Unfortunately, in my final week, I am unable to finish off the summer as I've been diagnosed with Streph throat and am highly contagious. Sitting at home these past few days has made me really nostalgic and for these past few years I've been a counselor. I know that many of my kids will not remember me, as I barely remember my counselors from my times at camp, but I know I'll remember these three summers until I'm old and grey. When I regale with fellow counselors about previous summers, we have dozens of stories and can remember all of the kids' exact names in telling them. This summer was especially impactful because it's the last time I'll work here, so I think I unconsciously tried to take it all in as much as possible.
Of course I had favorite kids, my little helpers, who would always drop whatever they were doing to help me with something, the kids who always came to camp eager. But even my more challenging kids, those who obviously aren't given too much structure or attention at home, will linger. Sweet moments with my rudest kids who let down their walls for just a minute to cry or help another kid - that's how I know my work matters. When my kids step outside their image just for a second to be kind and courteous to each other, that's why I work at camp. Seeing children who come into camp with no social skills or any semblance of how to be a student exit camp an old pro at navigating hallways, going through the lunch lines, playing with other kids, etc.
I've learned a lot this summer, primarily about my communication skills. Not only with the kids, but with my coworkers. I honestly, consciously, worked really hard this summer to make sure that the instructions I gave were clear and that those around me knew the expectations. I made sure to break the protocol for bus riding or visiting the pool into smaller steps for the kids to understand, and I tried to make myself and my choices as transparent as possible for our newer counselors so they could learn from me. I think in the case of Justin and Leana, this was really helpful. Leana was often confused about protocol and I think I helped clear a lot of simple confusion up for her. Justin, however, had not a drop of knowledge about kids when he came in. I think if I hadn't been by his side those first two weeks, he would have been in much hotter water than he ended up in.
Overall, this summer returned a lot of confidence to me. It showed me that I can command a room and effectively lead a group of people, even if they're only five. It also reminded me that I am creative, which is a trait I often forget. I also felt confident in the parenting of kids in Flagler County. In Bonner we often talk about underprivileged youth who are ignored by their families and left behind in school, and while this camp is just under $100 per week to attend, we usually always have quite a few kids who exhibit those signs of not very much attention at home. Wealth does not always equate to an attentive parent. I am really pleased to say we only had, in my experience, I didn't see a lot of those kids. I saw kids who became knowledgable, but who were kind, played well, and didn't come to camp for attention. I read an interesting quote the other day, which read, "Children who are loved at home come to school to learn, children who don't come to school for love." I immediately understood. With this in mind, I think I successfully tried to love all of my kids as much as I could, and reaped those benefits in the form of kids who changed significantly from the time before they were in my care.
This was an incredible last summer at camp, and it am so blessed and grateful to have been here.
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