camper for 6 years before serving on Summer Staff in 2024. Now, she’s an integral part of the Grounds department and looking forward to SWO25.

Alex grew up in a family where multiple people worked on staff at SWO. When visiting, he was always running around with the camp kids. Alex anxiously awaited the day until he was old enough to work on staff as a young adult. After working the summer of 2023, he stayed on as an intern to continue ministry. 

Alex got saved around 12 years old after his dad walked him through understanding the Gospel. Alex did not take his faith seriously, though, until he was 16. At that point, his eyes were opened to the state of rebellion that he was living in and he sought out discipleship and is now faithfully following the Lord. 

Alex loved the vast opportunities he had to minister to teens and be discipled himself. He also loves that the Snowbird community is so driven by the Gospel. After SWO, he plans to pursue a career as an electrician. 

Kathryn Donahue is from Booneville, MS, and began coming to SWO as a camper in 2021. Now, she is a student at the Snowbird Institute and plans to finish her degree in nursing and begin working as a BSN.

“What excites me most about Snowbird is the community I am surrounded by. I love how intentional camp is with the staff and how they pour into us as we pour into students. The reason I have chosen to serve as an intern is I will be able to learn a lot from our teachers. Also, I will be able to continue to share the Gospel with students throughout the retreat season and have a long-term ministry opportunity with a student through Pinwheel Tutoring.”

Andrew Dowd joined the SWO Institute program after attending SWO as a teenager during 2016-2022. A native of Bedford, VA, Andrew works with the media and marketing team during the week. He hopes to one day work for a record label so that he can help the music industry by working behind the scenes.

Annabelle Evans is originally from High Point, NC, and is entering her sophomore year at the University of NC (Wilmington). She was initially interested in serving at SWO after seeing the joyful attitudes and hard-working nature of the staff. After attending several years as a camper, she joined the Summer Staff team at SWO24 and is now interning in the Hospitality department.

“I love that Snowbird is so passionate about sharing the Gospel, and that everything is centered around that including the Gospel-driven attitudes, positivity, and discipline. I am also constantly excited by the community here because it is so abundant and everyone is so willing to step up and help or listen to you and teach you in any way. Seeing my peers here stay so faithful and consistent has pushed me as well and has kept me accountable to constantly remember our mission, which is ultimately to share the Gospel and equip others to share the Gospel as well. 

In the future, I hope to carry out what I have learned here at SWO and apply it to serving at church or at a discipleship group at school. I also hope to serve and take the Gospel to places where it is not heard.”

Laura Evans is majoring in recreation, tourism, and sport at UNC Wilmington. She currently serves in our Recreation department as intern with the Snowbird Institute. Like her sister, Laura first became interested in serving at Snowbird because of the joyful willingness of the staff to serve students.

“The people, the community, the chance to pour into students, the constant servant-hearted attitudes, and the preaching of the Gospel are all things that excite me about Snowbird! Being able to build relationships with younger girls and facilitating recreation is all so exciting to me. I love that the focus is solely on teaching the Word of God and that the Gospel is truly what drives the ministry. 

After SWO, I hope to finish my degree in college and to be able to oversee or manage recreation at a camp! Something I would also love to do is to travel to share the Gospel with those who may never get the chance to hear it.”

Sophie Ferinda is a Snowbird Institute student and serves with our Marketing & Media team. She first came as a camper in 2020-2022, then served on the LMNT high school team in 2023. She’s also a full-time student at Liberty University where she is working towards her degree in Global Studies.

“Snowbird excites me because of the powerful way we impact people’s lives and share the gospel. I’m passionate about entering into peoples lives where they’re at and letting the gospel drive all I do and Snowbird does that in such a great way. I hope through my time at SWO to make connections that will eventually take me onto the foreign mission field, where my hope is to spread the love of Christ with the unloved.”

Marco Gonzalez was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala but currently lives in Lynchburg, Virginia. He is a student at Liberty University Online, and served on the LMNT team during the summer of 2024. 

Gabriel Hagley grew up In Huntington, WV, but his family currently lives in Lynchburg, VA. He was a camper from 2017-2020, but his family has been connected with SWO for many years through his dad’s ministry as a student pastor.
Gabe loves pouring into students and sharing the Gospel in the same way he was ministered to as a camper. Right now, he’s an intern with our Grounds department and plans to attend either Liberty University or SEBTS and study youth ministry.

Rebekah Hagley is a native of Lynchburg, VA, and came for many years as a camper to both Summer Camp and retreats.  

“Snowbird excites me because of the genuineness of the people on staff. How the staff are intentional with their students and with each other. I also saw the growth opportunities and wanted it for myself.

My hope is to finish out the Institute program, then pursue a degree in psychology and work in the foster care system.“

Will is a Tampa, FL, native and studying toward an Exercise Science degree. His first introduction to Snowbird camp from the No Sanity Required podcast, and then a summer on the LMNT team. Now, he’s a part of our 2024-2025 Institute class and working in the Maintenance department.

“What excited me about Snowbird are all the retreats that go on throughout the year, the people, and the opportunity to serve others.”

Blake Hinkle is a native of Tomball, TX, and served on the LMNT team in the summer of 2024. Now, he’s serving year-round with the Snowbird Institue and working with our construction team.

“I get excited about how the Gospel is presented and how everyone is on the same mission of advancing the Gospel.”

Ben King is from Dothan, AL, and was a SWO camper for 2019, 2021, 2022. He served with the first (official) LMNT team in 2023 and as Summer Staffer in 2024. Now, he’s pouring into students during weekend retreats, taking theology classes with the Snowbird Institute, and supporting the Transportation department with their daily needs.

“I am excited about being a part of the mission at camp because of how intentional camp is with sharing the Gospel. Everything here is done intentionally with a purpose, and I was impressed as a camper. After working as a counselor, I was even more impressed because I saw behind the scenes how much people pour their whole lives into this mission. The core values are so heavily incorporated into Snowbird and people live by them. I’ve never seen men and women so devoted to a cause then the people here at SWO.”

Luke Minor hails from Lynchburg, VA, and attended SWO Summer Camp from 2018-2024. Luke is now a student in the SWO Institute, and excited to share the Gospel with students that come from all over. 

Terry Morgan is originally from Houston, TX, and moved to our Andrews community with his family. The Lord later introduced him to SWO and he served on our SWO24 Summer Staff team. 

Currently, Terry is working in the Maintenance and Pest Control department, and plans to serve in law enforcement in Andrews unless the Lord directs him elsewhere. 

“Forming relationships with individual campers and helping point them to God through one on one conversations is what I look forward to most in the ministry.”

Eli is from Melbourne, FL, and attended Snowbird as a camper for several summers. Then, he worked with the LMNT team in 2023 and joined our Summer Staff in 2024. Eli serves with our Recreation department as Snowbird Institute student and is excited about Snowbird’s upcoming growth.

Hezekiah Phelps is an Institute student from Melbourne, Florida and has previously worked as a lifeguard and youth ministry intern. He has an associates degree from Eastern Florida State College. He originally came to SWO for the Christ-centered community, discipleship, and wants to learn how to develop biblical community and relationships wherever he is.

Snowbird has been a big influence in his spiritual growth. Hezekiah loves how the staffers equip young Christians to take their faith seriously and fight for personal holiness. 

After his time at SWO, he plans to pursue his Masters in Divinity and begin serving as a pastor.

Corban Rackley is from Fredericksburg, VA, and first attended Snowbird as a camper in 2019. A few years later, he joined the LMNT high school program in 2023 and eventually served on Summer Staff in 2024. Now, he’s a Snowbird Institute student serving with our Media & Marketing department. Later, after Snowbird, he hopes to serve overseas on the mission field.

“I’m excited to be able to proclaim the Gospel to the many students we have come to camp. I love hearing what the Lord has brought them out of and am excited to continue to build relationships with the students, interns, and full-time staff. I love being apart of this ministry and being able to have the smaller relational aspect apart from summer.

Noah is from Stanardsville, VA, and never attended SWO as a camper, but first served on the LMNT team in the summer of 2022. He now serves in the Transportation department underneath the SWO Institute.

“I love the genuine relational aspect of SWO. We don’t just tell students about Jesus, but strive to show them to Him through our words and deeds. I also have a passion for encouraging the Church, so I’m really excited about the adult and youth leader retreats.”

John Tyree heard about SWO through his pastor in 2019. From that point on, he came as a camper, worked on LMNT program and Summer Staff, and is now an intern. John is thankful he gets to watch like-minded believers build up God’s Word in the community that they live in. 

John became a Christian in 2019, and his life turned a complete 180 in repentance. He started taking his faith seriously after coming to Snowbird and hearing the Gospel preached. Now, he feels called to be a pastor after the Lord calls him away from SWO. 

Snowbird profoundly impacted Seth as a camper, and he joined our Summer Staff team in 2024. 

He’s excited to grow in Christ as a part of the Snowbird Institute, and serve churches and students who attend our year-round camps and retreats. After SWO, Seth plans to return home and work as a landscaper to fund mission trips and impact his local church in Warner Robins, GA.

Gabby is a native of Gulfport, MS, and a student at Boyce College (SBTS). She’s working on her Elementary Education degree with Boyce, while also serving on our Office / Registration team as part of the Snowbird Institute. 

Here’s what Gabby had to say when asked why she applied to the Snowbird Institue:

“I came here as a camper for several years with my church. I knew that one day I wanted to serve in the ministry that they do here. One thing lead to another and I felt the Lord calling me to serve here this past summer and then eventually this Institute year.

Hearing the many stories of how the Lord has used Snowbird to bring lost people to Himself and to bring healing to those who are hurting really encourages and excites me to see that continue and be apart of that mission.”

Justin is originally from Rustburg, VA, and attended SWO for several years with his youth group (2020-2023). He joined our SWO24 Summer Staff team and was later accepted into our Snowbird Institute for one year of focused ministry training and discipleship. Day-to-day, he’s serving with the electrical department and investing in students during our weekend retreats.

“What excites me the most about snowbird is the relationships between staff and students that God creates to help lead and grow others down the path to be more like Christ. Joining snowbird has given me the role and position to impact others and serve for Christ in many different ways, including recreation, work sites, tutoring kids, and working retreats and conferences.

Wherever I end up after snowbird, I hope to continue to serve and be an image of Christ to everyone around me. I pray I continue to keep my hand on the plow and keep moving forward.”

Allison Yates first attended SWO via our College Retreat. Right away, she knew the Lord was calling her to work Summer Staff. After that first summer, in 2023, she applied to intern with our SWO Institute program. 

During Allison’s childhood, she was blessed to have a Christian family that always pointed her to the Gospel. Her parents made sure that she and her siblings were constantly fed spiritually with God’s Word. Allison became a Christian at the age of 7 and has seen the Lord remain faithful to her.

Allison fell in love with the opportunity to share the Gospel with students. She believes the atmosphere at SWO helps students open up and overcome fears. Whether that is through deep conversations about the Gospel or leading a recreation activity, Allison is always looking for ways to point students to Jesus.