Week 6 was the last week of camp. It was an amazing four weeks of the camp and seeing the transition from the first week to the last week was wonderful. As I reflect on my time being a Summer Camp Counselor, I was able to impact the students by encouraging them to gain trust in the counselors, building their confidence throughout various activities, and giving a safe space for students to feel comfortable opening up and being themselves. From the beginning of the Camp, the students and counselors were getting equipped with understanding each other and the expectations both on our end and on their end. After getting in the groove of how the summer camp would be ran, we began to get more organized and was able to see an increase in student participation and excitement to want to be there. We did a great job keeping focus on the three core competencies for the Social & Emotional learning aspect of the Camp.

I also seen an improvement in myself throughout this experience as this was the first time I was able to work closely with Middle School Students. The atmosphere was great to be in, many of the students enjoyed how authentic and engaged I was. I enjoyed many of the activities and field trips we had with them. This allowed for me to be active in the outside setting of the camp and see students in their natural element. Being a part of a group of people who want to ensure that students are still learning in an informal school setting while also enjoying their summer with new students and adults was rewarding to see.

Looking back at the speaker Dr. Lewis who truly made a mark on the student’s lives, it made me reflect upon my college career/path as well. Understanding, the roles and leadership positions that I am in and what it would lead me to my future is what I enjoy to do and take in. This summer camp has contributed to what I see myself doing in the near future and that is putting together quality programs, creating a nonprofit for students, and advocating for the next generation by being an asset and providing countless resources for them to succeed and be in the position to go after their dreams and goals. I want to thank Communities and Schools for giving me this opportunity to be a part of one of the first interns to help with Summer Camp and hope to have it continue after this year to continue impacting students.