This past summer, senior Audrey McGill had the opportunity to lead a summer music camp for kids ages four to five at a Mom’s Village in Peabody, MA. A Mom’s Village is a “Mommy Clubhouse.” Their goal is to take care of the moms who take care of everyone else. Moms can drop off their kids in a safe space, while they enjoy a workout class of varying activities.
As a lead counselor, McGill’s main responsibilities included providing campers with activities related to the theme of the week, helping them “learn” the music and dance, and making sure everyone was having fun. “Each week, there were two to three songs that the kids learned based on the theme (e.g., Taylor Swift, Disney, Rock Star, etc.),” she explained. At the end of each week the kids got to put on a show for their parents, showing the culmination of songs learned.
McGill shared that one of her major triumphs was her ability to connect with the kids. She had experience working with kids previously, but of an older age range. “My biggest triumph was definitely being able to connect with the kids quite easily. I’d worked with kids before, but never this young. I was really nervous at first, but it ended up coming very naturally to me.”
In the end, McGill was able to gain a lot of leadership skills with accountability that she is now able to use in her roles on and off campus. She also said this opportunity helped her think creatively, which in turn helped her expand her view of the world, seeing certain opportunities in a new light.
