From my earliest camp days as a Sabra, I have thought about the day that I would be working full time for Emma Kaufmann Camp. On my first day in the office I was greeted with the Maccabi Color War entrance song (you know the one) blasting through the speaker surrounding me with a wave of enthusiasm. My desk was filled with a variety of EKC swag; mugs, cups, a vest, a zip up, a scarf, gloves – covering every inch of my brand new workspace. A poster was hung up behind me with candy and words of encouragement– I felt welcomed. I was ready to dive into the fun, eager to collaborate and brainstorm with my new colleagues, and could not wait to begin discussing the magic of Emma Kaufmann Camp.

During my college years, I strategically chose my major—Human Development and Family Studies at Penn State —with a vision to better understand child development and prepare me for a career with children of all ages. I have strived to be a sponge for the knowledge that would help me in my career as a camp professional and this led me to taking my schooling to the next level by pursuing a Master’s in Camp Leadership and Administration, furthering my specific studies and helping me reach the goal that I set for myself at a very young age.

After Penn State I took my love for summer camp to the ocean as a member of the Royal Caribbean Youth Staff team. As a youth staff, I led a medley of engaging activities, including gaga, ship-wide color wars, sports tournaments, and themed parties catered to kids of all ages – all games I already had experience leading thanks to camp. Whenever questioned about why I wanted to work on cruise ships my response always seemed to come back to one simple statement: “it’s like camp but on the ocean!” That feeling of creating close relationships, having the late night hang outs with other staff, and crafting an amazing experience for kids (even on their one week vacation) was exactly what I wanted to do and what reminded me so much of my journey at EKC.

After exploring the world, it was time to settle into a full time job and what better place to do that than the JCC in Pittsburgh where I grew up. I was welcomed with open arms as the Department Director of Children, Youth, and Families. This opportunity allowed me to apply the knowledge and skills honed during my camp days, create enriching programming and elevating the overall experience for everyone. I could write pages and pages about my experience with the day camps and my team at the JCC, but one thing that always comes to mind is that I am grateful for this experience. Grateful for the colleagues who I can trust, supervisors who guided me, and kids and families who I interacted with. They helped to strengthen my love for this work, think outside of the box, and grow in my capacity to have an impact.

In my role as the EKC Assistant Camp Director I will have the opportunity to reconnect with staff who were my campers over a decade ago, as well as campers who were Sabras in my final summer. Engaging with alumni who now have children at camp and families who I have formed relationships with in the community adds another layer of fulfillment in my role. It’s only sad that I have to wait another 170+ days until Camp starts!

Now, in the EKC office I am energized and ready to see the behind the scenes and help create the magic. The past week has been filled with team bonding, extending connections to EKC families and staff, and finding my footing as the new Assistant Camp Director. This upcoming summer is sure to be an unforgettable one and I am counting down the days, just as I did as a camper.

See you this summer!