New Camp Director Alert - Nicole Lauhon!
There’s some big news to relay from SG headquarters! I want to introduce Nicole Lauhon to you as one of Stomping Ground’s new Camp Directors. Nicole worked at Stomping Ground as a staff member in 2018 and 2019. Nicole’s love for camp is boundless. She has a fiery passion for connecting kids to the outdoors and making sure there is space for everyone to feel like they truly belong at camp. Nicole has spent the last two years in California working as a case worker at a community based organization. Nicole will be joining the Stomping Ground team full time to help manage registrations, connect with families, coordinate partnerships, and create an environment for connection over the summer. Learn more about her and who she is below! - Laura
Hi everyone! I am so excited to be a Camp Director at Stomping Ground! Here’s what I want you to know about me…
I LOVE camp. I’ve loved camps since my first summer as a program instructor at 4h Camp Kidwell in 2013. I love the little world we build with kids and staff each summer at camp. I’ve met the most important people in my life at camp, and I don’t think that is a coincidence of timing. I love being in a space of empathy, understanding, and play. I love the learning that happens when you give kids the autonomy they deserve. I love asking kids what is important to them in their community, and letting them take the lead on how we treat each other at camp. I love that, at camp, there is space for everyone.
My personal values at camp are to increase inclusivity and equitable access to camp and outdoor spaces, community care, and sustainability. I am curious about how we create more spaces of belonging at camp, invite more people in to be a part of the magic, and care for one another. I can’t imagine my life without camp, and I want that feeling to be accessible to anyone else who wants it too.
My background includes working and volunteering at camps, schools, and nonprofits across the country. I was a seasonal staff member at Camp Stomping Ground in 2018 and 2019, where I fell in love with the way Stomping Ground re-imagines youth centered spaces. The restorative justice tools, community problem solving, and the wackiest imaginative play I have ever been a part of those two summers changed the way I work with kids and adults-opening myself up to be more deeply present and curious. The magic of those two summers has stuck with me since finishing the last session in 2019, and I can’t wait to be back at Camp in 2022!
When I’m not at camp, I enjoy spending my time running (I just ran my first marathon in September!), surfing, or visiting dog parks in my area. I can be found most frequently chasing joy, sunsets, and wildflowers.
I can’t wait to see you at camp this summer, or tell you about all the magic moments after. It’s going to be a blast.
Love,