Saying Goodbye...

The campers have all left. The decorations are down. The chalk, markers, poster board and kick balls are back in storage for another year.

It's been a summer to remember. To the faculty and staff at St. Anne's, to our fantastic teachers, to the wonderful counselors, and, of course, to the amazing campers who make this camp what it is, we at SEPblog would like to say thank you.

Our tremendous Head Counselors, Seamus O'Toole, Jessica Ravensbergen, and Elizabeth Holohan, were unfortunately too consumed by their responsibilities to sit down for a feature on the blog, but we'd like to give them this little shout out regardless.

We hope you've enjoyed reading. We've loved writing for you, and we'll see you next year for another great summer at SEP!

Special Report: Junior Farewell

On the last day of camp, 9-11 holds a very special sending off ceremony for its oldest campers. The Junior Farewell is a way for those who won't be able to come back as campers to share with the rest of camp what SEP means to them, and to say goodbye. 

Rising Juniors each get a moment to speak freely about how they feel about the end of camp. At the end of their speech they place an item in an SEP time capsule, explaining what makes it so important to them. Some of the items chosen this summer include a Dutch version of a map of America; cough drops from a camper who was battling a summer cold; a suite-signed memento from hall decorations; a burned playlist of favorite songs from the summer; the remains of an extremely handy roll of duct tape; and a plate from O-Hill dining hall.

A brief selection of quotes from the event:

"I've gotten enough out of SEP to hopefully last the three years until I can come back as a counselor"

"Advice to freshman and sophomores...don't take your time for granted!"

"I can say without a doubt that I've made some of my best friends at this camp"

"The highlight of my summer, and maybe of the year, too"

 "Every year I came a little bit further out of my comfort zone...it's one of the most amazing places on earth"

"I never thought four years ago that I would count down the days waiting for SEP to start"

 "My counselor and I had so many funny and enlightening conversations"

"It takes a really special, awkward group of people, and really patient, awkward counselors to put up with me, and you all pulled it off"

The Day's Schedule: Thursday, July 25

It's the last day of camp! Morning and afternoon classes have the opportunity to show other campers their final projects and presentations.

Even though campers are super tired from the night before, they are enjoying the last day of classes and both teachers and campers are sad to see the session come to an end.

Live Blogging the 5-8 Talent Show

The 5-8 talent show has begun!! Brother suites and sister suites pair up for great skits, dancing and more. Masters of Ceremony Tim Hilliard and Joanh Dister lead the masses in group dance, energetic cheers and all around silliness.

7:00
Isabel and Kelly's girls start the night with a skit about getting hypnotized and then break into song and dance to "Do You Believe in Magic?" Classic cuteness with the youngest girls' suites.

7:02
Dance break! "Twist and Shout" provided by Secret Squirrels. Complete with synchronized clapping, of course.

7:05
Cameron and Robbie's boys begin with a skit, about life at a boot camp. The boys try to be serious, but they can't help but giggle throughout the skit. Out of nowhere, "Dancing Queen" begins and all the boys break out their disco moves and sing along to the iconic words.

7:12
Chelsea and Adrianna's girls start with a classic counselor grouping skit and counselor Sam is kidnapped by the Schaffers. Sam escapes into a tree, but wait... "Its not same went into that tree... it's this will be!" "This Will Be" begins to play and girls line up for a synchronized dance.

7:16
Surprise skit by Josh's boys - A Secret Squirrel gift for Scooter!

7:18
Andrew and Sam's boys reprise a classic class skit, "Tea Time with Matthew", including Batman, Yoda and counselors Savannah, Jonah and Josh. When a loose lip gloss is tossed in the crowd, the boys start dancing to "Lip Gloss" and the crowd starts cheering. Laughs and claps all around.

7:24
Maggie Huff and Leah's girls are next! Each girl takes on the role of a different counselor and they all head to a dance party. "Hollaback Girl" starts to play and girls show off their synchronized moves. When the song ends, the girls run around the auditorium cheering for SEP!

7:33
Jonah and Vipin's suite is on the stage! Campers take on different personas, like Justin Beiber, Zac Efron and more, and explain how they crashed landed on a deserted island. Highlight of the skit is Taylor Swft's arrival, counselor Vipin's favorite person, ever. "Thanksgiving" starts playing and the boys show their moves to the camp. Laughs are endless.

7:41
Katya and Kelsey's girl are up. Doing a great counselor line-up, the girls figure out they can't find Vipin! After a brief flashback scene, he is found. Spice Girls "If You Wanna be my Lover" starts playing and the girls end the skit with "We love you Vipin", displaying the classic Vipin arms.

7:50
John and Tim's suite start with the classic "counselor trivia" skit. Highlight of the skit are the campers demonstrating the best way to "grow a beard", an inside joke from throughout the session. A dance to "Time After Time" ends the act; the song is a crowd favorite.

7:59
Secret Squirrel reveal! Seamus, Chelsea and Liz sing a song to Josh -- Liz reveals she is his Secret Squirrel! Tears all around.

8:05
Destine and Savannah's girls begin with a skit, starting with some serious "beard business". Classic puns all around: "Wait, it's not finding the Josh map, it's dancing to parent trap!" A great synchronized dance follows, the crowd is impressed.

8:12
Another secret squirrel reveal! Scooter plays guitar and sings to Kelly. The audience gives him a standing ovation!

8:16
Mike and Scooter's suite start with a skit, but end with a dance to "Say My Name". Their crazy dance moves make the audience laugh and clap throughout the dance. They even dance in color coded groups, a nod to the original music video.

8:21
Sarah and Maggie Chamber's girls start their skit with more beard jokes, a staple of the evening. In the skit, they shave Josh's beard in his sleep, which upsets him greatly. They end their skit with a song about beards and some synchronized dancing around the upset Josh character.

8:27
Jonah and Seamus show off their secret handshake. It's impressive.

8:28
Saving the best for last! Sean and Josh's boys are up, starting their skit with a funny math joke. One Direction then jumps on the stage, but are fought off by a hard rock-metal-progressive band. In the end, only one stands, the boy who told the math joke.

8:32
The camp video slideshow!

8:54
Counselors sing their goodbye song, to the tune of "I've Got a Feeling".


Counselors and campers return to the dorms for the all night!!

Special Report: Field Trip to "Telegraph" with Zines Class

Brianna Thompson's 9-11 afternoon seminar took the bus to downtown Charlottesville for an exciting visit to "Telegraph" a burgeoning pop art boutique located in the heart of the historic district. Brianna's class, which focuses on zines and underground culture, has been hard at work throughout the session crafting their own handmade journals. "Telegraph" was the perfect destination, as they feature and sell some of Ms. Thompson's work, as well as promote other local artists.

Shop co-owner Kate was so sweet to let us take over her space, and led a demonstration on how to use risograph technology. The risograph is technically a printer, but it utilizes special ink drums, and instead of direct copies, burns a print onto fabric within the machine. This allows for customizing colors, as well as allowing for mass-production of layered-color prints.

Parents, don't be surprised if your high school campers beg to stop back by on your way out of town!

Counselor of the Day: Mister Fitzgerald

Mister Fitzgerald is wrapping up his first summer as a 9-11 counselor. He will be a sophomore at Florida Southern College, where he is studying Theater Performance and Communications.

What made you want to work at SEP?

I remembered how much I enjoyed SEP as a camper and how much fun I had, and I also thought it would be a great summer job to get paid to watch over kids.

What's your Special Topic?

"Act A Fool", which teaches the kids different genres of acting, and how to still be themselves when they portray another character. It's fun!

What's your favorite part about camp?

My favorite part of camp is definitely move-in day with the kids. Getting to know them is amazing and seeing how smart they are and how anxious for the weeks to come makes me wish I was a camper again sometimes.

What's your suite theme?

My theme is the sports arena and every one of my campers' doors have various sports equipment on them.


What's your favorite memory from being a camper?

 My favorite memory from being a camper was my last year in 9-11 when my suite sang "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton for the talent show. The girls went crazy and will remember our performance forever!

O-Hill or St. Anne's?

O-Hill, because it's all you can eat, unlike St. Anne's where you can only have ONE PANCAKE! Plus they always have fries. I love fries.

What's something about you that someone might not expect if they didn't know you well?

That I'm a Theater and Performance major.

What's one thing that surprised you after you started working here?

One thing that surprised me when I started were all of the perks we get as counselors, like room and board, staff gifts, catered lunches during orientation.

Without using any camper names, can you tell us a funny story from the summer?

Funny story: On my first day off, I was attempting to catch the trolley to go to the corner so I could get lunch. I stood at this bench and kept waiting for the trolley to come and I saw a few pass by but not stop and thought nothing about it. I stood there for 45 minutes in concern until I realized I was on the wrong side of the road for the trolley stop :(

What do you know about gifted education?

I know that with gifted education, most kids are gifted in their own ways, you just have to design ways and problematic activities for them to express these gifted talents. 

The Day's Schedule: Wednesday, July 24

It's the last full day of camp, and it's a busy one.

In lieu of special topics, 5-8 will be holding the trivia challenge. Suites will travel from room to room in STAB, going head-to-head in six rounds of trivia before converging on the auditorium for a grueling final trivia round.

After dinner, both camps will have time to prepare for their evenings. 9-11 will dress their best for the big dance tonight, while 5-8 will put the finishing touches on their talent show skits.

After those events, both camps will return to dorms for the all night party!

Live Blogging the 9-11 Talent Show

The talent show will consist of numerous skits, songs, and otherwordly gifts that have been bestowed upon our campers. Performances can include the entire suite, or may just consist of an individual who wants to show off their stuff.

Masters of Ceremony Nishant Grover, Mister Fitzgerald, and Brielle Welch will lead the senior camp through tonight's festivities.

7:38
Dave's campers are the first to perform. This 9th grade suite makes a play on "American Idol", singing various national anthems. During a rousing rendition of "Star Spangled Banner", the entire camp stands to participate.

7:43
Counselor Dave is presented with a soccer shaped birthday cake, and the camp sings him the Birthday Song. 

7:45
Counselor impersonations by Katie's suite. They enact a classroom scenario where HC Jessica is the teacher, and the rest of the class is having trouble with some science concepts.  

7:51
Grayson's suite is next! Shout-out using Taylor Swift's "Love Story" with a twist on the lyrics to describe their bear-like counselor. Inside jokes and camp-wide jokes abound. Group hug and a few tears, very sweet.

7:57
Begins with a moment of silence for John Talent, founder of the Talent Show. Mixed bag of "literal talents" from Mister's campers. Karate expert uses scissors to "chop in half"; basketball pro "spins the ball"; geography lesson on Wales?; how to wrestle; etc. Outro features a snippet of hot summer song, "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk.

8:09
Hannah's secret pal has a surprise for her! Two campers play guitar and sing a classic rendition of "Love Story" by Taylor Swift. That song is surely a classic by now.  Fantastic harmonies by two of the rising junior boys.

8:11
Hannah's girls are up! Lots of costumes for this performance: hoodies, sunglasses, and shiny gloves. Backstreet's back alright with a dance routine to "Everybody" by the Backstreet Boys. The girls must have been practicing all session because their choreography was totally in synch, breakdancing and all.

8:13
Individual medley! Four guys from mixed suites come together barbershop quartet style with an ode to coffee and tea. The counselors have to have their caffeine fix, and some of the campers must be missing their "Java Jive" as well. These future a capella stars got the crowd percolating with their smooth sounds.  Camp-wide standing ovation!

8:19
Another small group performance.  Three rising 10th grade boys from Mister's suite perform a cover of the Pokemon theme song. These small Japanese critters have been running rampant camp-wide this summer, and it's up to us to catch'em all!

8:22
Sarah Henry's girls get their counselor to cameo in their mixed-bag of talents. President's named in order! "To be or not to be" soliloquy! Recitation of traditional Hebrew poem! Guitar + singing, an original angsty ode! Interpretative dance to Justin Timberlake's "Mirror"! More guitar + singing, Ed Sheeran's "A Team"! Great stuff all around.

8:33
An original composition from a rising 11th grade girl. Beautiful voice, powerful lyrics, fantastic guitar skills. I would pay money to see her play a live show! Standing ovation; glad we caught it before she makes it big.

8:38
A song for counselor Marian. "Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line. The boys did a great job with guitar and vocals, and the entire camp couldn't help but join in. 

8:44
Nishant's boys are up. A few tidbits of popular summer songs segue into a cooking show featuring goofy chefs, in a throwback to sketch humor of the 60s. Next we are treated to a recount of a Holland boy's summer, circa 1998. Gnarly Nancy's Surfin' Shack, sells all your seaside accessories in this groovy commercial break. Finally, an infomercial featuring a Paula Deen-esque character. Very historical and informative stuff! These guys definitely had a lot of fun preparing for their (lengthy) performance.

9:03
Marian's suite are next on the stage.  In an homage to the Harry Potter Puppet Theater, the girls create their own repetition song using the names of the counselors. Lots of concentration and rhythm, the girls pulled it off without a hitch.

9:08
Sarah Schmidt's girls do an abbreviated  interpretative dance routine to Justin Timberlake's "My Love".   Short and sweet.

9:11
Brielle's suite does a sketch featuring the Disney Princesses of SEP. This light-hearted take on counselor enforcement of camp policies works as a mid-session reminder that they are ALWAYS watching. Just, just go.

9:16
Spencer's suite, the oldest group of boy campers, appears on stage with A LOT of instruments. Bongos, maracas, guitars, and lots of harmony. These guys had a veritable mariachi vibe going on, covering "Twist and Shout" by Chuck Berry. Fantastic lead singer and backing vocals, with terrific solos by each instrumentalist. Brought the house down!

9:23
Dramatic reading of "Wake Me Up", one of Head Counselor Jessica's favorite songs. A gift from her secret pal, the two campers gave an inspiring and emotive performance, with plenty of chuckles from the entire group.

9:26
Emily's suite begins their performance standing in the aisle, dancing down onto the stage to "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore. The girls are dressed in their second-hand best, and rapping up a storm. Changing the lyrics of popular songs in order to fit the camp experience has rarely been done with such excellence.

9:29
Dressed in white and black uniforms, Sarah Schmidt's suite of rising 11th graders take to the stage with a blistering critique of today's young starts. Their song is the "Sneaker Song" with clapping and choreography, a throwback to a simpler time. Some of the talented dancers were able to incorporate ballet into the routine as well. "You can take the camper out of SEP, but you can't take the SEP out of the camper". The girls close with a rendition of "Don't Stop Believing", and a heartfelt message to their fellow campers.

9:36
A lone camper comes down to recite a counselor written poem for Mister, in a secret pal gesture to begin winding down the night.


9:38
Finally, in camp tradition, counselors finish the night with a song crafted especially for the summer. "(We Knew You Were) Trouble (When You Checked In)", more reverence to Taylor Swift, pop-country crossover goddess.

9:43
All rising Junior campers assembled ahead of time to determine superlatives both sincere and silly which they bestow upon their counselors with the closing "Paper Plate Awards" ceremony.

Counselors of the Day: Cooper Stevenson and Jamar Banks

For a very special edition of Counselor of the Day, we'll be talking with Cooper Stevenson and Jamar Banks, the 5-8 male super floaters.

Supers Floaters are incredibly important to the SEP experience. They fill in for any counselors who have their day of night off, while also planning major camp wide activities and assisting the head counselors with their responsibilities.

Cooper just graduated from James Madison University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.

Jamar just graduated from the College of William and Mary with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience.


How long have you been at SEP?

Cooper: 2nd year working here; never was a camper.

Jamar: This is my second year as a counselor and I was a camper for six years.

What made you want to come back to SEP?

Cooper: The people make this job the best. The counselors are amazing to work with, and the campers are hilarious and awesome.

Jamar: I love SEP. I had so much fun working here last summer that I couldn't imagine not working here again this summer!

Why did you want to be a super floater this year? Tell us a little bit about your responsibilities?

Cooper: I was looking forward to trying a new job with some more responsibilities and new challenges, while still being a large part of camp. We are in charge of running a lot of the camp events and floating for the counselors on their day and nights off. Our job is basically be able to transition from group to group really quickly and be able to help the head counselors make sure the camp keeps running smoothly.

Jamar: I wanted to be a super floater this year because I wanted to see the behind the scenes of the daily functioning of camp. As a returning counselor, I wanted to be able to serve as a source of experience and knowledge for new counselors while tackling more responsibility than I had my first summer. Some of the responsibilities include: DJing at the party on Saturday night, running trivia, organizing and running field day, mental challenge and beyond 4 square (an informal "games how-to session" during o-week). Also, we are in charge of taking campers to church. Lastly, we help organize the camp bank, which is used for camper and counselor bagels on Sunday morning.

What's your special topic?

Cooper: Ultimate Frisbee. I played for 4 years at JMU, and have a lot of experience playing, so I taught the kids how fun it could be to run around and learn the basics, as well as some more advanced ideas of how to play.

Jamar: My special topic was called "Build Baby Build." In my special topic, we looked at the physics and mechanics behind bridges. After being introduced to these concepts, campers use this knowledge to build their own bridges out of popsicle sticks and glue. On the second day, we looked at the physics behind egg drops and campers worked in teams to create egg drops that would protect an egg dropped from various heights.

What's your favorite part of camp, and why?

Cooper: Rec! The kids aren't the only ones who end up with a huge amount of energy they want to expend. I love running around with them and just having fun playing sports.

Jamar: My favorite part of camp is the Saturday night party. I love dancing and it's cool getting to dance the night away with the other counselors and all the campers.

What is your hall theme?

Cooper:  We, the floaters, call ourselves the Avatars and have door decorations of the four nations in Avatar: The Last Airbender, so I have a fire nation insignia and the words "everything changed when the fire nation came."

Jamar: This year, all the superfloaters decided to have a collective theme. We decided to do the four nations (Air, Earth, Wind, Fire) from the nickelodeon cartoon, Avatar: The Last Airbender. I am the air nation.

If you were a camper at SEP, what's your favorite memory from being a camper?

Cooper: N/A

Jamar: My favorite memory from being a camper was the weekend because there were so many fun activities to do.

Ohill or St. Anne's?

Cooper: St. Anne's all the way. O-Hill technically has more choices, but they are almost always the same choices, which are not as healthy or tasty as St. Anne's. You can be surprised in the best way possible walking into lunch to find the juiciest ribs or some awesome sandwiches, whereas you always somewhat know what is going to be for dinner at O-Hill.

Jamar: Without a doubt St. Anne's. STAB is able to successfully manage having healthy food that still tastes great!

What's something about you that someone might not expect if they didn't know you well?

Cooper: I hate scary movies. I freak out.

Jamar: I hate chocolate.

When you first started working here, what's something that surprised you?

Cooper: How quickly all the counselors became best friends. Being with other amazing people 24/7 just creates close bonds.

Jamar: Last year when I started here, I was surprised by how quickly I developed relationships with the other counselors.

Without using any camper names, tell us a funny story that happened so far this summer. 

Cooper: I was covering for one counselor on his day off, and his kids wanted to ask 3 girl counselors to dance with him at the party on Saturday for him. I told them they could, but they had to be sneaky and make sure the 3 girls counselors didn't know about each other. Of course that didn't work, partly because I told the girl counselors, but it was fun watching them try to sneak around at lunch asking girls out for their "shy counselor."

Jamar: On the first day of camp, after dinner and the camp wide introductions, we have an ice cream party for the campers. I loved seeing the varying expressions on the kids' faces when they found out that they were getting ice cream.

What do you think is the most difficult part of the job?

Cooper: Finding time to sleep. We have to wake up at 6:30 in the morning and don't get to sleep until usually midnight or later, so we have to grab sleep when we can, even if it's in 30 minute spurts.

Jamar: Definitely saying goodbye to all the campers on the last day of each session.

What do you think is the most rewarding part of the job? 

Cooper: Knowing the campers remember you. I would float for kids I knew from last year and they would call out "Cooper!" It really make you feel good about yourself that you helped make someone's summer, enough that they would remember you a year later without prompting.

Jamar: Getting to know so many awesome and amazing kids in such a short period of time.

How does being a super floater differ from being a counselor? 

Cooper: It is just different. The counselors get a very used to their kids and have an easy time settling into a routine, while floating makes you unable to get a routine. Every half a day, you have to say goodbye to the routine you just learned to float for another set of kids.

Jamar: One of the main differences between being a super floater and a counselor is that you don't have your own set of 8 campers. Conversely, because I get the opportunity to float for roughly 6 counselors per session, I have the chance to meet/get to know more campers.

What do you know about gifted education?

Cooper: I think Gifted Ed is ridiculously important. I was in G/T from third grade on and it helped me stop being bored in school. I really started to enjoy learning when I felt the education was actually teaching me more than things I could figure out on my own. Gifted Ed allows kids with different learning levels to use their abilities instead of stifling them.

Jamar: Throughout elementary and middle school, I was involved in the gifted education program at my school. I think gifted education is very important, as it helps stimulate students personal growth. I think that gifted education is very important and often times those students get overlooked which definitely is not a good thing.

Teacher of the Day: Phil Snell

Phil is brand new to teaching with the Summer Enrichment Program. He is an MT student completing his post-graduate degree in secondary education, with a concentration in science.

What's your class like? Can you describe it for us?

My class is a mix of labs, activities, and learning. Students regularly work together in small groups, as well as individually. Class works to find real life applications of introductory chemistry and biochemistry concepts.

What's something about you someone might not expect if they didn't know you well?

I can juggle.

What do you think is the most difficult part of the job?

Adapting to three completely different classes of students, while still maintaining my standards and expectations.

What do you think of gifted education?

I think that there are many opportunities to bring in interesting content; however it can sometimes be difficult to get material to students that come in with a variety of experiences.

Given infinite supplies and opportunities, what sort of class would you teach?

Students would research individual proteins using biochemical tools.

What's your biggest pet peeve?

Being unsafe in the lab.

The Day's Schedule: Tuesday, July 30

It's day 2 of special topics for 5-8 and 9-11. 5-8 campers are done after today, while 9-11 campers will have one more day of special topics tomorrow.

In classes, campers are working on final projects/presentations and teachers are heading to the end of their class curriculum.

Highlights: Monday, July 22

In the junior camp, the Schaffer games were held during evening activities. Campers were given a series of games and activities, to gain clues that helped them find a kidnapped 8th grade counselor, Josh Kirschenbaum. After Schaffer games, campers spilt into their teams and competed in field day, as it was cancelled on Sunday due to rain.

In the senior camp, campers spent time preparing for the talent show, which will take place on Tuesday. 

Special Report: Field Trip to UVA School of Architecture

Today in Beth Mitchell's morning class for 9-11 campers, the group took a walking field trip to Campbell Hall, the School of Architecture at UVA.

The highlight of the tour was an introduction to the school from WG Clark, chairman of Architecture at UVA. His recent addition to the building was groundbreaking in many ways, due to the stylistic differences from the rest of the facilities on Grounds. He was able to discuss the benefits of an architecture program, his design philosophy, and the methodology and materials used in creating his work.

The class was taken around to other points of interest, including the wood-working shop and laser-cutting studio. While much of the building is typically bustling with activity, the group was able to get an up-close look at the working space that architecture students will utilize during the school year.

Counselor of the Day: Andrew Kahn

Andrew is a rising sophomore at William & Mary, hailing from Alexandria, VA. He studies neuroscience, and considering following the pre-med track. A former camper, this is Andrew's first summer as a counselor with the program.

What about SEP made you want to work here?

I was procrastinating studying for a Organic Chemistry quiz by aimlessly surfing the internet when I stumbled upon the recently uploaded application to be a counselor at SEP. I had such a great time as a camper here during sixth and seventh grade, I immediately downloaded the application and began to fill it out.

What's your special topic?

My special topic is the history of hip-hop music. Along with jazz music, hip-hop is one of the only genres of music which was completely created in the US. Campers learn about the origins of hip-hop and how it evolved into the genre it is today. Campers also write their own rap songs and perform it in front of their peers.

What's your favorite part about camp?

My favorite part of camp is definitely the mental challenge on Saturday morning. As a camper I loved working with my fellow campers to solve a problem and create something. As a counselor it is amazing to see what my campers can construct with only rudimentary materials to solve the problem we give them.

What's your hall theme?

The door decorations for my crew are NFL quarterbacks. Each camper has a different NFL quarterback throwing a pass on their door. My campers are rising sixth graders and we are on the right side of the first floor of Lefevre.

What was your favorite memory from being a camper?

My favorite memory as a camper was the last night party. I remember bringing all of our mattresses out into the suite and creating our own nation. On our own initiative, we drafted a constitution, elected officials, and paid taxes (of candy, which we all then ate together).

O-Hill or St. Anne's?

Definitely St. Anne's. The head chef at St. Anne's is amazing and manages to make the food taste homemade even while cooking for hundreds of campers. He also uses mostly local produce and the fruits and vegetables taste delicious.

What's something about you that someone might not expect if they didn't know you will?

Ever since I was a little kid I have sculpted bonsai trees with my dad. Our backyard is essentially a bonsai garden, which features bonsai trees up to four hundred years old. When I was in high school I traveled with my father to Kyoto, Japan where I spent days in the bonsai gardens.

When you first started working here, what's something that surprised you?

When I first started working here I was astounded by how bright all the kids are. I knew the campers were going to be intelligent but I didn't realize the extent until after one of my campers explained how he created an iPhone app for fun, which required over 25 pages of code.

Without using any camper names, tell us a funny story that happened this summer.

While I was teaching my special topic during first session I gave the campers the task of writing their own rap song. After they had finished writing I gave them the opportunity to share their rap song with the class. I also gave them the incentive that if everyone shared, I would buy each camper a candy bar for the party on the last night. I felt quite confident that I wouldn't be buying candy bars because there were four or five campers that seemed very shy. However, one after another, with the support of their classmates, each camper got up and rapped. They proved me wrong and I held my end of the bargain and each camper received a Three Musketeers bar on the last night.

What do you think will be the most difficult part of the job?

I think one of the hardest parts of being a counselor is fitting in all the fun activities that I remembered as a camper. The schedule for each day is so packed with great things that really the only free time I have with my crew of guys is the two hours at the end of the day. I try to use every minute I have during this time to play all the games and do all the fun things I remember doing as a camper but there is so much to do and so little time.

What do you know about gifted education?

I transferred from a private Catholic school to the local public elementary school  with a gifted and talented program for third grade. I think there is definitely merit to the program. I believe one of the most significant parts of education is who your peers are when you are learning. If one is around a group of people who are genuinely interested in learning, it will have a hugely positive effect on their education. That is part of the reason I think SEP is so great. As a camper, being able to be around so many other campers who have the passion for learning is such a valuable experience for these children.

The Day's Schedule: Monday, July 22

It's the second week of camp, which means 5-8 and 9-11 alike will start a new batch of special topics today.

Weather permitting, 5-8 will finally get to hold their field day tonight after a very special evening activity...

Teacher of the Day: Nancy Engelhardt

Nancy just received a position with D.C. public schools and will move up to begin teaching middle school science. This is her second year with SEP.

What's your class like? Can you describe it for us?

My class this year is Infectious Diseases: Past and Present, and interdisciplinary course focusing on the history of the spread of disease and the effects various outbreaks had on society.  In addition to learning about various pandemics, students are learning about disease transmission, domestic and international government agencies, and tools and techniques of the trade.

What made you want to come back and teach this summer?
   
I had a great experience last year and wanted again to work with gifted students.

Do you have a favorite memory from years past?
   
I love the skits (that counselors act out to introduce the class names) on the first day of each session.

What do you think is the most difficult part of the job?
   
Getting to know a diverse group of students in a short amount of time.

What do you think of gifted education?
   
I believe gifted education is an important way to serve a portion of the student population.

Given infinite supplies and opportunities, what sort of class would you teach?
   
I'd try to integrate a lot of technology.

What's your biggest pet peeve?
   
Not having enough time.

Highlights: The Weekend

There was a huge upset Saturday morning when the fifth grade girls, led by counselor Isabel Vargas, won the 5-8 mental challenge. The girls' umbrella, made from tape, cardboard, and construction paper, kept their counselor dry from a floater coordinated water balloon assault.

The 5-8 party was a huge success! Campers danced the night away for almost three hours, ending with a rousing and enthusiastic rendition of Mackelmore's "Can't Hold Us."

A short thunderstorm led to the cancellation of 5-8 field day on Sunday afternoon. Luckily, the storm passed in time for both the barbecue and 9-11 field day. While 5-8 gathered in the auditorium to watch "Toy Story," the campers of 9-11 battled it out to become field day champs. Ultimately, the team led by counselor Hannah Todd won the day.

The Day's Schedule: Sunday, July 21

Sundays at SEP start slowly. Campers are allowed to sleep as late as they'd like as breakfast will be delivered to them in the form of a bag of Bodos bagels.

The day picks up after lunch. Both camps spend the early afternoon in competition, with 9-11 arranging their trivia challenge while 5-8 holds field day.

After the events, both camps will meet up on the quad for the barbecue. The barbecue is the only time that 9-11 and 5-8 have to spend time together. Campers will enjoy the weather and have fun together while treating themselves to a catered buffet of hot dogs, hamburgers, veggie burgers, fruit salad, and other classic BBQ foods.

After the barbecue, 9-11 will head to the field for their own field day, while 5-8 heads to the auditorium for the campwide movie.

The Day's Schedule: Saturday, July 20

The weekend is finally here!

Both camps will start the day with breakfast at O-Hill before heading to their respective morning activities. 9-11 will spend the morning at the pool, enjoying a pizza lunch that will be delivered right to them. 5-8 is spending the morning on the mental challenge. Each suite will work with limited time and resources to build an umbrella, which will then be tested by dropping a water balloon on their counselor's head!

Saturday afternoon is a chance for each suite to make the day their own. Some suites will head to the corner for some choice shopping, while others will spend the day at the movies ("Despicable Me 2" is a  popular choice this session).

Over the course of the last week, each boys suite in 9-11 has asked a girls suite out to dinner in Charlottesville. Tonight's the night for the campers to dress their finest and have a nice meal in town.

While 9-11 is getting classy, 5-8 will be getting crazy! It's the night of the 5-8 party. Counselors and campers will dress their silliest and spend the night dancing, playing games, and generally having an awesome time!

Highlights: Week One

With the first week of session 3 coming to a close, we thought we would look back at some of the best moments from the past six days.

- Move in day was a rush, as usual. Campers met their counselors, got to know their hall mates, and got a pleasant surprise when, after the opening day skit, the super floaters arrived with boxes of Klondike bars!

- Monday afternoon both camps participated in floor bonding, spending over an hour playing games and icebreakers with the campers who live on their floor. Third floor skits are a particularly notable SEP floor bonding tradition.

- Tuesday was the first day of special topics--short classes taught by the counselors--and the first pool day of the session. Campers called home for the first time since Sunday and spent the rest of the evening  at extended rec time.

- Wednesday was the first day of field day prep for 9-11. The teams formed and began to work on their banners, team names, and cheers.

- Thursday was karaoke night for 9-11. The camp gathered in Ern Commons and spent two hours singing both the latest hits and older classics together. The boys counselors' rendition of "Chicken Fried" was a big hit!

- Friday was a big day at SEP, as both camps switched up their schedules to prepare for the weekend. 9-11 held their mental challenge--an egg drop--during what would normally be special topic time. After phone calls home, 5-8 gathered on the quad for the field day pep rally. The counselors demonstrated the field day events by competing boy vs. girl against each other. Campers then broke off into their field day teams to make a banner, team name, cheer, and uniform.

It's been a long and exciting week. Who knows what the weekend will bring?

(Confused by the camp lingo? Check out our glossary!)

Counselor of the Day: Jonah Dister

Today's counselor is Jonah Dister. He is a rising second year at UVA, majoring in either psychology or foreign affairs. Jonah is in 5-8 with the 6th grade boys.

How many years have you worked at SEP?

This is my first year working at SEP.

What about SEP made you want to work here?

My experience as a camper is what made me want to work here at SEP. SEP was often my favorite part of the summer and I wanted to be a counselor to help create that experience for other children.

What is your special topic?
My special topic is Superhero Science. We will explore the scientific basis of superhero and supervillain powers. How do the mutants in X-Men compare to real life mutations and human evolution? What gadgets that Batman uses are used in real life today?

What is your favorite part of camp?

My favorite part of camp is doing evening activities with the campers. I like working with a fellow counselor to put on a creative and entertaining game for the campers. It is a good contrast with other parts of the day and let's you get to know campers you might not usually meet.

What's your hall theme?

I am on the second floor of Lefevre and I have sixth graders. My theme is "Knights". Each camper has their own coat of arms on their door.

What was your favorite memory from being an SEP camper?

My favorite part of being a camper was the dance party. It was a great way to celebrate with the entire camp.

Ohill or St. Anne's?

St. Anne's has better food, but maybe that is because I have to eat O-Hill food all year.

What's something about you that someone might not expect if they didn't know you well?

I really enjoy older, classic movies. My three favorite movies of all time are probably 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Graduate, and Jaws.

When you first started working here, what's something that surprised you? 

I was surprised that despite the incredible amount of responsibilities I have as a counselor, I am having even more fun than I did as a camper!

Without using any camper names, tell us a funny story that happened so far this summer?

A fellow counselor and I pretend to read each other's minds and his fifth grade campers think we are magicians!

What do you think will be the most difficult part of the job?

I think the most difficult part of the job will be saying goodbye to the campers after each session. I have really gotten to know these campers very well and have a lot of fun hanging out with them. I will hate to see them leave so soon!

What do you know about gifted education?

I think that gifted education is incredibly important in order to provide for the needs of children that might not be challenged in a standard classroom setting.

Teacher of the Day: Jill Martiniuk

Today's teacher is Jill Martiniuk. Jill is a PhD candidate at UVA in the Slavic Languages and Literature department. This is her second year with SEP and teaches two classes for the 9-11 campers: Fashion & Beauty, and Literature of the Circus.

What's your class like? Can you describe it for us?

Fashion and Beauty: A look at how image and marketing affect consumers and society. I have students develop arguments through evidence-based research. They need to be able to convince others that their stance is the right one.

What's something about you someone might not expect if they didn't know you well?

I speak five languages (English,Russian, French, Spanish, Polish) and I'll be learning Italian this summer through immersion.

What made you want to come back and teach this summer?

It's a really unique way of teaching, having to condense material into a two week period. Then there's the challenge of ensuring your students are engaged for the duration.

Do you have a favorite memory from years past?

Watching the students debate controversial topics and how involved they get with the subject matter. I have the students discuss the concept of body image in the fashion industry.

What do you think is the most difficult part of the job?

Making sure it's broad enough so that everyone can participate from the start, and then hone in on the specifics that each group deems important.

What do you think of gifted education?

SEP is a good opportunity to explore new areas, something gifted students they may be passionate about. These topics aren't generally covered in the standard classroom curriculum.

Given infinite supplies and opportunities, what sort of class would you teach?

A Russian culture class! It's my area of expertise.

What's your biggest pet peeve?

Booking my upcoming trip to Italy for research has proven extremely frustrating! So I'll go with airports.

The Day's Schedule: Friday, July 19

It's the last day of classes before the weekend!

9-11 will hold their mental challenge today. Campers will work with their field day teams on a classic mental challenge event: the egg drop. Teams will have limited time and resources to build an apparatus that will protect an egg, both of which will be dropped from the third floor of STAB!

In 5-8 news, field day prep starts today! It begins with the pep rally, in which the boy counselors compete with the girls counselors at all of the field day events, demonstrating the games for the campers. Each suite will then break off with their brother or sister suite to plan their field day team name, outfits, banner, and chant.

Counselor of the Day: Adrianna Gorsky

Today's counselor is Adrianna Gorsky. Adrianna is a rising second-year at the University of Virginia. She's interested in pursuing degrees in Environmental Science as well as International Development. A long-time camper, this is her first summer as a counselor with the program.

What made you want to work here?

I have always wanted to work at SEP after being a camper. It is such a unique camp that fosters a safe learning experience with peers that have similar academic pursuits. I wanted to be able to give back to the camp that gave me such memorable experiences. SEP was always one of the highlights of my summer.

What are you teaching for your Special Topic?

My special topic is The Future of Food. We will be exploring the changes in the American food system over the last century from an agrarian system to industrial by watching clips from Food Inc. and reading excerpts from The Omnivore's Dilemma. The campers will have a chance to hear from the executive chef of St. Anne's Belfield School or a representative from the Local Food Hub on the importance of using locally grown food and sustainable agriculture.

What's your favorite part of camp, and why?

My favorite part of camp is the weekend. It offers campers the chance to explore more of UVA and Charlottesville, as well as, to participate in field day and attend the dance. Field day and the dance are so much fun and really help to bring together the spirit and energy of SEP. No matter your physical abilities, SEP is a judgement free zone where everyone can participate. 

What's your favorite memory from being a camper?

One of my favorite memories from SEP was the last day of camp where you get to stay up, eat junk food, and solidify those bonds with the other girls in your suite. Camp is so unique in that you can create strong friendships in such a short time.

O-Hill or St. Anne's. Why?

 I would definitely say St. Annes! I am a huge supporter of sustainable agriculture and STAB does a wonderful job with using local food. STAB sponsors with the Local Food Hub of Charlottesville, which works to connect small scale farms with outlets in the local community including restaurants, schools, and hospitals.

What's something about you that someone might not expect if they didn't know you well?

I am terrified of raccoons ever since my family found one living out of our trash can. Now I literally have to run, quickly throw my trash bag into the dumpster, and then run back to my room. They are just too smart!

When you first started working here, what's something that surprised you?

It surprised me how supportive the other counselors are. If I ever need anything there is always some one there to help or even to just cheer me up on a rough day.

 Any funny stories from the summer so far?

The funniest thing that has happened so far was probably the impromptu dance party my crew had. We danced to Cotton-Eyed Joe and sang Taylor Swift while using hairbrushes as microphones.

What's the most difficult part of the job?

I think the most difficult part of the job is discipline. Safety is my number one priority and sometimes I have to raise my voice or set specific punishments in order to make my point clear. I never like to yell but it is important as a counselor to set boundaries so my campers can stay healthy and safe throughout the whole session.

What do you know/think about gifted education?

I think gifted education is extremely important in order to continually engage those students that on average perform at a higher level. It gives these high performing students a chance to be challenged in a school setting. From personal experiences, SEP was always such a wonderful escape where I was surrounded by peers who had the same love to learn.

The Day's Schedule: Thursday, July 18

It's also the second day of special topics for 5-8, which means that the second floors of Metcalf and Lefevre will watch a movie after lunch and head to the pool tomorrow.

In 9-11 news, it's karaoke night! Campers will head to Ern Commons after dinner to sing all their favorite songs.

Highlights: Wednesday, July 17, 2013

In the senior camp, 9-11 campers established teams for field day. This entails creating a team name, poster, cheer (w/ coordinated dance moves) and color scheme.

In the junior camp, evening activity highlights included "Paper Plate Awards" in which counselors are honored through superlatives, and the "History of Dap" a.k.a. the knocking of fists together as a greeting or form of respect.

Rec time involved a cross-camp coup, in which forces from the Senior camp attempted to capture a counselor from the Junior camp. Fortunately, a fierce team of 5th graders was able to thwart the advancing threat.

Special Report: Field Trips

In order to provide a more hands on learning experience for our campers, many instructors incorporate field visits to various locations around the grounds at St. Anne's and the University.

In Gettysburg Address: Now and Then, students took a trip to the UVa cemetery to visit the grave sites of buried Confederate soldiers.They will eventually write and recite their own dedications based on historical precedence.

Will Stewart took his class "Keeping it Classy with Biological Classification" on a walk around the St. Anne's campus to collect various types of leaves from local flora. Partners will work to identify 14 different plant varieties and compare their collections with the rest of the class.

 

In the 7-8 forensic chemistry class, Dr. Joe Houck provides a two-part exploration that begins at a "crime scene" where students measure and create casts for footprints, and moves to Joe's chemistry lab where he does multiple demonstrations. Liquid nitrogen, multi-colored flames, and Tesla electrical current are used to incorporate concepts discussed in class. 

Counselor of the Day: John Robie

John is a rising junior at the University of Mary Washington. He's majoring in both music and physics, as well as minoring in mathematics. It is his first summer working with SEP, and lives in Lefevre, on a 7th grade hall.

What about SEP made you want to work here?
I loved SEP as a camper, and I really wanted to come back so I can share that joy with a new generation of campers.

What's your special topic?
My special topic is Miniature Mythbusters. We'll be studying projectile motion, electricity, magnetism, and viscosity.

What's your favorite part of camp? Why?
My favorite part of camp is hall time. It's great to be able to create a structured activity for the campers and then watch them get to know each other.

What's your favorite memory from being a camper?
My favorite memory as a camper was being in a setting where everybody wanted to be there for the first time.

Which food do you prefer: O-Hill or St. Anne's?
Definitely St. Anne's. The food at St. Anne's is cooked by a crew who care about what they do, and is both healthy and environmentally conscious. Not to mention it is above and beyond any college dining hall in terms of quality and day-to-day variety.

What's something about you that someone might not expect if they didn't know you well? 
If someone didn't know me well, they would be surprised that I'm outgoing and strongly opinionated. I tend to keep to myself until I'm comfortable around everybody.

When you first started working here, what's something that surprised you?
I was definitely surprised by how quickly I bonded with my fellow counselors.

Any funny stories from the summer so far?
During the first big rec time of the session, I was playing soccer with about 8 kids. Two others counselors came over to me with goofy grins and asked if I could move the kids away from where we were real quick. Once we had moved I looked over to watch the two of them, and saw them holding a squirrel that had apparently gotten its head stuck in a trash can.

What do you think will be/is the most difficult part of the job?
So far at least, the most difficult part of the job is keeping 8 hyper 12 year old boys under control.

What do you know about gifted education?
I feel that I know a fair bit about gifted education. When I began kindergarten at my public school my parents discovered that they had been drawing funding for a gifted program without actually providing it. After that situation was remedied, my class was the first to go through our growing gifted program starting with a teacher, one fellow student, and myself doing 1 hour lessons in a redecorated janitorial closet. After a few years the program had developed into something you could actually call a program, and encompassed grades K-5 with around 100 kids. Coming from that experience, I understand the challenges that gifted children go through and hope that we will always continue to value our best students.

Teacher of the Day: Anthony Smith

What's your class like? Can you describe it for us?
We start with a single circle, and overlap them in both systematic and non-systematic ways to create 2D and 3D objects. This ties into architecture, art, and design.  Cooperative and competitive at times, students work together or on their own, depending on the project. Students are asked to step back in time, as a cave person. Where did the first circle come from? How did we begin to perfect shapes in order to build and create?

What's something about you someone might not expect if they didn't know you well?
I hybridize daylilies. Downtown Daylilies is my business on the side.

What made you want to come back and teach this summer?
I love teaching at SEP. For the past two years, my job with Albemarle County Public Schools hasn't allowed for much classroom teaching. This is a nice return to being witness to those "aha" moments.

Do you have a favorite memory from years past?
The best job I ever had was building decks, because there's always the finished product. Often in school, kids don't get to leave with a complete take-away. Here, they are always excited to complete a construction that they are proud of, and want to take home with them.

What do you think is the most difficult part of the job?
Keeping your finger on the pulse of what your students are thinking and feeling, and being able to change your plans according. Taking into account student interest, achievement, and engagement. Frequently you have to toss things out entirely, and you have to be prepared to move in another direction.

What do you think of gifted education?
All education should be gifted education. Teachers should be crafting lessons in which they ask this question: "should i like to be on the receiving end of this instruction?" If we answer "yes", then we've achieved a high standard.

Given infinite supplies and opportunities, what sort of class would you teach?
One that allows you to really get into the subject without restrictions of resources or technology. Doing visits, such as Monticello or local battle sites. Hands on participation is always great for furthering understanding. The ultimate class would definitely revolve around the Civil War, but that would probably entail longer trips, to Richmond and beyond.

What's your biggest pet peeve?
Arbitrariness.

The Day's Schedule: Wednesday, July 17

The journey to 9-11 field day begins today. Teams will be announced and will begin preparations for the big day.

The 5th and 6th graders, having spent yesterday afternoon at the pool, will be treated to a movie while the rest of 5-8 finishes their first special topic class of the session.

Counselor of the Day: Katya Davydova

Today's counselor is Kayta Davydova. She is a rising third year at UVA, studying Cognitive Science and Psychology, with a minor in Russian. Katya is a counselor in 5-8 for 7th and 8th grade girls.


How many years have you worked at SEP?
This is my first year!

What about SEP made you want to work here?
I'd heard that Liz (head counselor) had done it the previous summer, and she had nothing but great things to say about it. I've always loved working with kids, so being able to live in Charlottesville and be a counselor was the best of both worlds -- what could be better than getting paid to have fun and having a blast with the kiddies?!

What is your special topic?
I am teaching All About Chocolate -- the history, chemistry, production, and cultural factors of this delicious treat! As a kid, I could not get enough of milk and white chocolate, and now I've moved on to dark, but this remains my favorite sweet-tooth go-to. We will do a fair amount of learning, as well as hands-on activities, like creating a brand new flavor, and making an advertisement for a new brand of chocolate. It'll be sweet!

What's your favorite part of camp, and why?
I love that, as the session progresses, your campers become so incredibly bonded to not only each other, but to you as well, much like friends. We can joke around, talk about anything, yet they still very much respect you. It's great seeing how much of an impact a single counselor can have on a group of campers. Also, I love all the counselor bonding that goes on during down time.

What's your hall theme?
Metcalf 2R, The Summer Yummies: sweet summer treats, like ice cream cones and watermelon.

If you were a camper at SEP, what's your favorite memory from being a camper?
Sadly, I was never a camper :(

O-hill or St. Anne's?
St. Annes all the way!! Have you seen the quality of the good? It's so fresh and "locally-grown", and the vegetables and entrees are awesome. They even had goat cheese one time. Ahhhmazing.

What's something about you that someone might not expect if they didn't know you well?
That I wasn't born here, but rather in Russia. Besides my give-away name, people are always surprised that I have no Russian accent -- in fact most people that I'm American. I've been a US citizen for almost a decade now, but I still connect to my Russian roots.

When you first started working here, what's something that surprised you?
How close I would get to the counselors in such a short period of time. We all make a really good team, which is based on solid friendship. Also, the exorbitant amount of sweating that goes on during the sweltering days.

Without using any camper names, tell us a funny story that happened so far this summer.
I was talking to a returning camper whom a lot of the counselors remember from last summer and who is quite gregarious and friendly. I mentioned that some of the counselors told me that she had gotten a lot taller over the year, and so she started wondering which counselors remembered her. When I didn't want to give away names, she just started listing a bunch of counselors, and smugly ended her spiel proudly stating, "Yeah, I'm pretty memorable!" It made me laugh; she's such an awesome camper.

What do you think is the most difficult part of the job?
Probably functioning on five or less hours of sleep per night -- it's been working so far, but sometimes I feel drained for a few minutes until I see my kids, and then they just raise me up and put me in such high spirits!

What do you know about gifted education?
I was actually in the Gifted and Talented program in elementary and middle school, and I enjoyed having a higher-intensity learning environment. Personally, I didn't really see myself as that different than the kids in the regular program, but now I appreciate that I was pushed to explore my learning boundaries. I still think that it's a great thing for the kids!

Teacher of the Day: Emily Gironda

Today's teacher is Emily Gironda. This is Emily's fifth year teaching at SEP. She teaches two classes to 7th and 8th graders: Introduction to Code Breaking and Spyology in the morning and The Rise and Fall of the Dictator in the afternoon. 

What’s your class like? Can you describe them?

Over the years at SEP, I've developed a reputation for teaching the "weird class", weird meaning dark and sinister. For example, spyology is a lot of breaking codes and cyphers, but also the role of cryptography in war, criminology and terrorism. My afternoon class is the Rise and Fall of Dictators, which builds on students' fundamental knowledge of Hitler and other well known dictators, but takes a deeper look at specific strategies that dictators use to manipulate others, to gain and stay in power.

What's something about you someone might not expect if they didn't know you well?

People are surprised that I have those kinds of interests because I’m a happy blonde girl. People don’t realize I’m a nerd. Any nerdy past time – I’ve probably been interested in it. And I love dinosaurs. 

What made you want to come back and teach this summer?

The kids. They are the best kids in the world.

Do you have a favorite memory from past years? 

Every single time a kid has told me that my class is the best class they’ve ever taken. Just this morning, a kid told me that she wished there were classes like this in her regular school. 

What do you think is the most difficult part of the job? 

Planning my classes can be difficult because I want so badly to include topics that are genuinely interesting to kids, so I’m always asking myself if I was a seventh grader, would I be interested in this or not. Which leads to me throwing a lot of stuff out.

What do you think is the most rewarding part of the job?

It's amazing to see kids come back year after year and take your class. You really develop a close relationship with them, even though it's only 9 days. For example, I’m still emailing with a camper from 5 years ago who lives in China. She sent me a postcard from the North Pole and I helped her with her college admissions essay to an english University. 

What do you think of gifted education?

It's my personal crusade in education to provide enrichment to kids. Schools spend so much time with remediation, they forget to allocate resources towards enrichment.