For more than a couple dozen South Whidbey girls this past week at Langley Middle School, it was time to dream big. That, and having fun along the way.

At a free, three-day “Start Dreaming” camp sponsored by Soroptimist International of South Whidbey Island, girls going into the sixth, seventh and eighth grades participated in a plethora of activities ranging from career planning to fitness activities. The focus, organizers said, revolved around empowering the young women.

Kathy Habel and Marlane Harrington, co-chairs of the camp committee and former presidents of Soroptimist, hoped the girls walked away feeling part of a bigger community, with tools to help them be successful, and to value their own uniqueness. But the larger goal, Harrington said, is to provide them with a head start to their adult lives.

“The whole point of Start Dreaming is to get them to realize that at some point, they’re going to be the adults leading this country,” Harrington said. “So start dreaming about what you want to do, what you want to be.”

It is the seventh year the camp has been held. Like last year, craft work made by the girls during the camp will benefit Ryan’s House for Youth. Fifteen fleece blankets and 30 bags filled with assorted toiletries such as shampoo and toothbrushes will be headed to the shelter for at-risk and homeless teens.

Other activities included an introduction to money management, kickball, rock painting and a safety seminar.

On Thursday morning, the final day of the camp, guest instructor Kathleen Landel led the girls in hula dancing. To the sound of Hawaiian music, the dozen or so girls followed Landel’s movements at the front of the gym. Landel, who is part-Hawaiian and a dancer for over 50 years, was impressed by how quickly the girls picked up the dance moves.

“There’s a lot of enthusiasm and interest to try new things,” Landel said. “I’ve known this camp has been going on for a number of years and I was really thrilled to be asked to contribute in this way.”

Two first-timers in the camp, 11-year-olds Parker Forsyth and Abby Amundson, were among those enjoying learning hula dancing.

“It’s kind of interesting to meet a lot of new girls and to hang out and have more crafty stuff to do,” Forsyth said.

Forsyth said she learned more about teamwork during the collage and tie dry crafting activities.

“Because you had to have a partner to hold it [the t-shirt],” Forsyth said.

Amundsen echoed Forsyth’s thoughts on the camps.

“I like the crafts and being able to hang out with your friends and just having fun,” Amundson.

Both Forsyth and Amundson were eager to try the camp again next year, and both walked away with aspirations of going to college someday.

“I want to be a lawyer,” Forsyth said.

Another 11-year-old, Amanda Thomas, was equally as excited with the camp. She was sad that the camp was coming a close during an interview with The Record Thursday morning.

“We did hula [dancing] this year and we did karate and stuff last year,” Thomas said. “I like all the people because they’re really nice.”

When asked whether she had goals of becoming the president of the United States, Amundson felt armed with enough knowledge to not entirely rule out the possibility.

“I don’t know, maybe,” Amundson said with a laugh.