Today's counselor is Tim Hilliard. Tim is a rising fourth year at UVA studying English and Secondary Education in the Curry School of Education. Tim is a counselor in 5-8 for 7th & 8th grade boys.
How long have you been with SEP?
This is my first year with SEP.
Why did you want to be a counselor?
I heard about SEP through a friend who worked here several years as a counselor. She only had good things to say about how excited and motivated the kids are as well as how fun it is to work with the rest of the staff. Additionally, I felt that SEP would offer a challenging and beneficial experience and add to my training as a teacher.
What's your special topic?
My special topic is on public speaking and communication. Even if a child is not involved in drama or theater in school, I believe he or she should understand the importance of being able to communicate ideas to an audience and to have confidence speaking in any situation. It has practical applications in school with class presentations and outside of school in job interviews or in simply meeting new people. Through acting out and practicing these skills with a variety of games and activities, my goal is for students to have fun while they learn!
What's your favorite part of camp, and why?
My favorite part of SEP is watching a group of campers, many of whom have never met, come together and become great friends. I have already seen this in the first few days, and I am sure that the campers' network of positive friendships they establish at SEP will only continue to grow throughout the rest of the session.
What's your hall theme?
I am on the second floor of Lefevre dorm with 7th and 8th grade boys. Our hall decoration theme is Superman, in honor of the new movie premier, yet we call ourselves the "Whomping Turtles."
Do you prefer eating at O-Hill or St. Anne's?
I prefer the food at St. Anne's. While I have nothing against my own university's dining halls, St. Anne's cuisine offers something fresh and exciting to my day.
What's something about you someone might not expect if they didn't know you well?
Despite giving the first impression that I am quiet and shy, I admittedly like acting and being the center of attention.
When you first started working here, what's something that surprised you?
When I first started working here, I was pleasantly surprised by how close the staff became, even though many of us did not know each other before now. I am thankful that we all work together so well.
Can you tell us a funny story from camp?
On the first night we had to go to one of the UVA auditoriums because of rain and we played the "Counselor Dating Game." In the Bachelor version one of the male counselors interpreted for one of the female counselors and contestants because she had a playfully obnoxious voice that no one could understand. The kids loved the way his odd translations were likely nowhere near what she had meant to have interpreted.
What do you think is the most difficult part of the job?
I think the most difficult part of the job, especially as a new counselor, is figuring out how to get to know the campers quickly so that I can be the best counselor they need me to be. Since SEP is a relatively short camp I have a limited amount of time to get to know them, but it all starts from the moment that they move in.
What do you know about gifted education?
Although I am studying education, this is my first experience working with a population of students in gifted education. However, I know that gifted students need to be challenged with high expectations along with student-centered instruction methods that allow them a large degree of self-determination and creativity in the curriculum.
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