Kara Morris is Graduating!

Last year, Kara taught archery at camp and worked the full summer on the junior line. She was a much-loved counselor – probably because she always had a sunny attitude, and clearly made her campers’ experience her top priority. This May, she will be graduating Summa Cum Laude (aka she’s really smart!) with a degree in Early Childhood Education. Congratulations, Kara! Your future students will be blessed to have you as their teacher.

Camp counseling is a unique, fun, and exhausting job. Counselors are constantly being creative, hanging out with kids, and putting the campers needs ahead of their own. Hopefully a summer camp job experience also gives those brave enough to sign the contract an experience that will aid them in their future careers as well. It’s not surprising that many camp counselors at Rockbrook are education majors, however skills such as event planning, working well with a diverse set of people, learning how to generate enthusiasm, etc, are applicable in virtually every field – not to mention practice for parenting!

Common Mistakes for Camp Counselors

3 Common Mistakes
By Bob Ditter, Camp Psychologist

1. Telling children the things you don’t want them to do, rather than the things you do want them to do.

We often tell children, “Don’t fight! Stop running! Quit arguing! Leave that alone!” This way of communicating leaves children with a much better idea of what we don’t want them to do than of what we do want them to do. No wonder many child-care workers are exasperated with the ways children behave! It takes awareness and a concerted effort to break this habit, but learning to say what we want from children pays dividends.

2. The tug-of-war trap.

When a child says, “I’m not making my bed! My parents didn’t pay for me to come to camp to work; I came to have fun,” most unseasoned counselors fall for the bait and immediately get caught in an argument about who paid for camp and whether the camper must make the bed or not. This happens because counselors don’t know what else to do.

3. Missing the feeling tone in what children say.

We become fixated on behavior and forget that a child may be acting out of fear, sadness, or a sense of loneliness. Unless counselors learn to identify and name feelings, much of what campers communicate to them may be lost.

Bob Ditter, Camping Magazine, 1996

Look Who Stopped By!

Former counselor Eva Jorgensen-Graham stopped by the office today. She recently graduated from Elon with a degree in psychology and is now selling insurance. While at camp, she taught photography and was the head counselor of the senior line. Good luck, Eva!

Appalachian State Job Fair

Paige Salsman, former camper and now Junior Linehead counselor, is currently a student at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. She loves riflery and is also a lifeguard at camp and will part of the head staff 1st and 3rd session.

Can’t wait for summer!

Frampton Debuted at Mardi Gras

Catherine Frampton met with Jessi at Sewanee University, last week before heading home to New Orleans for Mardi Gras and her Debut. A debut is an old tradition in which the family presents their daughter to society. In New Orleans, they also curtsy in front of the King and Queen of Mardi Gras.

Back at camp, Frampton has been the Hi-Up counselor for the past 2 years. She also teaches a painting & drawing, and Keeping-in-Touch (stationery-making). She loves to “get the party started” and has been known to sing quite loudly in the dining hall. Frampton just returned from studying abroad in India, where she took classes for her anthropology major. She hopes to work for a non-profit that focuses on women’s issues.

RBC Raleigh Reunion

Counselors Sarah Thompson, Anna Myers and Alice Turner met with Jessi at Lilly’s Pizza. Sarah recently graduated from Emerson College for English. At camp she was the Senior Line Head and taught journalism, sports, and even came up with “mental sports”  for the scientific/engineer-minded campers. Anna also graduated last year from NC State for Art. She taught weaving, pottery and other crafty  things fitting of a crafty gal. Alice attends Elon and is about to debut a play that she wrote and directed. She got some experience play directing two summers ago at camp!

It was a good example of how camp is a unifying experience – even if you weren’t thereat the same time! Anna and Alice did not work the same years however, they still could laugh and relate to each other.

Having been around since 1921, today Rockbrook has some 4th generation campers. Some things have clearly changed with the times. For instance, there is an the Alpine Climbing Tower, electricity, and more cabins. More buildings have silly names and some traditions have grown even more richer. But the spirit of friendship, of good and spunky gal bonding, has stayed the same.

Washington, DC RBC Reunion

2 former camper/now counselors met with Jessi for Indian food last week. Both of them  are great examples of how camp can “add spice” to one’s career and life choices. Christine Alexander, now a George Washington University student, grew up at camp. She is studying theater in college, as well as leading outdoor trips. Jane Pierce is majoring in photography. Even though this is her first year at Corcoran, she already has an internship with Mr. Zhang, a well-known photographer!

Asheville Holiday Dinner

Camp is all about the connections that are made whilst lugging trunks up the hill, singing ridiculous songs and sitting around a fire. It’s always a good time when camp friends get together! Last week Kim Libby braved the snow and flew up from Florida. She stayed with Kiva Nice-Webb in Asheville. They had dinner with Sofie Ehlinger, Jessi, Charlotte and Mandy at Rezza’s. With all the boisterous shenanigans you can imagine, it’s a good thing they were in the back corner. Here’s to making more memories!