Hometown Reflections with Jackie!
It was in season two of HTSG when Stomping Ground announced that camp was not running in-person for the summer. While I understood the reason the decision had to be made, I was heartbroken. I won’t lie, I was feeling pretty pessimistic. I realized I no longer knew how to function as a normal twenty-something during the summer without camp, let alone in the middle of global pandemic. My brain kept telling me, “NO WAY you have as much fun this summer as you have in the last two summers.” I wasn’t going to experience the absolute rush that is the first Sunday welcoming kids. I wasn’t going to be able to see the growth in kids I met in previous summers, and see new campers make Stomping Ground their home. Perhaps selfishly, I was disappointed I wasn’t going to have the chance to be a panda for a village.
Jackie doin’ her thing at in-person camp!
I found a new hope in Hometown Stomping Ground. It reminded me to have faith in the campers, staff, and community that existed at Stomping Ground. It gave me everything and more that I was so fearful of missing this summer.
The week I ran Harry Potter Adventures at 3:00 pm and Ted Talks with the teens at 4:00pm was wonderfully hectic. It replicated the rush of in-person camp perfectly. Every day at promptly 2:50 pm, I’d be in the mirror drawing my Harry Potter scar on my forehead, putting my homemade round wire glasses on, and wrapping my Gryffindor scarf around my neck. For the next hour, we rode roller coasters, did trivia and scavenger hunts, and bonded over our love for the magical wizarding world. By the end of every session, I was sweating, but more importantly I was smiling.
Then, in the matter of five minutes, I wiped off my Harry Potter scar, dropped my awful British accent, and prepared myself to talk to teens for the next hour. Now that’s a whole different story! You should know, I have a soft spot for teens, ever since I spent the whole summer with them (and Tursh) in 2019. I feel so lucky to know and interact with the passionate and insightful teens that were a part of Hometown. We would spend the hour sharing our favorite quotes and moments from whichever Ted Talk we watched that day. We would share stories and experiences of how we could relate to the speaker. I realize now I was getting a cheat sheet on how teens want to be treated by adults. For that, I am eternally grateful. As I logged off from teen sessions, my smile was usually mixed with some form of my jaw dropping.
Jackie and Maggie lead Disney Land Adventures!
As Hometown continued, I was a part of activities like Disney World, Camp Newspaper, and Film Critique with teens. I was able to see the faces of campers I had seen in the summer of 2018 and 2019 with new haircuts, new ideas, and new confidence. Most of them with more technological knowledge than I may ever acquire in my whole life. I was able to build on those relationships that already had a strong foundation in a challenging and different environment. It felt so special to be able to rely on those campers who knew Stomping Ground so well, to welcome in new campers and help them learn what Hometown was all about.
Thinking about how many new faces I saw on my computer screen this summer is INSPIRING. Campers who have never been to Stomping Ground physically, but who have now found fun and acceptance in Hometown logging on each day. They brought their own uniqueness to our ever-growing community. I hope to see many of these faces in person in the summer of 2021.
Finally, as a host for Hometown, I realized how much this role was similar to what I would’ve been doing as a panda. I collaborated with staff to plan magical moments, I worked with campers to find solutions that helped everyone feel safe and comfortable, and I found a confidence, a patience and a knack for leadership I never knew existed within myself. I was able to learn from kids and teens and use my new-found knowledge to create a more meaningful space for them all. I realized that while every moment can’t be magical and perfect, those that may seem impossible to overcome, are usually the most rewarding. Perhaps most importantly, I had a blast being a part of Hometown Stomping Ground. No matter the craft we were making, the meals we were cooking, or the song we were dancing to – I logged off with a smile.
As we look forward to what next year brings, Hometown helped build on my unwavering belief in the Stomping Ground community. We are capable of connectivity even under the most strange, strenuous, and extraordinary circumstances. We have the opportunity with the new property to create a home that is entirely our own, and I can’t wait to be there for it.