Meet the Counselors: Olivia O'Connor

It’s that time of year again when we can start introducing our summer staff! We’ve got a great group of folks this summer from all over the world and we’re excited for you to all get to know them. First up is Olivia from Scotland. She brings boundless energy and a love for football (soccer).

Tell us a little about where you are from!
I live in a city called Perth in Scotland. Used to be the capital of Scotland many moons ago. We have Scone Palace where they used to crown the kings of Scotland. Lots of lovely wee places to visit such as Pitlochry (where my Nana stays), Dunked, Crieff and many more. Home to St Johnstone F.C. (best football team in Scotland).

What are you most looking forward to this summer?
Meeting new folks and broadening my coaching and teaching experience. I’ve always wanted to become a camp councillor ever since I learnt about Camp America.

What is a tradition from your country that you are excited to share at camp?
Highland Games, where they do lots of different sports such as tug-o-war, caber toss, and highland dancing.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Thailand, Bali, Australia, and New Zealand to visit the country and the different cultures in the area. As well as visiting beaches and making memories with one of my best mates.

How would your closest friends describe you?
Probably like a child who can’t sit still and has never-ending energy. Gets excited over the little things in life and is very food-oriented.

What is your proudest accomplishment?
Winning the Scottish Schools Football Cup in 2021

What's one of your biggest passions that you hope to share with the campers and staff at Camp Spring Creek?
Scotland teams in football (soccer)

Ask me about the time I... went bungee jumping with my dad!

What is the best piece of advice you've ever received? How did it change the trajectory of your life?
Live a life you will remember because you never know what will happen in the next one.

Meet the Counselors: Will Whitehead

Last in our Meet the Counselors series is Will. Will hails from Australia, making him our fourth Aussie staff member this summer! Will is looking forward to sharing his many passions, hobbies, and talents and helping our campers find their natural gifts.

Tell us a little about where you are from, describing it for those who are likely never to have been there before. If you have out-of-town visitors, where do you take them?
I'm from the outer suburbs of Melbourne in a town called Blackburn. It's a very bushy area and we live a two minute walk from Blackburn Lake, about a 10 minute walk from the station, and five minutes from the local football club.

What do you do for work?
I am a carpenter

It's karaoke night, what song are you singing?
September by Earth, Wind, and Fire

What would campers be surprised to learn about you? 
I am also dyslexic

What are you most looking forward to this summer?
Taking the kids on activities and meeting new people.

How would your closest friends describe you?
Outgoing but quiet

Which house would the Sorting Hat place you in if you were a student at Hogwarts?
Gryffindor 🦁

Tell us a little about your family.
I have a big family. I'm the oldest and then there's my brother Kynan, then my sister Tayona, and then my youngest brother Torin, and my mum and dad.

What’s something you’d like to teach the campers?
A new skill that they have been wanting to achieve

What is your proudest accomplishment?
Coming 2nd all-around at the Australian gymnastics championship and qualifying for the Australian team

Ask me about the time I... broke my foot at nationals and continued to compete the rest of the competition when I was 16.

You have a unexpected day off at home; how do you spend your day?
Waves are pumping, sun's out, and I'm down at the coast surfing.

Meet the Counselors: Kata Csenke

We are pleased to introduce you to Kata from Hungary. After loving her first summer camp experience in 2022, Kata is looking forward to embarking on a new adventure at Camp Spring Creek. She is ready to make this summer the best summer ever for our campers and gain some lifelong friends along the way.

Tell us a little about where you are from, describing it for those who are likely never to have been there before. If you have out-of-town visitors, where do you take them?
I come from Hungary, which is located in the middle of Europe. Budapest is a capital city with beautiful architecture. In the old times it was two small towns, Buda and Pest. The Buda side has hills with a famous castle and churches. The Pest side is flat with the beautiful Parlament building. Between this two areas we have the Danube river with 7 bridges. If I had a visitor I would take him/her to see the Parliament building, which is well known for it’s unique architecture.

When it’s your turn to control the tunes in the camp van, what kind of music will we be listening to?
I really enjoy Hungarian folk music, however, when I’m in the US I’m really forward to listening to famous American country music.

What would campers be surprised to learn about you? 
In my freetime I like to prepare tasty Hungarian meals such as Gulyas soup

What are you most looking forward to this summer?
My hope is to form a really good connection with the campers and I’m really looking forward to enjoying the slip and slide activity which will help me get to really know them.

Which house would the Sorting Hat place you in if you were a student at Hogwarts?
Gryffindor 🦁

How would your closest friends describe you?
My friends call me MAMA, because I prepare tasty takeaway dishes for all my friends.

Ask me about the time I... traveled to Australia this year and saw the kangaroos

If you were to invite three people (dead or alive, real or characters) to a dinner party, who would you invite?
Gordon Ramsay, Mickey Mouse and Selena Gomez

You have a unexpected day off at home; how do you spend your day? What would your perfect day look like?
I have a dachsund (hotdog) whose name is Willie and we love walking around, relaxing in the park and enjoying a tasty cappucino. At the end of the day and in the evening I would prepare a good meal for my friends.

Meet the Counselors: Filip Durbas

Summer is just around the corner now! Next in our Meet the Counselors series is Filip. Filip is excited to jump in the deep end of camp and help coach the campers in swim class! He loves learning new skills and having new experiences and is ready to venture to the United States for the first time.

Tell us a little about where you are from, describing it for those who are likely never to have been there before. If you have out-of-town visitors, where do you take them?
I am from Wysoka, little village near Krakow. If I have some visitors I would take them to Wadowice. Wadowice is the town that is famous for being Pope Jan Pawel II’s hometown.

What do you do for work/studies?
I have my own swimming school in Wadowice. Before I started my bussines I finished Economic High School in Wadowice.

It's karaoke night, what song are you singing?
A few weeks ago I was with my girlfriend in the cinema and after the film she started singing “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield all day and now this song is stuck in my mind. So if it karaoke night i would sing this song.

What would campers be surprised to learn about you? 
All the kids will be laughing at me because I look like a 40 years man but I am only 21 😂

What are you most looking forward to this summer?
I’m looking forward to meeting new people at camp of course and also gaining experience in teaching children swimming. After camp ends I’m excited to visit NYC.

Which house would the Sorting Hat place you in if you were a student at Hogwarts?
Gryffindor 🦁

What is your favorite book you've ever read?
The Art of War by Sun Tzu.

Tell us a little about your family.
My mum Ania works in office and my dad Jasiek has his own building company. My sister Asia jas just graduated school.

How would your closest friends describe you?
Athletic, calm, funny, and charismatic

What is your proudest accomplishment?
Opening my own business

Welcome Back: Ellie Maloney

Let us introduce you to Ellie. Ellie first joined our camp family in 2015 as a camper and quickly nuzzled her way into our hearts. After spending four summers as a camper, Ellie returned to us as kitchen staff and helped keep her fellow kitchen helpers in line. Once she got to college she was ready for a new challenge and got trained in Orton-Gillingham by Susie. Because of her vast knowledge of camp and her own experiences with dyslexia, Ellie can resonate with our campers like no other tutor can.

What do you love most about working at camp?
I love the tight knit community that is always is willing to help when your need something

What made you want to become a tutor?
I had so many great tutors growing up attending Camp Spring Creek and I hope to have the same impact on other kids

What are some of your best memories from camp, as either a camper or staff?
As a camper, my favorite memories are all the amazing activities like going spelunking. As a tutor the best memories that I have are watching the kids slowly coming out of their shells and showing their personalities

What might campers be surprised to learn about you?
I am terrified of snails

What are you looking forward to the most this summer?
Seeing all the people that I don't get to see during the rest of the year

You were a camper for four summers, and have now been on our staff for four summers. How do you think your experiences as a camper influenced your time as a staff member?
I think it gave me the ability to let kids be by themselves, the first week of camp every year I wanted to be left alone and I think that helps me understand when kids are standoffish

What do you do during the school year?
I am currently getting my bachelor's degree in History at Mars Hill University and tutor on the side

What is your favorite book or series that you’ve read?
My favorite books are all of Jane Austein books, in order its Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park and then Northanger Abbey

How would your closest friends describe you?
“Big youngest child energy”

What is your proudest accomplishment?
I think my proudest accomplishment was being able to push through high school and doing well in college

What advice would you give a camper or staff member who is coming to camp for the first time?
Susie is not as scary as she seems.

Meet the Art Teacher: Charlotte McClaren

We’re delighted to introduce you all to Charlotte. Charlotte hails from Australia and heard about Camp Spring Creek through family friends. We’re excited to see the many creative projects that take place in the North Art barn this summer!

Tell us a little about where you are from! If you have out-of-town visitors, where do you take them?
I am from a town called Hurstbridge it’s a small town about an hour from the city of Melbourne, Australia. I am surrounded by many trees and beautiful bush walks it is definitely a place I would recommend.

Tell us a little about your family.
I have a beautiful family. A twin brother and older sister and brother and my beautiful dad who I still currently live with.

What do you do for work?
I have worked many jobs and haven’t studied since high school. At the moment I work for a small family business.

What are you most looking forward to this summer?
I am most looking forward to meeting all the campers and making new connections.

How would your closest friends describe you?
They would probably say that I am outgoing, very social, and someone who will always support them through anything.

What can campers do to win your heart?
Campers can win my heart by being themselves and most of all having fun!

What’s something you’d like to teach the campers?
I would like to teach the campers that they should always be themselves.

Which house would the Sorting Hat place you in if you were a student at Hogwarts?
Hufflepuff! 🦡

What is your proudest accomplishment?
My proudest accomplishment would be traveling to camp in America.

Ask me about the time I... jumped off a cliff into a rock pool.

What is your favorite book you've ever read?
My favorite book would be Andy Griffiths’s books; he is actually a Melbourne author!!

What made you want to come work at camp this summer?
I always wanted to work at Camp Spring Creek as it’s something different and I can meet new people and most of all have fun!

Meet the Tutors: Becky Chambers

Becky is new to our Camp Spring Creek family this year, but brings years of experience not only as a tutor, but also as the parent of a dyslexic child. She’s live all over the place and will surely share a plethora of stories from her time hopping between the east and west coasts.

Tell us about where you’re from! 
I grew up in Northern California where it is flat and hot, then I joined the Coast Guard, married another Coastie, and bounced between the coasts for 25 years.  My kids say they are from Alaska!  We lived in Sitka, Juneau, Connecticut, Ketchikan, Kodiak, and Seattle before settling in Northern Virginia a few years ago.

How did you become interested in tutoring and Orton-Gillingham?
My youngest son is dyslexic!  When I saw how much OG helped him learn and grow, I wanted to get trained and be part of the team for other kids. I also love that it's an area where I can keep learning- there is always something new to discover about our language.

What might campers be surprised to learn about you?
I live in a rural area and we have goats, chickens, and rabbits.

What made you want to spend your summer at Camp Spring Creek?
I went to training at Camp Spring Creek in March, and it was amazing to spend a week learning with people who are so passionate about this work.  The property is gorgeous and it looks like everyone has so much fun.  I'm really excited to grow my skills, get to know new people, and help kids have an awesome summer. 

What are you looking forward to the most this summer? 
I am looking forward to becoming part of the community at camp.  It will be my first time at summer camp, ever!

What do you do during the school year?
I am a private literacy tutor.  

What are some of your most memorable moments as a teacher?
I love it when a kid makes a crazy connection between two ideas that I never would have thought about.  I learn from my students every day.

What is your favorite book or series that you’ve read?
My favorite book is The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, and my favorite series is Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan. 

How would your closest friends describe you?
I asked a few friends and they said calm, helpful, smart, kind, patient, fun and hardworking. 

What is your proudest accomplishment?
Raising my three kids to be good humans!

How do you like to spend your free time?
I love spending time with all of our animals, getting outdoors, reading,  knitting socks, and quilting.  I also play flute in my local community band. 

Ask me about the time I was captain of a ship in Alaska!

Meet the Counselors: Weronika Filek

Weronika is joining us this summer all the way from Poland. When she’s not busy studying in hopes of becoming a pediatric surgeon she loves to spend time in nature or being creative. She is deeply empathetic and is looking forward to drawing from her own experiences at summer camp as a child to help support our campers this summer.

Tell us a little about where you are from, describing it for those who are likely never to have been there before. If you have out-of-town visitors, where do you take them?
I come from Poland from the small town of Wadowice. Every day you can meet a tourist here because Jan Paweł II was born in this city.

It's karaoke night, what song are you singing?
I think I would sing "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield for karaoke.

What would campers be surprised to learn about you? 
Hmmm maybe that I have red hair underwater 😂

What are your hopes for this summer? What are you most looking forward to this summer?
Most of all, I'm looking forward to working with people from other countries. I can't wait to meet you all because I love meeting new people

How would your closest friends describe you?
They would describe me as funny, responsible, and self-sufficient but that I sometimes think too much.

What can campers do to win your heart?
Highlight your intelligence and show your value!

What’s something you’d like to teach the campers?
I would like to teach children to work in a group of general cooperation. I would like to talk to children about values in life that are important but also drawing because I'm good at it.

What is the most courageous or adventurous thing you’ve done?
It seems to me that the most courageous thing I have done is traveling to the other end of the world and more specifically to North Carolina to work at Camp Spring Creek

If you were to invite three people (dead or alive, real or characters) to a dinner party, who would you invite
Jack Sparrow, Angelina Jolie and David Goggins

What is your favorite book you've ever read?
Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins

Tell us a little about your family.
My close family consists of my mother who is a teacher, my older brother Kacper who is currently working in another country, and my younger brother Nikodem who is studying drumming at a music school. I don't have my dad because he died when I was one year old but I can also add my Aunt Ela because she is also very close to me, she works as a teacher at school.

What made you want to come work at camp this summer?
Firstly, I want to work in another country that speaks English because I want to master it to perfection. Secondly, America has been my dream for as long as I can remember. Thirdly, I like children and camps, because I attended camps quite often as a child.

Welcome Back: Zuza Glica

When we first spoke to Zuza in 2020, we knew she was a perfect fit for camp, but we could have never imagined the lasting impact she would make on our camp family. Zuza perfectly embodies the Camp Spring Creek spirit and has an infectious love for life. Anyone who has had the joy of getting to know Zuza loves her, and we’re so glad she’s continuing her journey at Camp Spring Creek this summer as a tutor!

Tell us where you’re from. If you have a first-time visitor, what would you make sure they experience in your city?
I'm from a lovely city called Milanówek, located in central Poland. Great things about this place are nature and old villas, so the first thing that comes to my mind is a long walk or a bike ride along green streets.

What do you love most about working at camp?
That no matter how prepared you are, there is always something unexpected coming :)

What made you want to return to Camp Spring Creek for a third summer?
People make camp such a wonderful place, that you feel at home and you want to come back as soon as you leave.

What do you do during the school year?
Currently, I work as a pricing analyst in a transport company.

What advice would you give a camper or staff member who is coming to camp for the first time?
You can eat bacon with your hands! And remember you have to eat at least one salad to get a dessert!

What is your favorite book or series that you’ve read?
It's Na fali i pod prąd, unfortunately, I couldn't find an English version. It's an autobiography written by Aleksander Doba, who as the first person in the world that kayaked the Atlantic twice.

What are some of your best memories from camp?
Caving in Tennessee, all trips to Lake James, Virginia Creeper Trail biking, all the smiles and hugs in the morning, every reading hour, pool games with kids, and so much more.

What are you looking forward to the most this summer?
I can't wait to see all the familiar faces and all the new ones :)

How did you become interested in tutoring and Orton-Gillingham?
I stumbled upon the OG method for the first time at camp. What made the biggest impression on me was the improvement that kids had made while working hard with tutors for six weeks. That made me feel like I wanted to be a part of it.

What might campers be surprised to learn about you?
I don't like milk chocolate:)

You worked as a counselor for your first summer, then came back as our typing teacher, and are now transitioning into a tutoring role. How do you anticipate your experience as a tutor will differ from being a counselor?
Being a tutor is way different from being a counselor. The biggest challenge and the most interesting thing will be working with each kid separately and preparing lessons every day.

What is your proudest accomplishment?
I flew to the US alone for the first time in my life, and I didn't lose anything!

Ask me about the time when... my duvet had been stolen.

Meet the Counselors: Iu Teixidor

We are thrilled to introduce Iu to our Camp Spring Creek family. Iu lives in Spain, a country we haven’t had represented at Camp Spring Creek in nearly 15 years! Iu is eager to get involved in everything at Camp and share more about himself and Catalan culture.

Tell us a little about where you are from, describing it for those who are likely never to have been there before. If you have out-of-town visitors, where do you take them?
I'm from Catalonia in Spain, which is the northeast part of Spain near France. Here we have a culture of very good food, particularly paella, and enjoy the beautiful coast we have. Also, we have Salvador Dalí, an amazing artist, and here we have the museum. Girona is the biggest city we near have, is a charming city with a medieval old town and cobblestone streets. Girona's cathedral stands out for its Gothic architecture. In addition, the city is known for its gastronomy and lively festivals. Every corner has something special to discover.

What do you do for work/studies?
I was working as a lifeguard in a water park and as a waiter. I love to communicate with clients and talk about their lives and where they come from. I studied Animation physical-sportive and Animation sociocultural and touristic.

What would campers be surprised to learn about you? 
That I can touch my nose with my tongue!

What are your hopes for this summer? What are you most looking forward to this summer?
I hope the summer will be great, that I will enjoy it like a child, and that I will learn many things about the campers and the staff. I hope to make relationships that can last for years and create bonds that cannot be destroyed.

How would your closest friends describe you?
I just asked my friends, and among all their words they describe me as a loyal, humble, kind-hearted person, always trying to take care of others, when I have to ask for forgiveness I ask for it, even if it takes me some time of relaxation to understand that I was not right.

What can campers do to win your heart?
In the end, we have a relationship of great trust. If one day they are sad they let me know, and on the days they want to sing and dance, they tell me too; a lot of transparency.

Ask me about the time I... I took a flight alone to Portugal! It was my first time alone in another country.

What is your favorite book you've ever read?
If it were possible to choose a manga, One Piece by Eiichiro Oda. There is a lot of background in just a few drawings. My favorite novel would probably be Holes by Louis Sachar, but I read it in Spanish in high school.

Which house would the Sorting Hat place you in if you were a student at Hogwarts?
Gryffindor

Welcome Back: Rose Conchar

Great news! Rose is returning for her second summer at Camp Spring Creek. During the school year, Rose works for our One-By-One initiative and goes into the local school system to support children with dyslexia.

Tell us where you’re from!
I was born and raised in New Jersey, but I’ve been living in Little Switzerland, NC for just over a year.

How did you become interested in tutoring and Orton-Gillingham?
I was tutored in Wilson, which is different than OG but follows similar principles that really helped improve my reading and writing as a child. I’m honored to now be able to do the same for kids at camp and in the local schools.

What do you love most about working at camp?
Getting to see all the kids shine; their growth in confidence in reading and writing is amazing. It’s great to witness everyone making lifelong friends and bonding over struggles that will someday become their superpower.

What are some of your best memories from camp?
The Virginia Creeper biking and ice cream stop is one of my favorite memories. On the night we went camping before the Virginia Creeper Trail I enjoyed watching all the kids play together in the field like a little family after getting to know each other for the past six weeks. It was beautiful how their friendships and bonds had grown and their personalities had fully come out.

What might campers be surprised to learn about you?
I’m also dyslexic and ADHD. I was in special educational classes all the way through my senior year.

What made you want to return to Camp Spring Creek for a second summer?
I really enjoy what I do and love the family that camp becomes.

What are you looking forward to the most this summer?
I’m looking forward to seeing returning campers, tutors, and counselors from last year and meeting all the new faces as well.

How do you think your experience with dyslexia impacts your teaching style?
I have a lot of empathy for the kids. I know the struggle a lot of them face since I have been in their shoes.

What is your favorite book or series that you’ve read?
Holes by Louis Sachar, only because it was one of the first books I was able to read completely on my own. Reading was difficult for me as a child.

How would your closest friends describe you?
Selfless, resilient, strong, intelligent, loving, compassionate

What is your proudest accomplishment?
My proudest accomplishment was becoming an OG tutor. School was incredibly hard for me. Being able to assist kids in a similar way that I was assisted in making school easier is something I couldn’t have imagined.

Ask me about the time I… traveled from Scotland, Ireland, and Alaska in a span of a month.

What advice would you give a camper or staff member who is coming to camp for the first time?
Be kind and be yourself. My first summer here as a tutor turned out to be one of the best summers of my life.

Welcome Back: Anthony Chavez

For anyone who attended camp in 2022, Anthony will be a familiar face! This summer, Anthony is putting his art apron away and chanelling his creativity into tutoring. We’re thrilled that so many of our past staff are returning - many of them taking on new roles and getting to experience camp from different perspectives. We loved how involved Anthony got in the full summer camp experience and can only expect that he’ll still find the time to join our capture the flag games after his tutoring sessions.

Tell us where you’re from!
I grew up in Hendersonville, North Carolina. My dad is from Chihuahua, Mexico, and my mom grew up in Waynesville.

How did you become interested in tutoring and Orton-Gillingham?
I work for Asheville City Schools and first heard about the methodology from some of the tutors who came to our school. My wife became friends with a tutor who started working at Camp Spring Creek, and she is the one who introduced me to the camp. 

What do you do during the school year?
I am a behavior specialist for Asheville City Schools. I work with students who have various disabilities and challenges to ensure that they are successful in the classroom. 

What do you love most about working at camp?
Everything!!! The kids and staff are amazing, the location is beautiful, there is always something to do, and it's a great atmosphere.

What are some of your best memories from your first summer at camp? 
The evening games that I volunteered to play, and getting to interact with the kids from different parts of the world. 

What might campers be surprised to learn about you?
I was in the Air Force for 12 years as an aircraft mechanic. I was deployed and traveled a lot while I was in.

What made you want to return to Camp Spring Creek for a second summer?
The atmosphere is just relaxing, and it offers a disconnect from the outside world.

What are you looking forward to the most this summer? 
Meeting the kids and watching them grow as readers.

You worked as our art teacher for your first summer and are now transitioning into a tutoring role. How do you anticipate your experience as a tutor will differ from being the art teacher? 
Being a tutor is going to be more focused. Instead of having a class of 10 students, I am going to be one-on-one with a student. Each lesson is going to be tailored to that student and their growth. As the art teacher, I had group lessons and then gave the students the freedom to work on a project that they were passionate about.

What is your favorite book or series that you’ve read?
I have always been a fan of the older Star Wars books. I read them when I was a kid and still read them as an adult.

How would your closest friends describe you?
Outgoing and humorous, I always try to find a way to make people smile.

What is your proudest accomplishment?
Enlisting in the Air Force and working with challenging students.

Ask me about the time I… anything, I literally have a story for everything and will be glad to share it with anyone.

What advice would you give a camper or staff member who is coming to camp for the first time?
It's a fun place to work and attend. I am so surprised that they are paying me to be there to talk, teach, and have fun with kids. Best job I ever had.

Welcome Back: Naomi Fitzpatrick

We are pleased to welcome Naomi back to camp for her second summer. Naomi brought a warm, big-sister energy to camp last summer and we know so many of our returning campers will be comforted with Naomi back in the cabins.

Tell us a little about where you are from, describing it for those who are likely never to have been there before. If you have out-of-town visitors, where do you take them?
I’m from a little village, fore in County Westmeath, Ireland. It has a beautiful lake and monastery dating back to the 7th century. Thousands of people visit every year. When the weather is nice, everyone goes for a walk and gets an ice cream in the coffee shop.

What do you do for work?
I am an Irish and Geography teacher.

What would campers be surprised to learn about you? 
I can play a song on the piano just by listening to it

How would your closest friends describe you?
Funny, musical, adventurous

What’s something you’d like to teach the campers?
An Irish dance

What is your proudest accomplishment?
My proudest accomplishment is becoming a teacher at 23.

Ask me about the time I... held a baby alligator last summer when I was traveling!

What is your favorite book you've ever read?
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

Tell us a little about your family.
I have two older sisters, Yesim and Alisha. Yesim is currently living in Australia and Alisha works as a Veterinary nurse here in Ireland. They were always big role models to me growing up. My mam is very funny and hardworking. She runs our farm. She is a true inspiration!

What made you want to come work at camp this summer?
I made so many new friendships last year with both campers and counselors and made so many amazing memories, I just have to go back to do it all over again!

What were some of the highlights from your first summer at Camp Spring Creek?

Meeting all the counselors; by the end of camp, everyone is like family.

What advice would you give to campers coming to camp for their first summer?

It can be scary going on your own, but there are others feeling the exact same way you are, after a couple of days, it will feel like you’re at home with all these new people.

What do you most look forward to for your second summer?

Getting to know the kids was very special. At first, they are only a name, but by the second week, you’ve built such a special connection with them and they look up to you. The memories that I made last year are unforgettable and are something I’ll always carry with me. As soon as I got home last summer, I missed it and knew I wanted to go back.

Meet the Woodshop Teacher: Wyatt Servers

We’re thrilled to welcome a new face to our Woodshop this summer. Wyatt has years of experience teaching woodworking to children and is sure to bring new creativity to camp. He also has something in common with our campers: he’s dyslexic too!

Tell us where you’re from!
I am from Murray, Kentucky.

What do you do during the school year?
I run my own wood shop where I build furniture and sculpture.

What made you want to teach woodshop at Camp Spring Creek?
I have been teaching youth woodworking classes for over ten years and really enjoy it. I am excited to work with students at Camp Spring Creek, especially since I am dyslexic.

What are you looking forward to the most this summer?
I am looking forward to getting to know the students and staff and create projects together.

How do you think your experience with dyslexia influences your craft?
Being dyslexic has given me a unique perspective and made me a creative problem solver, which is important in creating wood artwork.

What might campers be surprised to learn about you?
I grew up racing BMX and cross-country mountain bikes.

What is your favorite book or series that you’ve read?
My favorite book is Children of the Universe: The Tale of Our Existence by Hoimar von Ditfurth.

How would your closest friends describe you?
Kind, giving, funny and creative.

What is your proudest accomplishment?
Finding a way to create and support a business for myself that allows me to have a job where I can use my creativity and hand skills to teach others and make a living.

How do you like to spend your free time?
Playing with my dog and cat, spending quality time with my friends and family, riding my bike and being in nature.

Ask me about the time I… took my first craft school workshop.

What advice would you give a camper or staff member who is coming to camp for the first time?
Be confident in yourself and know that you’re in a community of like-minded people that are all wanting to work together to be our very best.

Meet the Counselors: Ella Gray

We’re always excited to have Aussies at camp, but we’re especially excited to have Ella at camp this summer. Ella’s parents met co-founders Susie and Steve when they worked together at Camp Dunnabeck and became fast friends. Now we have the second generation at Camp Spring Creek, strengthening the bonds of our camp family.

Tell us a little about your family.
I have one older sibling my brother Jack who is my hero. I’m also lucky enough to have my parents Mandy and Jeff. We also have a brown kelpie called Dusty. We are very close.

What made you want to come work at camp this summer?
My mum and dad met at a summer camp around 35 years ago.

What’s something you’d like to teach the campers?
I’d love to share some Aussie campfire songs.

What is your proudest accomplishment?
I would have to say that I’m proud of working a snow season at Mount Hotham in Australia.

What are your hopes for this summer? What are you most looking forward to this summer?
Making longtime friends and memories

How would your closest friends describe you?
My friends would describe me as caring, outgoing, and supportive.

What can campers do to win your heart?
The quickest way to my heart is to just kick a footy with me.

What do you do for work/studies?
I work at Sixt, a car rental company.

What is your favorite book you've ever read?
The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris.

You have an unexpected day off at home; how do you spend your day?
I’d start my day with an Iced coffee then take my dog Dusty for a walk along the river and have a swim.

Welcome Back: Kyle Henry

Kyle is a popular face at Camp Spring Creek (he even started a mullet trend at camp last summer) and we are delighted to welcome him back for his third summer. This year, Kyle is trading his counselor hat for a tutor hat and he’s ready to experience camp from a tutor’s perspective. Although he’s switching roles, I’m sure he’ll still be very involved in all the fun happenings at camp.

Tell us where you’re from. If you have a first-time visitor, what would you make sure they experience in your city?
I'm from Melbourne, Australia, and while we may not be the best tourist destination there's still so much to explore and do. I would take a first-timer through Queen Victoria market, down to Fed Square, and along the Yarra River. I would advise to come during our winter though so I could take them to the MCG and experience live AFL.

How did you become interested in tutoring and Orton-Gillingham?
After spending two summers at camp it felt like the natural progression on my journey, and with already having classroom experience through my job at home it really felt like an easy decision to make. Watching the kids grow during camp as well as reading their letters hung up around the dining room walls, I knew I wanted to be a part of their journey and help them grow and develop their skills.

What do you love most about working at camp?
The atmosphere. Camp creates a fun-loving, open-minded environment where everyone feels welcome and supported. 

What are some of your best memories from camp? 
Everyday? Having a camper scare me in the middle of the night, watching one of my swimming students win a treading water competition after doubting themselves, caving in Tennessee, Wilsons Creek! There are so many!

What might campers be surprised to learn about you?
Everyone always gets shocked and doesn’t believe me when I say I’m colorblind, so maybe that? Or that I can lick my elbow.

What made you want to return to Camp Spring Creek for a third summer?
It feels like a home away from home, and I truly am the best version of myself at camp. 

What are you looking forward to the most this summer? 
Challenging myself with the change of role and creating a bond with my students. 

What was your favorite book series as a child?
Once by Morris Gletzman. But my favorite book-to-movie franchise is probably Harry Potter for the nostalgia.

You worked as a counselor for two summers, and are now transitioning into a tutoring role. How do you anticipate your experience as a tutor will differ from being a counselor? 
I expect it to be more rewarding because I'll see the growth firsthand and be able to create a strong connection with my students to instill confidence and joy into them.

What do you do during the school year?
I currently work as an OSHC educator, so I play games, help with homework, and cook food for kids before they start school and when they've finished. 

Ask me about the time I… spent a month road-tripping around America hiking in different national parks. More specifically, let me brag about Yosemite within earshot of Anina.

Meet the Counselors: Jason Sturm

Next up in our Meet the Counselors series is Jason. Jason is leaving the coast of North Carolina for the mountains this summer. He’s a jack-of-all-trades who is always looking to explore new hobbies and interests. We’re looking forward to having Jason as a part of our team.

Tell us a little about where you are from, describing it for those who may have never been there before.
I have lived in Wilmington, North Carolina for two years now. It is right on the coast so it’s very flat with lots of beaches in the area.

What do you do for work/studies?
I am studying environmental science at UNCW and I am currently doing some work on analyzing the stomach contents of deceased dolphins looking for microplastics

Tell us a little about your family.
My mom works at Milliken she is kind and likes to travel she has taken us all over the U.S. on different trips. My father is retired he is very handy and likes to do things around the house he recently helped me restore a chair in our house. My pets are all very lazy, I have two cats and a dog, their days are spend laying around and sunning themselves for the most part.

When it’s your turn to control the tunes in the camp van, what kind of music will we be listening to?
I am a big classic rock fan but I like all kinds of music. I am a horrible singer though.

What would campers be surprised to learn about you?
I am an Eagle Scout and helped train service animals!

What can campers do to win your heart?
Talk about your hobbies or what interests you. I love to learn about things people do to see if we share hobbies or if I can be introduced to something new; in that case I’ll have lots of questions!

Ask me about the time I... went canoeing with alligators!

If you were to invite three people (dead or alive, real or characters) to a dinner party, who would you invite?
Henry Cavil, Peter Parker, and Steve Irwin

What made you want to come work at camp this summer?
I heard about it through my mom and I did some reading and it sounded like an awesome experience for campers and counselors alike so I decided to apply! I have worked camps before and have loved working with campers in the past and this just sounded like an awesome experience!

What are you most looking forward to this summer?
I am looking forward to meeting campers and leading them in fun activities!

Welcome Back: Conor Lennon

Conor has been a beloved part of our camp family for nine years now and has become an integral part of our team. Starting as a 22-year-old counselor, Conor fell in love with Camp Spring Creek and returned for a second summer in 2016. After a few years of traveling the world, Conor came back to camp in 2022 as a tutor. His experience as a counselor is invaluable and now he leads the counselor team and continues to tutor. While originally from Ireland, Conor is now a citizen of the world and currently resides in Spain.

How did you become interested in tutoring and Orton-Gillingham?
Well, I was obviously aware of it from my time as a counselor, but working at a kindergarten in South Korea I started seeing the issues some students had, it made me want to be better able to serve the kids in my class. Then it all just kind of spiralled from there.

What do you love most about working at camp?
That's easy. The people. Somehow the camp manages to attract great people from all over the world. Even if we get on each other's nerves at times, I'm still in contact with many of the adults and campers I met during my first summer in 2015, almost ten years ago.

What are some of your best memories from camp? 
Honestly, it's a lot of the small stuff. The games and the trips are great of course, but seeing the kids (and some of the adults) mature and develop over weeks and years is really rewarding. Sometimes it's academically but just as often it's personally or socially. Those are the kinds of things I feel like you don't get at other camps, at least not to the same degree.

What might campers be surprised to learn about you?
I've lived in 12 countries. (And no, it is not because I'm on the run)

What are you looking forward to the most this summer? 
I'm always looking for ways to improve and build on previous iterations of things. I'm looking forward to having so many former counselors returning, and how we can use those skills and experiences.

You worked as a counselor for two summers, and have now been tutoring for two summers. How different is your experience as a tutor vs a counselor? 
I was worried being a tutor would mean I wouldn't get to know all the campers in the same way you do as a counselor, but having that 1-1 time everyday with the kids I've tutored has allowed a unique relationship with each of them. You probably have more fun, overall, as a counselor, but I think you make more of a difference as a tutor.

What do you do during the school year?
I live in Spain, I teach English language classes online, so I have students from, literally, all over the world. I'm having fun attempting to retro-fit the skills I'm learning tutoring at camp into language teaching.

Ask me about the time I… came within an hour of making the front page of a national newspaper.

You’ve been teaching English for many years now all over the world. Where has been your favorite place that you’ve lived?
I keep coming back to NC, so read into that what you will. I think Vietnam will always be my favorite, since it was my first 'long term' home outside Ireland, also my first teaching experience, and the culture was so different to anything else I'd experienced up to that point.

What advice would you give a camper or staff member who is coming to camp for the first time?
There's a reason the people who really get involved at camp seem to be the ones having the most fun. You get out of it what you put into it. We're all stuck on the side of a mountain together for 6 weeks, so you might as well sing the songs and play the games. You'll enjoy the summer more if you do.

Meet the Counselors: Ellen Farndon

Please join us in welcoming Ellen to our Camp Spring Creek family. Ellen is joining us from Ireland and loves all things water! Her experience as a rower will make her a supportive team player.

Tell us a little about where you are from, describing it for those who are likely never to have been there before. If you have out-of-town visitors, where do you take them?
I’m from a county an Ireland called Kerry; it’s a county that lives and breathes football (Gaelic). I live in Killarney a very popular tourist destination. Killarney is a town surrounded by lakes, rivers and mountains. My favourite part about where I’m from is the variety of beaches that you can choose from.

What do you do for work/studies?
I’m a second year student in college, studying social care.

What would campers be surprised to learn about you?
That I lived in Spain for 7 years.

What are your hopes for this summer? What are you most looking forward to this summer?
My hopes for this summer is to have a lot of fun and to get to meet knew people from around the world.

How would your closest friends describe you?
My closest friends would describe me as a quiet person to strangers but a firecracker around friends.

What is your proudest accomplishment?
My proudest accomplishment would be being my cousins sponsor for her confirmation

What can campers do to win your heart?
To have a lot of fun while they are camp and to not call football, Gaelic football!!

Welcome Back: Karen García

We are thrilled to have Karen’s energetic, kind, and warm personality back at camp! This summer she’ll be our typing teacher and is on a mission to make typing everyone’s favorite class.

Tell us a little about where you are from, describing it for those who are likely never to have been there before. If you have out-of-town visitors, where do you take them?
I’m from Colombia, more precisely Bogotá. It's a wonderful country with many festivals and good food. We also have beautiful mountains and animals. In my country, there is always something to do. If you were to visit my country I would love to show you Monserrate a cathedral on a big mountain overlooking Bogotá. I’d go downtown to see all the colonial houses and visit Usaquen a fantastic neighborhood in my city.

What do you do for work/studies?
I'm studying psychology at the University of Rosario. I love the career that I'm studying, it is extremely interesting.

What would campers be surprised to learn about you? 
That I'm the new typing teacher! Also in the time between last summer and this summer, I went to study in France (so I also know French).

What are your hopes for this summer? What are you most looking forward to this summer?
I look forward to making the typing class something super fun (with some music and different activities). I also can’t wait to go to Lake James, to win in capture the flag, and go to all the pool parties.

How would your closest friends describe you?
They’d say I’m creative, dedicated, happy, and always have music stuck in my head.

What can campers do to win your heart?
Just be themselves, always be respectful to others, and be open to adventures.

What’s something you’d like to teach the campers?
I can’t wait to teach the campers how to type and how to use technology in a good way.

What is your proudest accomplishment?
For years I dreamt of studying in France and I'm proud to be here now without needing a translator.

Ask me about the time I... almost got expelled from Disney World in Florida.

Tell us a little about your family.
I'm the youngest one of three, we are a very close family. We love to travel and have special moments together. My parents are crazy in love with each other and my grandma is the most spoiled in the family.

What advice would you give to campers coming to camp for their first summer?
Just be yourself, be open to meeting new people, and try new food (it's usually better than you think). Don't be afraid to ask questions or ask for a hug and just enjoy the experience.

What made you want to come work at camp again this summer?
After a fantastic summer, I just couldn't resist the idea of coming back. I can’t wait to be with all the campers again and be part of an amazing group of people. Camp is a happy place of mine in the middle of the woods.

Karen in Paris

Bogotá, Colombia

Karen on the CSC Slip-n-Slide