Over the summer, Erica had the opportunity to work at Camp Danbee, an all girls summer camp in Peru, Massachusetts. Erica absolutely loved her time at Danbee and made so many great connections with the kids. As a camp counselor, Erica lived in a bunk with two other counselors, whom she became great friends with, and twelve sixth grade girls. She and her co-counselors were responsible for taking care of the girls, which included hygiene, making sure they were on time, keeping them safe and happy. . .essentially, Erica discovered exactly what being a mom is like! There were many amazing moments where all the girls were getting along, laughing and smiling, and there were also moments when a girl was crying and needed comforting. Additionally, there were times when the kids made things incredibly easy for the adults, and times when they talked back like the counselors really were their parents. As a result of all of these moments, good and bad, Erica learned so much about children and how to really take care of and relate to them outside of a teaching setting and she loved every second of it. Erica's most treasured moments were the simple ones, when her and the kids chit-chatted outside at night before they had to go inside the bunk for bed, or when one of the girls needed her for comfort and support late at night because she was feeling homesick. Erica values these connections she made with the kids and feels there is no greater joy than positively impacting a child's life. After working at Camp Danbee as a counselor, Erica is feeling even more inspired to continue working with kids, always with the goal of making their lives happier than it was before.

     In addition to being a counselor in the bunks, Erica was also a dance teacher at camp. She had the opportunity to work with a wide range of kids, assisting and teaching multiple different levels (beginner-advanced) and ages of children (7-15 years old) all summer long. Although she adored her time in the bunks too, Erica realized just how natural and relaxing teaching felt to her. She knew, no matter what, it was likely going to be the least stressful part of her day, which only reaffirmed her passion for teaching even more. For each class, she created lesson plans each week that included a warm up, across the floor, and choreography for Dance Fest. Erica enjoyed teaching the kids and watching how much they improved throughout the summer. Erica learned a lot about patience, teamwork, and communication this summer while working at Camp Danbee. Erica is incredibly grateful to have had this experience, as it further broadened her childcare and teaching skills, as well as her passion and love for children!