Jonathon
University of Arizona
Major: Psychology
Counselor in 2011, Challenge Staff

Being a camp counselor at Friendly Pines Camp was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Having the opportunity to work closely with kids was more of a rewarding experience than I could ever have expected. Not only did camp provide a summer jam-packed with fun, but also the priceless gift of personal growth paired with a broadened perspective. It is safe to say that there is hardly a single dull moment at camp; from daily activities to special days, dances to overnights, and counsel fire to the quiet place, there is always something interesting going on at FPC. The administrative staff and co-counselors really help to make sure that you and everyone else feels at home. Additionally, Friendly Pines Camp is a great place to meet people from all over the world and left me with many new and invaluable relationships. I highly recommend working as a counselor at Friendly Pines Camp if given the opportunity.

I have been a counselor for two summers at Friendly Pines Camp and those two summers have been the greatest summers of my life. I didn’t think I could top my first summer at camp, but the second summer brought new friends and new challenges that made it special in its own way. Being part of a staff that created an unforgettable summer for kids is the greatest feeling in the world.

Art

I was looking for a job to keep me busy throughout the summer. I came across Friendly Pines Camp and was impressed. I have always wanted to be in a role that would allow me to work with youth. I’d never been at camp before so I was unsure what to expect. I just finished my first year as a counselor and I couldn’t have been more happy that I took this job. I made a lot of friends within the staff. It makes you feel that you are not alone despite any rough times that you may come across. The kids also make a difference in your lives. You will not only teach them life lessons, but they will also teach you life lessons. There will be tough times throughout the job, but the good times will never fade.

I was a Girl Scout from first to fifth grade, and attended Girl Scout camps at a young age. As a camper, I got homesick, but I had such great counselors who helped me and showed me how to have a good time. When I grew up, entered high school and got into college, I wanted to do that.  I want to be a camp counselor.  I wanted to help kids through those difficult times just as my counselors did for me. I had a friend who worked at Friendly Pines Camp the previous summer, and she told me about the camp. I was happy, that I finally had the opportunity to fulfill this dream of mine.

Three key things that lead to having an enriched life and memorable experiences: friends, joy, and effort.  Spending this past summer at FPC has taught me many lessons about life and brought me unforgettable memories.   As a first timer this year, I had no expectations for the summer and was honestly wondering how I was going to make it living on a two-inch  thick mattress for ten weeks.  Pre-Camp and Camp Not-A-Wheeze helped me get acclimated to camp life. When AZDA rolled around all of us counselors had a solid confidence.  Not only had we developed confidence in ourselves, but we had a strong confidence in one another.  No matter the session, day of the week, or color of the sky, every day brought a new challenge to all of us. We as counselors had each other to make it through.   Because we were not co-workers, but friends, our staff joyfully depended on one another. Looking to another counselor for that little extra strength to smile or laugh was second nature to us. The effort required to be a great counselor for these kids is immeasurable.  However, the effort to make it through the day decreased as the strength of our comradery increased.   Being in such a down to earth environment was a dream come true.   I’m sure we could all say some of our favorite memories were with each other, but the group of kids we had this summer touched our lives in more ways than one. At the end of the day, the friendships we made, joy we shared and level of effort we strived for made Friendly Pines 2011 a valuable experience to never be forgotten.

Where do I begin? Becoming a camp counselor was one of the most spontaneous things that I have ever done. I heard about this opportunity 6 days before pre-camp started.  I went in not knowing what to expect. This past summer was life changing. I met some of the most amazing people ever. Camp friends really are the best friends.  The friendships and life experience that I gained from only 11 short weeks at Friendly Pines Camp made this one of the most magical summers of my life.  It was filled with joy, exhaustion, laughter and most importantly GLITTER! Now sitting at home going back to every day life I can only count down days until I can return.