Each summer, STEM Camp hires and trains hundreds of camp counsellors and staff all across Canada, who play a critical role in the STEM Camp experience for our campers. Counsellors come from many backgrounds, and are typically post-secondary students who themselves are studying in STEM or teaching fields; but they all share a love of working with children to deliver an awesome summer camp experience!
In addition to the learning and fun, counsellors always describe how special the relationships they develop with campers over their weeks (and often years) at STEM Camp are, along with the great relationships formed with their counsellor team members! Counsellors and site teams often join us year over year, forming amazing group dynamics and friendships themselves.
During summer camp, we joined the stellar team at our STEM Camp site in Chatham, Ontario, to hear a bit more about summer camp from their perspective! Read on to hear from some of our amazing counsellors, and get an insider’s look at STEM Camp.
Meet Quinn, Camp Coordinator at STEM Camp
Quinn has been on the STEM Camp team for the last 5 years. After graduating from the University of Toronto with an undergraduate degree in international relations, Quinn just completed his first year at Cambridge University in the UK. Quinn worked as a tutor and piano teacher, so knew he loved working with kids. Home for the summer from university, he’s once again bringing his positive energy and enthusiasm to STEM Camp! We chatted with Quinn, and here’s some of what he had to share.
It’s so amazing to have you back for so many years! Tell us more about why you’ve returned?
From my perspective, as a job, the team and I have just had a really great time each summer – we all work really well together, and the summers just fly by. We build amazing relationships with the campers as well; many come back year after year and it’s always great to see them again.
One of the reasons STEM Camp was founded was the significant gap between the need for STEM jobs in Canada and the numbers of students choosing those fields. Do you see campers excited about STEM, in a way they maybe weren’t before STEM Camp?
Absolutely! Take coding as an example. On Monday [the first day of camp], we sometimes greet families and see that the parents are super excited about the coding aspect, but the campers maybe not so much. I think that STEM Camp does a great job of how we present coding – especially with the micro:bits, Edisons and other robots. The integration of Minecraft is also amazing, because it initially piques their interest with something they might already be familiar with. I think the fact that they’re being exposed to these things outside of school makes it feel different to them – it doesn’t feel academic, but as something fun.
They go from being unsure or maybe even less than excited about coding, to the end of the week, when they’re super excited by it! We even have parents asking us where they can buy micro:bits because their kids are having so much fun with them!
The same is true of the other activities as well, like the science experiments we do for example – it really helps keep their enthusiasm up (or in some case, create enthusiasm!) for these areas during the summer.
Another area that’s really important to us at STEM Camp in particular, is exposing and exciting girls in STEM fields. What have you seen that’s helped girls get excited about STEM as a result of STEM Camp?
One thing in particular I’ve really noticed is how the female counsellors really inspire the girls. Ally for example has a degree specializing in math – having that example in real life, of someone like Ally with this great STEM degree and in a leadership position, I’ve seen be really inspiring – especially to our female campers.
What have you noticed that the campers get particularly excited about?
I find anything hands-on is always a win! We typically start the day with a coding activity to get everyone settled in, and then jump into something hands-on. I also find team activities go over really well; where campers get to work and build something together. That also gets them socializing with each other and enthused about the activity they’re doing.
And they all really love slime! Any science experiment where they get to put on goggles and get in there and get messy! And of course…everyone loves Minecraft.
We often say at STEM Camp, campers have so much fun, they don’t realize they’re learning. Have you observed that at camp?
For sure! Let’s take Minecraft as an example of how we approach fun and learning. Even a simple building challenge we give them using Bright stone can start off teaching an engineering concept in a small way. Then the combination of coding and Minecraft is great as well – anything that combines the virtual and physical worlds.
As another example, when we use the Edisons and micro:bits, campers can see their programming on the screen and then watch that translate into something physical, like the robots moving in a particular way. I find that helps turn coding from just a concept or an idea they don’t really understand, to something real they can see to really translate that knowledge into how it works. (Because they made it work!)
Some of the ways we sneak in that learning, is by often starting with a little mini-lesson; a brief intro of whatever STEM concepts we’ll be exploring in that activity. Then, we’ll have little reminders along the way about what we talked about, while we’re actually doing the activity. For example, as we’re making slime, we’ll talk about solutions and chemistry – tying that all the way through, integrating it into the activity. We’ll also ask them questions afterwards, and whoever answers can come up and be the first to get messy with the activity, for example. Often at the end of the day, we’ll again chat about the concepts. You never want it to feel like school – we’re here for fun! I find by working it into the activities in a way that just makes it feel like something interesting they’re hearing about whatever it is they’re doing, it’s all just fun.
The Chatham STEM Camp warming up with a group Minecraft activity.
Meet Ally, Program Coordinator at STEM Camp
Ally is another counsellor we’re delighted to have had at STEM Camp for several years – 8 years in her case! Our campers have been so fortunate to have her positive and bubbly personality and amazing STEM and teaching knowledge! In addition to her warm and welcoming nature, Ally has just completed her journey as a student. Having earned her Bachelor of Arts degree, specializing in Mathematics, at the University of Western Ontario, Ally knew teacher’s college was her next step. With math as her teachable, and adding STEM Camp to her teaching placement experience, Ally is weeks away from beginning her first permanent teaching position (and we’d like to congratulate every future student who will ever have the pleasure of being in her class!).
What role did STEM Camp plan in your journey to become a teacher?
STEM Camp influenced that in a few ways. For one, going into teacher’s college, I planned to teach high school, but then through my experience as a counsellor at STEM Camp, I really realized that elementary was where I wanted to be! This job has also really helped me hone my teaching skills; I’m always practicing and improving – learning from what well or not each time. The ties to curriculum here at STEM Camp also really help with that.
Can you share a special memory, or maybe a particular part of your experience at STEM Camp that you’ve loved?
So many things have been great, but I think what’s been particularly special to me, is seeing a camper timid or worried on their first day, and then flourishing and not wanting to leave by the end of the week!
Even just this past Monday we had little Grayson – it was his first camp EVER. He was so shy and just so little (he was our youngest camper that week), even mom was anxious when dropping him off. So I spent a little extra time at drop-off that first day with them both, taking them through the activities so he knew the routine – I find this especially helps anxious campers, so they know what to expect – they can feel so nervous, and that just brings that anxiety down because it’s not unexpected anymore. So after that, mom left, and he came inside. At first he was really shy and wanted to sit alone, so we let him have that space for a little while. Then first, I got to know him a little bit, just the 2 of us, so he could get comfortable with one person, and so he’d feel like he could trust me. We talked more about what we were going to do that day, and then he decided he was ready to get involved with the larger group. And then, by the end of the day, he didn’t want to go home! Even the next day, mom was expecting some hesitancy, but he just let go of her hand and took off inside immediately!
Another younger camper we had was also a worried little guy, so we put a morning transition in place – we called it the “Welcoming Committee”. He would stand with me to welcome everyone to camp, and once everyone was inside, then we’d come in together. I’d also hold his hand when he needed that, when we were playing as a group for example. And now – he’s just so comfortable at camp, he made a full 180! You can see how STEM Camp was a real confidence booster for him, just believing in himself that he could do this – and we’re here to help, taking it slow and day by day.
I think that’s one of the greatest things as well – you build those relationships with the campers, and you often get to see them year after year. Some campers I’ve known since 2018 – from when they were 6 all the way to 12 years old now!
A question parents often have, is with an age range from 5 to 13, how camp can be fun and interesting for all those ages. Can you talk about how we do that at STEM Camp; sharing your approach?
Depending on the group and how the week goes, we’ll sometimes separate the younger campers from the older campers, but even if we don’t, we always make sure that everyone understands, is interested and even challenged in some activities. For example, we’ll sometimes choose different words with younger campers when we’re explaining science concepts.
Seeing the dynamic between the older and younger campers is also really great, and valuable in and of itself as an experience for the kids. You really see the older campers connecting with the younger ones – almost like a big/little sibling relationship the way they get along. The older ones love being helpful and having that leadership responsibility as well.
For example, we have a camper named Parker who’s been here several weeks this summer, and it’s his third year at STEM Camp. He’s so great and helpful, that we’ll sometimes call him a counsellor in training! If we have an extra counsellor apron we’ll even let him use that sometimes! He says his dream is to come back and work at STEM Camp when he’s older.
What are some favourite activities you see that campers especially love at STEM Camp?
Minecraft is always a fan favourite! Ever since we introduced that at STEM Camp, it’s a super exciting thing for the campers. Another is slime – they just LOVE getting messy with those really experiential science experiments. And perler beads as well; campers love them, and we love it as counsellors as well – it’s a great activity to pull out when the energy needs to come down a little from bigger, more exciting games. The perler projects and slime are also awesome because campers love taking them home…and we make sure to tell parents that vinegar works really well to get slime out of fabric!
What are some of your favourite things about STEM Camp?
Hearing such complimentary things from parents is always so nice! We often have parents asking us if we babysit! We even had one mom explain how she’s been trying to cancel other camps she had booked because their camper wanted to come back to STEM Camp so much after their first week. 2 campers are back again this week for example, and enrolled last minute, because they begged their parents to come back! It’s really great getting to know the campers and families that way, when they come back week after week and year after year – it’s so awesome to see them grow.
The Chatham STEM Camp doing an unplugged coding activity.
Meet Gabbie, Camp Counsellor at STEM Camp
Gabbie is another member of this awesome STEM Camp counsellor team, now in her third year with STEM Camp. Gabbie is currently going to Fanshawe College for interior design, but is exploring what role teaching could have in her future career – she’s found she just loves kids and the learning environment like we have at STEM Camp. She’s especially drawn to the creative aspect of the activities – something that is so important at STEM Camp! The creativity campers show in how they solve problems is always remarkable to see, and Gabbie’s ability to help them explore their creative sides, no matter what they’re up to, is just awesome!
What do you think is especially interesting about how STEM Camp approaches coding?
There are a lot of campers who, when they first come, don’t even know what coding is. Sometimes they’ll have tried it at school or had some opportunity to use a program like code.org, but even so – a lot of them still don’t understand what it is or what it’s for. Minecraft has been a great way to introduce campers to coding – I love that we use that every week (not just the weeks that are themed as Minecraft). Even the younger campers, who may have never heard of it before, pick it up incredibly quickly. For the campers that have used it before, they virtually always love it so it’s a great way to take something they enjoy and are familiar with, and extend it to learning coding concepts.
Typically, we’ll start with explaining a bit about what coding and that language is, and try to find easier things to get started – which they really end up enjoying. Even something like building a little guy that they can then move from one end of the screen to the other – they get really excited that they did that. Or building a house in Minecraft; it’s coding – you’re telling the computer where to put that block.
Then by the end of week, even the campers who didn’t know anything about what coding was – now just love it! I remember a camper just like that, who was nervous to even try his hand at coding, but in the end he was even telling his mom all about it and how it worked! The parents ended up downloading code.org on their home computer so he could “play” (well, he thought he was playing – meanwhile he’s continuing to learn this incredibly useful skill he fell in love with at STEM Camp!).
What’s an especially memorable moment from STEM Camp for you?
For me, the water days are always so fun! We go outside and do different activities with water. Sometimes we’ll get the water balloons or buckets out and just have fun getting wet! The other counsellors and I will even tell the campers over the course of the week, that if they’re really great, we’ll let them throw the water balloons and buckets full of water at us, and they LOVE it – they think it’s just hilarious to get the counsellors soaking wet! (Though I’ll admit, we’ll take turns deciding which counsellor gets wet that week!)
How would you describe working as a Counsellor at STEM Camp to others thinking about it? What do you especially enjoy?
For me, I really like that it’s a full-time job, and that you get to work with kids – the campers we get are just so great. They’re always willing to learn, so that’s definitely a big part of it. Being full-time with regular hours is perfect, especially for a student like me, because with part-time work you don’t get as many hours, and your schedule can be really unpredictable. Here, it’s consistent. And on top of that, you can choose either an earlier or later shift (8-4 or 9-5) depending on what’s convenient in your day. Either way though, you get home and still have a lot of time to yourself.
I’ll mention as well I’ve even learned a lot at STEM Camp! I’ve learned a lot about coding, and in fact, the campers are always teaching me things I didn’t know!
Hanging out with the kids is just super great too, along with the ability to be inside and outside – we get a little bit of both. That’s especially great on a beautiful day, we’re not stuck inside! It’s the best of all worlds.
I think the other thing I really enjoy is that you can take this job in hand and make it your own. Working with a team means we’re always looking at what worked well the last time we did a particular activity or a similar one, to see how we can tweak it if there was something about it that didn’t work as expected, or something else that the campers found really interesting. Even the timing of the activities, making sure we mix up the ones that they especially love (like slime – they LOVE the slime!), to make sure they’re always excited and interested. We always want them to be involved as well: they’re the ones pouring things in, mixing things – they’re not just sitting and watching. We also really try to ask them questions too – do you remember what activated the slime, or how much we put in, and what the ingredients were. We find that really keeps them engaged, and helps them remember what they learned after camp is done.
You’ve met just a few counsellors from one amazing counsellor team, but STEM Camp is proud to have equally amazing teams all over the country! It’s so important to us to deliver a wonderful experience to our campers (that’s both fun and educational), an excellent experience for their families (to be confident they’re safe and loving their summer), and a fantastic experience for our counsellors (to build their resume while having a great time earning money with their summer).
If you’re interested in being a counsellor or joining STEM Camp, learn more here about our available positions. We’ll typically open hiring early in the year if you don’t see something currently – check back soon!
