For many Starlighters, spending numerous summers as a camper instills in them the desire to return to camp and give back. We are lucky to have a large number of former campers who return as counselors year after year. Their knowledge of camp is indispensable, and their desire to make their campers’ time at Starlight as special as theirs is quite evident.
Knowledge of camp and a firm grasp of Starlight traditions aren’t the only tools former campers bring with them when making the transition to staff members. They also bring a thorough understanding of what campers expect from their counselors and know which characteristics make a mentor in the eyes of a camper. For Matt Grobman, those qualities were a sense of humor, a laid back demeanor, and the ability to maintain control of campers in almost any situation. “When I was a camper, my counselor was both funny and relaxed,” he says, “A good counselor also balances the fun with structure, which is essential in any work with children.”
More than anything, however, former campers love camp and enjoy giving back because they see a glimmer of themselves in their 
campers. The opportunity to keep the spirit of their childhood summers at Starlight alive even as they journey through adulthood is,for some, a tradition in its own rite. Former camper and two year veteran counselor Nikki Gelfand says the two counselors she had as a Lower Inter, who had both been former campers, were “like big sisters”. She credits the influence of those former counselors for her decision to use her camper experiences to help children make the most of their time at Starlight. Julia Whalen sums up her colleagues’ sentiments, “The most rewarding part of coming back as a counselor is when you see your 10-year old self in one of your campers.”
Thanks Nikki, Matt, and Julia for your time!
