The 5 ‘Fs’ that Make Summer Camp Magical

Summer Camp Chronicles

By KEEYANA MAHONEY

Initial thinking would have you believe this article was about a poor report card brought home by someone who didn’t study well enough on their final exams.  Don’t worry, it’s not the case. 

 Recently, purchases were made for shirts at the Prince William County/Manassas Boys and Girls Clubs for staff to adorn in preparation for summer camp and the promotion of our series of summer camp open houses.  It brought back memories of being a staff member who wore those same shirts and transformed into an amazing summer camp counselor, if I do say so myself.  

Then, just like now, there were five F’s that turned summer time into magic.

FUN

Summer is fun!  And working during the summer can be too.  Let’s face it; what other job do you get paid to go to King’s Dominion and Six Flags and hang out with children ages 5 to 14 who help you feel like a kid again? 

As a summer camp counselor at the Boys & Girls Club, I visited many venues.  I went to museums in Washington, rode Metro, petted animals at the zoo and bowled a couple of frames at the bowling alley.  I ate Popsicles on “special snack” days, judged the talent show during the fifth week of camp, didn’t brush my hair for crazy hair day and ate two hotdogs during the cookout at the end of the summer.  It was like a vacation that was paid for by someone else; all inclusive and I was even getting paid just for participating.  I couldn’t beat it!

FRENZY

Yes, there is a bit of frenzy to summer camp.  Let’s do the math.  Seventeen camp counselors and 180 campers.  We had many more names to memorize than the kids had to.  Throw two sets of twins in the daily mix and six children named Michael to distinguish from can sometimes be tough. 

Learning allergies was the hardest part for me and not forgetting the sunblock I thought was in the pool bag for 42 kids that were already sitting at the pool.  On a daily basis, I encouraged 12 kids to eat the sandwiches their parents packed (because they didn’t like the cheese) and had to put Band-Aids on three scrapes I really couldn’t see because the child felt better with it on. 

Each bus carries 14 kids who all liked to talk to each other at the SAME exact time and sing their favorite song…loudly.   Amidst all the frenzy, I still felt the experiences were well worth it.

FANFARE

For 10 weeks I was a star!  Kids, whom I didn’t know, knew me when they came through the doors on the first day.  How was that?  My reputation for being one of the greatest counselors of all time must have superseded me I suppose.  Perhaps, the large name badge I was told to wear on my shirt gave them a bit of a hint.  Either way, I felt as if I was a star and for the remainder of camp I acted as such; determined to win the “favorite counselor” award by the end of the summer.

FRIENDSHIPS

Believe it or not, counselors make friends too during camp.  It’s like a jammed packed four years of middle school summed up in ten weeks.  You sit in a room with new faces and get trained on CPR, first aid, playground safety and group management. 

Throughout the summer you bond with other counselors who had a rough day just like you, got hit in the head by a kickball just like you, and had juice spilled on their shirt just like you.  The experiences are similar and bring counselors together and by the end of the summer, I too cried for kids I wouldn’t see any longer because they aged out and had fellow counselors along with members sign my shirt with lines that read, “See You Next Summer!” 

Like I said, middle school relived.

FASHION

This brings me back to shirts.  Oh, yes, summer camp counselors care about fashion.  While I have traded in my summer camp shirt and sneakers for a pant suit with heels, I still recall getting my shirt for the very first time.  Off to the store I would go to find just the right selection of shoes to go with every single color inked in the shirts I possessed. 

Accessories were important too in completing the outfit.  However, it was never about the shoes.  It was always about the person I became while wearing the shirt.  For those ten weeks of camp I was part of an elite group of people hired to change the lives of young, impressionable youth and make their summer camp experience memorable and fun. 

I will never forget it, 14 years later.