Buckeye Leadership Workshop

Hey Yall!

I'm a senior at Florida State University majoring in Recreation and Leisure Administration. Basically, that's a fancy way of saying I'm going to school to learn to be a Camp Director. I won a 4-H county speech contest at the age of eight, and my prize was a week at summer camp. I fell in love with residential camping and began my lifelong quest to live at camp full time.

I've worked two years as Summer Program Director at 4-H Camp Cherry Lake in Madison, Florida. At Florida State I've volunteered as a Trip Leader with Outdoor Pursuits, a program that introduces students to the outdoors through backpacking and paddling adventures. Currently, I'm working as a Resident Assistant at FSU. Conveniently, all of my camping experience has prepared me for the madness of babysitting an unruly floor of college students. This summer I'm working at YMCA Camp Immokalee in Key Stone Heights, Florida. I'm a little nervous to work with the YMCA, because after all my years in 4-H, my heart truly bleeds green.

This will be my third year at Buckeye Leadership Workshop. Buckeye is the highlight of my spring. I always leave the workshop with a notebook of new ideas and a heart full of warmth. I was honored when Larry Hall and Bill Henderson asked me to help them teach “Music For All Ages.” I've been leading songs for eight years.. My camp staff would joke that I am a camp song encyclopedia. My passion for learning new camp songs is only eclipsed by my love of teaching them to others. Bill and Larry are an inspiration to me – and teaching a class with them is this camp nerd's wildest dream come true. I hope to see you at Buckeye, and if you're in the market for a new camp tune, we've got you covered.