Hey Camp George! I am pleased to share my first Camp George Blog as Barak Unit Head. This will be my 11th summer at camp and my first time back in a couple summers- but it’s felt like an eternity!

I first arrived at George as a young Lehavot camper from Rochester, New York. Like any first time camper, I was pretty nervous meeting my counselors and other campers. Fast-forward three and a half weeks and I knew I’d found my new summer home. Living far from the Camp George community during the school year was tough because of the close bonds that I made. Riding on the buses back to Toronto was bittersweet, but having completed a tremendously fun summer at camp, all I could think about was the next one. Over the years, I have learned so many valuable life skills and formed everlasting bonds. I cannot wait to help make lasting relationships for future campers this summer.

As a staff member, I began as a Kochavim counselor, and most recently, a counselor in Barak. I found being a Barak counselor special because the final summers as a camper are the most special and should be cherished. Despite being campers themselves, Barak camper are also role models to campers in younger units, a juxtaposition that is unique to Barak only. Some of my fondest memories I made at camp happened when I was in Barak. I am proud to call many of my former bunkmates from this time, friends, to this day.

Even though I call New York home, I am graduating Ohio University in May with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Spanish. I plan on focusing my studies in sports psychology or industrial/organization psychology in the future. My love for travel goes beyond Canada, as I recently studied abroad in Toledo, Spain. Traveling is a big passion of mine. I love immersing myself in different cultures and seeing what makes them truly distinct. This past summer (2018), I was a counselor at a Summer Treatment Program, Camp Boost, in Athens, Ohio, a three and a half week day camp for children who have developmental disorders. Even outside of Camp George, I just knew I enjoyed being a counselor.

I grew up with camp, and I just haven’t gotten enough of it quite yet! I am thrilled to be back as Rosh Edah of Barak. I am super excited to get back to Maple Lake. Camp George has given me plenty of lasting memories and I can’t wait to help make lasting memories for campers in 2019!