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.

Meet the Counselors: Kayla Wheeler

We’re delighted to introduce you all to Kayla Wheeler. Kayla hails from Australia and will bring a can-do attitude and bubbly personality to camp. She has found her passion working with kids and we know our campers are going to love getting to know her 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 am from a rural town just outside of Geelong (Melbourne) Australia. There is not a lot in my little town other than a corner store which only sells essentials. When you go into town the best things to do are go to the beach or do an escape room!

Tell us a little about your family.
I have a mum and a stepdad who live up in Queensland, my dad and his partner live in Melbourne, and my brothers and sister-in-law live in Geelong with three fur babies.

What do you do for work/studies?
I work in the disability sector.

When it’s your turn to control the tunes in the camp van, what kind of music will we be listening to?
I am always singing very loud and very off-key in my car. The louder the better. Happy to listen to whatever is on the radio but my favorite singers are probably Florence and the Machine, Panic at the Disco, and Paramore.

What would campers be surprised to learn about you? 
I used to do Aerial hoop!

What are your hopes for this summer? What are you most looking forward to this summer?
I am so excited to work on Camp Spring Creek. I have been wanting to work at a camp in America for ages and I can’t wait to meet all the incredible people over there.

How would your closest friends describe you?
Enthusiastic, loud, loyal and excitable

What can campers do to win your heart?
Random acts of kindness. I have always loved the “paying it forward” principle which is when people do kind things just because.

What is your proudest accomplishment?
My proudest accomplishment working with the Because I’m a Girl program. I got to speak in parliament about young women’s rights across the globe.

Ask me about the time I... went up to Sydney in a moon boot to see Hamilton.

What is your favorite book you've ever read?
The Hunger Games

What’s something you’d like to teach the campers?
That no matter what you may struggle with there is always something you’re amazing at.

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

Welcome Back: Henry Dunning

We are thrilled to start introducing our 2024 staff! We have many familiar faces returning for another summer at Camp Spring Creek as well as new faces sure to bring lots of energy to camp. Join us in welcoming back Henry who is returning for his second summer as a counselor.

What were some of the highlights from your first summer at Camp Spring Creek?
My highlights from last summer were biking the Virginia Creeper Trail for the last weekend, any of the pool days, and the days where we went to Lake James.

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 place called Carlisle in the very north of England and on the edge of the Lake District. It is a fantastic place to go hiking around and have some incredible views. It can be a bit wet but in summer it's loads of fun to go swimming in all the lakes!

Tell us a little about your family.
I'm the eldest of four children; I have three younger sisters. I've grown up with two dogs and lived in around eight different houses. My family is very close and we enjoy sitting down over a big family meal.

What is your proudest accomplishment?
My proudest accomplishment would have to be coming to camp for the first time last summer! It was only my second time leaving home and I was away for three months. It completely changed me and has been the best decision I've ever made.

How would your closest friends describe you?
My closest friends would describe me as a kind person who always has time to have a chat and listen.

Ask me about the time I... went on a swamp tour around New Orleans!

If you were to invite three people (dead or alive, real or characters) to a dinner party, who would you invite?
I would invite my best friend Tyler, Percy Jackson (character from The Olympian books) and Chris Bumstead (a professional athlete).

What advice would you give to campers coming to camp for their first summer?
Have fun and be open to new experiences. Camp is a great place where you meet people from all over the world. They've got some pretty good stories to tell so ask them questions and always be kind.

What do you most look forward to for your second summer?
I'm most looking forward to seeing all the returning faces (campers and staff) and also meeting new people! I wanted to come back because it's 6 weeks of creating amazing memories on the other side of world

Meet the Counselors: Anton Liljelund

Last up in our Meet the Counselors series is Anton Liljelund. He is joining us from Finland, making him the first Finn at Camp Spring Creek. With a love for meaningful conversation and his calm and dedicated demeanor, Anton is sure to be a valued asset at camp 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 quite small Nordic country called Finland. I think some of the things worth doing here are to enjoy nature and the outdoors.

When it’s your turn to control the tunes in the camp van, what kind of music will we be listening to?
I tend to enjoy music written with a message in mind and that can be found in many different genres I don’t have a firm favorite.

What’s one thing campers would be surprised to learn about you? 
We have male conscription in Finland so I have served in the army for a year.

What can campers do to win your heart?
I enjoy lengthy discussions about a variety of subjects.

What should campers avoid doing around you?
Be respectful of others and I don’t think there is much you could do.

Ask me about the time I... went to Australia

If you were to invite three people to a dinner party, who would you invite?
Sokrates, Wittgenstein, Rousseau

What is your favorite book you've ever read?
The Wheel of Time series as a whole

Which Hogwarts House would the Sorting Hat place you in?
Ravenclaw 🦅

Meet the Counselors: Christine Ocran

To finish out our introduction of the girl’s counselors, we have Christine! Christine will be joining us from the UK and bringing a bright and bubbly personality to camp.

Tell us a little about where you are from! If you have out-of-town visitors, where do you take them?
I'm from London, UK. We use buses and trains to commute anywhere in the city. We are home to Buckingham Palace, where you will find the King’s Guards, dressed in red jackets and huge furry hats! I would take a visitor on a tour all over Central London! There is so much to see and soo many fun things to do, I couldn't just pick one.

When it’s your turn to control the tunes in the camp van, what kind of music will we be listening to?
Old Skool RnB or Afrobeats

What’s one thing campers would be surprised to learn about you? 
I play violin! (a little lol)

What can campers do to win your heart?
Being vocal and honest about any concerns they have.

What should campers avoid doing around you?
No bullying or disrespect is tolerated, please.

What’s something you’d like to teach the campers?
Anything that teaches them to be their most confident, unapologetic selves!

What is your proudest accomplishment?
I am able to do things on my own, without having to rely on others. If I'm hungry and no one is available to go out, I will definitely take myself out to that restaurant.

Ask me about the time I... went swimming in the sea on a school trip, got too overconfident, swam toward the deeper end and almost drowned.

Meet the Counselors: Clarrie Killkenny-Jones

Next up in our Meet the Counselors series is Clarrie from Australia. Clarrie’s connection to Camp Spring Creek started at Camp Dunnabeck where his mom worked as a counselor with our co-founder Steve. Having Clarrie at camp serves as proof that camp families stick together and we’re so excited to have the next generation at Camp Spring Creek.

Tell us a little about where you are from! If you have out-of-town visitors, where do you take them?
I’m from Melbourne Australia. During the week I’m in inner Melbourne and on weekends I’m in Mount Martha which is a small beach town with amazing beaches. If it was your first time at Mount Martha we would definitely have to go down to the beach and have a swim then jump off the nearby cliffs into the sea. Also if it’s your first time in Melbourne I would take visitors to the MCG Sports Stadium to watch a game of AFL (Australian rules football).

When it’s your turn to control the tunes in the camp van, what kind of music will we be listening to? OR: It's karaoke night, what song are you singing?
I’m in America!! I’d put on some Bruce Springsteen!

What’s one thing campers would be surprised to learn about you? 
I’m dyslexic!!

What can campers do to win your heart?
Always try your hardest - even if you don’t succeed (and if that doesn’t work bring me chocolate 😜).

What should campers avoid doing around you?
Putting other people down. Being negative.

What’s something you’d like to teach the campers?
Make the most of every day and be happy.

What is your proudest accomplishment?
My friendships and closeness with my family

Ask me about the time I... knocked myself out on a flying fox.

Which Hogwarts House would the Sorting Hat place you in?
Slytherin 🐍

Meet the Counselors: Rangi Harding

We have a great tradition of counselors from New Zealand here at Camp Spring Creek and they are always very popular! It’s been a few years since we’ve had a ‘kiwi’ at camp, so we’re excited that Rangi will be representing her country and sharing the Maori culture 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 am from New Zealand or Aotearoa. It is my homeland and has been all I know for 18 years! I love showing people all the natural beauty of Aotearoa. This includes natural hot springs and beautiful lakes and rivers. Pretty much Pandora.

When it’s your turn to control the tunes in the camp van, what kind of music will we be listening to? OR: It's karaoke night, what song are you singing?
I listen to every genre of music, to be honest. Pop music, R&B, as well as DNB, are a few genres I would play in the camp van so that no one falls asleep lol.

What’s one thing campers would be surprised to learn about you? 
I absolutely HATE pickles. I don't even like the smell.

What can campers do to win your heart?
Probably if they give me candy; instantly my favorite lol

What should campers avoid doing around you?
Probably don't eat pickles around me, not sure what else... just don't be naughty!!!

What’s something you’d like to teach the campers?
I would definitely love to teach the campers about my home and culture. These are two huge things that make me the person I am, and I can’t wait to share that.

What is your proudest accomplishment?
When I finally finished school, I am so proud of myself for not giving up!

Ask me about the time I... had to fly a plane for my 17th birthday.

If you were to invite three people (dead or alive, real or characters) to a dinner party, who would you invite?
Ruby Tui, Beyonce, and my Nana.

Which Hogwarts House did the Sorting Hat place you in?
Slytherin 🐍

Meet the Counselors: Rebecca Toohey

We’re delighted to introduce you all to Rebecca Toohey. Rebecca brings the luck of the Irish with her along with a fighting spirit. A self-proclaimed “Jack of all trades”, Rebecca will certainly fit in at camp and will share her many interests and skills with all of our campers.

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 place called Lucan, which is a suburb in Dublin. It’s a very residential area with lots of schools and parks. If I had out of town visitors I would take them to Dublin City centre or go on a walk up the mountains or on the beach.

When it’s your turn to control the tunes in the camp van, what kind of music will we be listening to? OR: It's karaoke night, what song are you singing?
I like listening to all types of music from pop, country and musicals. My guilty pleasure is ABBA and whatever songs are popular on TikTok seem to be always stuck in my head.

What’s one thing campers would be surprised to learn about you? 
Campers would be surprised to know I have an identical twin sister, we’ve never spent anymore than a few days apart. So this will be a very new experience for me.

Dog or cat person?
I’m 100% a dog person. I have 5 dogs their names are Jake, Hollie, Olaf, Trudy and Charlie. As a family we have also fostered well over 50 dogs and given them new homes.

What can campers do to win your heart?
To win my heart campers just have to be themselves, have fun and not take themselves too seriously.

What is your proudest accomplishment
My proudest accomplishment is that I have represented Ireland in boxing. I did boxing for around 10 years where I got to travel to Sweden a couple times and got to represent both Dublin and Ireland.

Meet the Counselors: Peter Czene

We’re so excited that Peter Czene will be joining us this summer as a counselor! Adding to our list of firsts, Peter hails from Hungary, a country we have yet to have represented at Camp Spring Creek. Please join us in welcoming Peter!

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 Hungary from a village but I live in Budapest. So in Budapest, we have a lot of things to see that are unmissable. Budapest is really famous for its thermal baths that are very unique in Europe and I think all over the world as well. The city is also amazing because the Danube divides it into two parts Buda and Pest and both sizes have many stunning sights. In Buda, if you go up to the hill you can see the whole Pest with all of the sights (Buda one too). You can find many cool museums like serious or looser which are interactive interesting entertaining and so on (for example museum of illusions and so on) but also a bunch of nice outdoor places like squares parks and castles’ park).

When it’s your turn to control the tunes in the camp van, what kind of music will we be listening to? OR: It's karaoke night, what song are you singing?
Most of the time I prefer pop songs where the singers are singing so you can do it as well but you are also able to dance and do more things to these kinds of music.

What’s one thing campers would be surprised to learn about you? 
Probably my nationality cause it’s just a small country and the flag is also similar to the Italian one so most of the time people think I’m from Italy.

What can campers do to win your heart?
Trust, listen, and be kind.

What should campers avoid doing around you?
Fighting, being disrespectful, and being impatient.

Which Hogwarts House did the Sorting Hat place you in?
Slytherin 🐍

Ask me about the time I... moved to Gran Canaria to live there for half a year without knowing anybody.

Meet the Counselors: Karen Garcia

Please give a warm camp welcome to Karen Garcia! Karen is joining us from Columbia, making her both our first Columbian counselor and our first South American counselor! Her bubbly personality and childlike energy will be contagious at camp 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 Bogotá, Colombia. It is a magnificent country in South America, it is very rich in fauna, and flora and we have lots of festivals. We love to dance, we are very expressive and we speak Spanish. If you come to my city, I would love to take you to Monserrate, a mountain with a temple, a beautiful view of the city, and delicious aguapanela and almohabana for the cold. Then I would take you downtown to learn about the history and try ajiaco, a traditional soup.

When it’s your turn to control the tunes in the camp van, what kind of music will we be listening to?
Hmmm, I have so many songs that I love in English. But I'm going to say Adele, Bruno Mars, Milky Chance, The Lumieers, Imagine Dragons and maybe Carito by Carlos Vives which is a tropical song made by a Colombian but it has some parts in English and it's amazing.

Dog or cat person?
I’m definitely a dog person; cats’ personalities confuse me haha. Actually, I have two dogs: Polly and Ramón.

What can campers do to win your heart?
To win my heart they would: 1) help me when I make some mistake in English 2) tell me stories about their life.

What should campers avoid doing around you?
They should avoid lying and talking badly about others.

What’s something you’d like to teach the campers?
I'd love to share my Colombian culture, my knowledge of other languages, and some games we play here.

Ask me about the time I... got drenched at a concert

Meet the Counselors: Henry Dunning

Next up in our Meet the Counselors: Henry Dunning! Henry is joining us from Northern England. When he’s not on the hockey pitch, he might be found hiking local trails or exploring the world on solo adventures. He loves working with kids of all ages and we know our campers are going to love getting to know him this summer!

Tell us a little about where you are from. If you have out-of-town visitors, where do you take them?

Carlisle is a small city in the North of England, there's not a lot of culture but once a month there is a big market which sells lots of different foods to try. Usually I would take out of town visitors to the Cathedral or Bitts Park.

It's karaoke night, what song are you singing?

It has to be Mr. Brightside by The Killers

What can campers do to win your heart?

Be willing to try all sorts of new foods.

If you were to invite three people to a dinner party, who would you invite?

Conor McGregor, Israel Adesanya and Kvothe

What is your proudest accomplishment?

That would definitely have to be going to Italy by myself for my first holiday.

Which Hogwarts House did the Sorting Hat place you in?

Ravenclaw!