From Day Camp Participant to Classroom Leader
Erika Peterson is a former summer staff for Day Camp, Summer Plus, and Kaleidoscope from 2001 - 2004 and 2008 - 2009. She has been a Mountain T.O.P Board member since 2020 and is an instructional Coach and Assistant Principal in the Grundy County School system.
Summer time is the time of the year that educators and children love. A break from all the hard work they have been putting in all year. But for some children, it’s not their favorite time, because they won’t be seeing their friends, they aren’t involved in sports or activities, and they are not sure what their day will be like. Schools provide structure, routines, social outlets, and meals, which give children safety and security. Summer camps are another opportunity for children to have those similar structures of school with more of a fun social outlet.
Mountain T.O.P. has been serving the Grundy County community and surrounding counties for 50 years. Their service has impacted many families in our area meeting physical, social, and emotional needs. However, the Day Camp and Summer Plus programs make a lasting impression that help shape the future one life at a time.
I have had many opportunities to see the impacts, through designing summer programs, volunteering to lead workshops with youth, and seeing those children in school. The program offers students an experience to try new activities, develop self-esteem, find their voice, make new friendships with people near and far, and all while in a safe and supportive community during the day. They also get to learn more about the community they live in, give back to that community through service, and discover themselves in the process. Summer camp programs provide opportunities for children to become more confident, develop team-building skills, build resiliency, and build stronger mental health with less screen time.
As an educator and school administrator, what sticks out to me from seeing children who have attended Mountain T.O.P.’s summer camps is their growth in confidence, willingness to try something new, improved social skills, improved communication with adults and peers, and becoming classroom leaders. Children who are often shy discover their voice and find what makes them special, important, and valued. I see this confidence as they walk the hallways, ask questions of adults in the building, and share about experiences they have had. These are all traits that help children as they navigate life, finding purpose and direction, as well as learning more about what they can truly become.
“Children who are often shy discover their voice and find what makes them special, important, and valued. I see this confidence as they walk the hallways, ask questions of adults in the building, and share about experiences they have had. ”
The best thing about Mountain T.O.P.’s summer program is that they are designed to meet the physical, social, and emotional needs of the children. The leaders reflect and adjust plans to meet those children where they are to help them grow, feel valued, and confident to try new experiences. Every child who comes is recognized as the unique and loving being that they are.
