Maggie is a counselor in 5-8 for eighth grade girls.
How long have you been with SEP?
This is my first year!
What made you want to be a counselor at SEP?
I know a couple people who were counselors last year and had a great experience. While I never attended SEP as a camper I thought that this sounded like a lot of fun! Who wouldn't want to spend a summer hanging out with cool middle schoolers and making friendship bracelets?
What's your special topic?
My class is called "Shakespeare: The Bard is Back!" We talk about the influence of Shakespeare's work on our culture and language today, and work on understanding the text of his plays despite the definite language differences between the 16th century and today. Among other activities, students develop and perform their own play that includes elements of Shakespeare, and also get to practice their Shakespearean insults in a face-off!
What's your favorite part of camp, and why?
It's so hard to choose one, but my favorite part of camp is probably the goofy skits that counselors put on before taking kids to classes. They're only a minute or so long, but it's a really fun way to see other counselors' senses of humor-- especially when recurring characters start developing! For example, this session two of our counselors have been Squirtle and Pikachu, and it never fails to be hilarious.
What's your hall theme?
My hall theme is a classic arcade favorite: Pac-Man!
Do you prefer eating at St. Anne's or O-Hill?
St. Annes, definitely! I love the mixed fruit, the care and attention that the staff pays to our camper's needs, and the ease of knowing that our whole camp is for the most part seated together.
When you first started working here, what's something that surprised you?
I was surprised at how creativity is such a big part of the job! Being a counselor at SEP is definitely a lot more than just making sure kids are safe. It's also about making a fun environment for everyone!
Can you tell us a funny story about camp this summer?
On move-in day, a couple of my girls casually bonded over their affection for a Youtube video about the end of Disney movies. I didn't really think anything of it until all of a sudden at dinner, they broke out into an a cappella rendition of the song! Campers never fail to surprise.
What do you think is the most difficult part of the job?
I think the most difficult part of the job is probably maintaining a good energy level. For both counselors and campers, SEP definitely has a demanding schedule! What I've been happy to discover though is that when you're working with kids and other counselors as awesome as ours, it's easy to build off of their energy and continue the excitement.
What do you think about gifted education?
I was in a gifted program for K-12, and I definitely think that programs like SEP that bring this group together are incredibly important. From my experiences at least, adolescence is tough on everybody, and sticking out in the classroom doesn't help. Gifted education programs make the focus more about learning for everyone, and provide a place to be accepted.
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