Thank you for listening to made to be a podcast exploring the surprising professional Paths of extraordinary women in business. I'm Kristin Berman co-founder and CEO of Philly made creative a marketing and media production agency. Listen as I facilitate powerful conversations with women who are masters of their crafts learn about their Journeys and just what it took to become who they were made to be. I get a lot of inspiration art of music. I mean, there are so many things that can inspire you. But I'm really happy that I wake up in the morning and I'm ready to go. You know what I hop out of bed and say let's go for it. And I think that sometimes that doesn't happen. Naturally for people's I'm pretty pretty happy that that's one of those things I have that ability to say. What does today has to bring in let's go for it. It's finally summer schools are letting out and graduation caps are being thrown when I was younger. I looked forward to summer because it meant I got to go to summer camp summer camp for me was on. Gossipy and New Hampshire at YMCA Camp Hawkins and all girls overnight camp we slept on bunk beds and cabins sang songs in the mess hall and bonded with new friends. What I realized later in life is that during those six years Camp was teaching me so much about leadership and responsibility. My guest today is a woman who has committed so much of her life to empowering young women through summer camp between being a camper counselor to now camp. Director and so many roles in between. She's heading into her 50th year at Hawkins listen today to find out what it took for Jody Skelton to become who she was made to be. So today. I want to welcome Jody skeleton. She is the executive director at the YMCA Camp Hawkins up in Freedom, New Hampshire Jodi. Thank you so much for being on made to be that's wonderful. Thank you very much for asking me dodea. I asked you to be on the show because Have meant so much to me in my life. Hawkins was a part of my life for six years as a camper, but also watching my sister's go as campers and then having some friends go as campers and counselors and I want to know from you. What does Camp mean to you? That's a pretty loaded question. But of course I started to as a camper and just grew to love camping and working with people and working with children. And so so Camp is really just been my passion and something that I'm very fortunate to be able to participate in so it's been like you said it's this is my 50th summer. So I've been over 30 years working here. So certainly something that I love very much and have feel very fortunate to be a part of and tell us about the first summer for you at Camp. What was that? Like so my first summer? I don't remember too much. I remember that I had up was in a CIT cabin. So that's a counselor in training cabin. And so I went home and told my mom. I wanted to be a CIT, so she was really impressed with that that two weeks and I already decided that I was going back. Back and then I was going to be on the staff which sounds pretty fun and I remember casino night as a really fun thing that we did where we went to the login or so many games and it was just I don't know one of those things that just was outside of the box for me. So it was really fun and of course swimming and playing softball learning how to water-ski all those things were really fun parts of can't for me when I was little that's so great. I mean once you walked into Walked into Camp. What was that? First moment like for you if you can remember. My sister's I was with my my parents and my older sister who had gone. And so so it's a little bit scary because I was the youngest so they took me to my cabin first and I just remember my sister had made me a hat to wear and I was all dressed in my outfit with the hat and everything and I don't know. I was just ready to go. How old were you so I was nine. Yep, you're nine years old and you're staying at camp for two weeks, right? And I'm staying at camp for two weeks Sleepaway Camp to sleep away for two weeks, right? I was ready. My sisters had been to other camps before and told me all about it and stuff. So I was ready to give it a try and what is Hawkins for people who have never heard of Camp Hawkins, or maybe who have never gone to Camp before you describe a little bit about it. So Camp Hopkins is YMCA Camp that runs for for two-week session. Somewhere an all-girls camp located in Freedom New Hampshire and so really why camps are unique in the sense that they are friendship camps focus on caring honesty respect and responsibility and we hopefully open girls eyes to a lot of opportunities sports-wise, but also becoming independent and making friends and learning how to live on your own. So and of course a big piece of our camp, His leadership training so we certainly are very proud that we can pumpkins grow our own leaders and our own counselors where our campers so something fun to think about so, can you describe what a typical day at Camp is like so the readily bugle blows at 7:15, the girls wake up and get dressed and then at 7:40, there's a waitress. She goes down sets the table and soupy blows at eight o'clock. And that means it's time for everybody to go to breakfast and then we have This together all together in the dining hall after breakfast. We all go to the flagpole where we have our morning announcements and then thought for the day and everyone goes back and gets ready. We have three instructional periods. So each cabin is assigned to go to certain places they travel together and all the counselors go to the areas where they work and then you have the three instructional periods in the morning. You come back to the cabin get ready for lunch and then after lunch we have rest time where you can write letters home. Mom, I always tell the campers but also they can mail and that's the time to rest and then we have in the afternoon what's called free selection of activities, which is two hours of free time where the campers get to choose where they go and what they do and all the areas are open and we have specials that we talked about at lunch time so they can make some choices of their own and then after free time is over we go to dinner we have after dinner we go to a flag take the flag down have evening. And then the evening time is either cabin time or divisional time or special event time for the group to be together. Then the 8:30. Everybody gets brushed their teeth and gets ready for bed is so the Juniors have caps at nine o'clock of the seniors and have TAPS at 9:15. And then they have like kind of half an hour together with their counselor. Most counselor still read read out loud to their campers and then it's time for them to go to bed. I wake up the next morning and do it all over again. I remember being in the cabins, you know in the middle of the night having to go to the bathroom you get up out of bed. Maybe I'm on the top bunk client down walk outside and and walk over to over to the bathrooms over to the John's right? It was always such a special time being up there. What is it like for you having been on Les gossipy for 50 years. So the fun part everyone. How can you keep doing it? You know what keeps you coming back? And the fun part is that every year it is different. So Camp Remains the Same, but the people are different the campers are different, you know, when we open the gates when they tune your counselors the first year, they're being counselors, you know walk in the door. They're so excited and they can't wait to be counselors and they just bring so much energy and enthusiasm to camp and then of course on our change days when the girls arrive, so huge. I would say Spirit tucking spirit in the air and everybody just can't wait to be at camp and some girls are reuniting with old friends and happy to be back and I just feel like Camp is a place where girls tell me it's a place where I can be myself and that's an amazing opportunity that we have four girls to be able to be at camp for two weeks. Totally unhooked from All Electronics and just to be able to hang out and meet people and interact with friends. Have a good time. He said that leadership is a big part of Camp Hawkins Steve leadership training into the camp experience. So I think leadership training really happens naturally at our camp because the campers live with the counselors and the counselors kind of share with them their expectations and what their they want to the girls who do weather at camp and so they set up a basic structure for the girls, but I they also like I said, I was a camper. I was like how I want to be a counselor someday, but as the campers get older, you know RW program The W, so our ninth graders have the opportunity to raise the flag and there are girls and so again, here's an opportunity where campers are leaders for our younger campers. And so I really feel like that's the beginning of saying oh, you know what I can you know help I can I can raise the flag. I can be card girl and I can work with the Juniors and take them around campus. Show them, you know places and answer their questions and so really introducing leadership at a young age. And then from the 9th grade program on of course, we're pretty intense in our leadership training the ninth graders. We do have leadership opportunities for them. And then of course our CIT program when the girls come back for a month they have time in a cabin. They go all the Departments and learn about what leadership is like to them what type of leader they want to be as a person and how they work with others and of You know, it's becoming a counselor as the right job for them. So I so I feel like even if you don't return after your CIT year just being at Camp has so many values that it teaches you for your life. It also helps you not be home sick. Of course when you're away at College, you know and just gives you that Independence. And also I think the feeling of some self-confidence we always hope that girls grow out there at camp and go home a little bit stronger than they were when they left so So lots of leadership just happens naturally at Camp. What are some things that parents say to you about the leadership development of their daughters? I think I was talking to a mom this morning and she was just saying the things that her daughter's learned at Camp are just things that that they haven't that they haven't grasped anywhere else in the camp is just so helpful and I think part of it is because when girls are in a cabin and they have a female now that's a couple years older than them or their counselor as a role model it really it just is someone that they want to be liked and someone that they admire and so those leadership skills and questions and conversations just kind of happen naturally and so This Woman's daughter's coming back to be a counselor this summer and she has younger girls that are campers and they just I said, you know, I'm totally in involved with camp and just can't wait to come and count the days and Really have been affected by Hawkins and you know and that's just kind of how it happens. Once you get it in your blood. You just become part of camping. You just can't wait to be part of it and get back is that how it was for you when you are a camper? Absolutely. Absolutely. I couldn't wait to get back. I didn't come with friends from home or didn't you know have fuge friends at camp that I felt were the important part of it. I was just there for the whole the whole the whole deal the whole schmear of the water skiing. Like I said learning how to play softball and just interacting with everybody and participating. In so many things that I didn't have the opportunity to do at home. Tell us about your CIT year. What was that like for you? What were things that really stood out for you in that season? So my CIT year I loved being in a cabin. So I was I've always wanted to teach school and so I went to was going to college for elementary education or was thinking about becoming a teacher and so once I got into a cabin, you know, you had that opportunity and I wanted to be with the younger camp. Purrs, absolutely was drawn to the youngest and and just having them like the minute you walk into a cabin when you're a CIT just you're afraid that they're not going to look up to you. But just once you walk in and you introduce yourself and the kids are asking you questions and all of a sudden you're like I can do this. I can you know, I can do this and of course I loved it, you know walking to the meals holding hands telling them stories, you know answering their questions. They're homesick. I have the chance to help them with that so I totally Unless the it year one of the another counselor when home ill so I was able to go out again. So I had two times out as a CIT and a cabin and my second time I was with older girls. I was in another Division and I love that too. So I was really surprised that I owe enjoyed, you know, the older kids just as much as I enjoyed the younger girls, you're listening to me to be a podcast featuring extraordinary women in business produced by Philly made creative. We hope you're enjoying this episode if you believe you or somebody, you know should be featured as a guest. Please email made to be at Philly made creative.com. And once you became a camp counselor how many years were you a counselor? And what happened after that? So I was a junior counselor and then a senior counselor, I think three years and so I was a senior counselor or sometimes in the junior Division and then I was a CIT counselor in the junior division at train cits. And then I actually the see I was a CIT counselor in the junior division. So I was in the junior division four years as a counselor and and I love Get like I said, it was an opportunity to work with the young girls and help them grow and love camp. And I remember one time it was just a girl like holding onto her parents leg when they left and she didn't want them to go and whatever and then, you know, first two weeks later. She was crying because she didn't want to go home and I was like this job is pretty amazing, you know and just being able to know that she had grown so much with her independence and was okay being away from her parents and now Excited and happy that she had a great time at campen couldn't wait to come back again. So so I really I really loved it from you know that day on really what point did you know that this was where you wanted to to spend your career, you know, so I went to college and got a degree in elementary education and I taught school and the camp director invited me to come on year-round and I just remember one day. We're in the well house and because something had Happened with the water and he said, you know, you need to come down here. I want you to look at this. I might not understand how the water system works because you know, you're going to run this place someday and you need to know everything and I just remember kind of laughing to myself and saying, you know, I had no idea that he would know that I was going to run this place but that I you know, that's what course I went with him and I was interested to learn everything and there were so many things to learn and that's part of why I loved it because I did love learning about draggable learn how to do this and turn the water on turn the water off. And then he retired and the new camp director came in and then a few years after I had been assistant director. I just knew I was ready and that you know, this was all preparing me and that I did want to become camp director. So just kind of evolved over time. But when he first said that I would never have thought that I really that wasn't my goal, you know, I thought I was going to teach come to camp in the summer. So what was that transition like for you once you decided to to work year round? Round so it was great. So the hard part about working year-round, of course became a part of an office, you know, I was in the office more and not working with kids, but because we were kind of a independent Camp I was able to develop some programs in the community with children so that I wasn't, you know, like at my desk all the time. And so that was really helpful and we continue to do community outreach as our camp in the in the offseason which is really great thing. Everybody wins. The community loves having us. Lid and we love working with kids during the year. So that's just kind of a nice match for both. And what is it about camp that has you continue to come back for the last almost 50 years. Now, I would just say that it's all about the campers. And as I said, it's all about just seeing them succeed and have a good time in the same thing happens with the staff as well. Also, seeing the counselors come and and grow as much as they grow throughout the season and being able to accomplish things that they didn't know that they were going to be able to accomplish and especially, you know in the girls just so simple things. I think the fact that we still do that all the men, you know, we recognize campers when they make their accomplishments or when they do things and I just think all of that is really part of just telling helping kids grow and become strong and and that is absolutely what keeps me coming back. Because the snails you know, you don't find them anywhere else and what is it about and this may sound like I'm repeating the question. Sometimes here's something a little different. What is it about the celebration of accomplishments that that let that has that Lasting Impression for people? I think I think when we're at Camp number one, I think it's really fun that we're in a female environment and all women together. So that really helps people relax and enjoy themselves. And I think the fact that we celebrate the little things is a really important part of Camp so that an accomplishment Reno passing your swim test, you know is and we're going to the girl stand on the bench and they give you an element and that's just one of those it's just a little bit of recognition, but I It helps build self-esteem. And I think that that's just one of the fun things. I think we don't celebrate little things during the year every day. And so that I think Camp is one of those places where we do recognize and celebrate things and so can't just becomes a happy place because of course there are lots of things to celebrate we do lots of singing and and it's just a joyful time and I think that's what kids remember, you know, and being at camp and trying to make your you know, make you be the best you can be So somebody who is you are in charge of this Camp? What are some of the challenges that you've been through over the years? I would say Staffing is always a challenge and and just learning and helping people grow. I think the hardest part when you become a counselor is the transition from I came to Camp to be with my friends. And now of course when you come to Camp you come to Camp to help other kids have fun and you certainly have fun while you're doing it. But I think just having that growth in the maturity to realize that you know campus for you are helping camp for other girls. And so that's kind of what your job becomes and once they make that transition. They totally get it and are able to enjoy camp and continue to grow but of course, you know. Through The Years there's challenges when you have to fire someone and that's kind of a huge growing thing when you know, it's not always fun. But certainly you have to learn how to do it and and how to help people grow the and you know grow as much as they can from their job and learn from your mistakes. I think Camp is a place where you can you know, make small mistakes and be able to recover from that and move on and learn to and continue to learn so and why do you think Important for you that people continue to grow and learn I think that comes back from my basis of being a teacher and you know on so that I really feel like everyone can learn from each other and I think sometimes we don't open our eyes to our differences, but that we should be celebrating our differences in that kids can from different places. I think one of the great things from Camp, of course is we put different girls from different pounds and states and countries together and they have to learn how to get along and I think that's just a huge opportunity to grow and to be able to appreciate people's differences and to learn more about yourself. And so I think that helps kids grow and become strong. So for you, how would you define success in your role? I think in my role as a camp director success comes in a lots of different ways. Of course you manage a budget which is an important thing for your board and to make sure that campus successful. But the way the you tell you know, the campus successful I feel like is you have returning campers and more importantly you have returning staff members. And so we're very fortunate when we're like over 85% of our staff, you know returns each summer and or have long-standing. Young leaders who have been a camp, you know more than 10 years and that really helps us just as a community because we're connected with each other and when you come back to campus like never changed and so that they're everyone's ready to go and we're ready to you know, teach and pass on the information that we have. So our division leaders are assisting camp director are all very open-minded and just helping others grow and learn and being able to pass on the spirit. I think one of the Great things about Hawkins is now I'm watching girls that I had as campers bring their daughters and that's a pretty unbelievable feeling and a situation where you know, you can pass camp on to others and I think that that's the one of the great things that we do you have. I mean, that's how I found out about campus one of your Co counselors. She had her daughter's up at Hawkins and invited me and my sisters to go up to Hawkins and you know without that it I wouldn't have On there. Yeah. It's amazing how Camp just catch cast on, you know, and we're fortunate that we don't have to spend money on advertising and that's all word of mouth. But that the camp is absolutely the quality of your Camp really has to do the background of your staff. I think so what were some of your major accomplishments so far? What have they been I think if I were to say my major comes from in and camping of course having children, I I figure is one of my major accomplishments and three beautiful children. But of course in the Camping World, I think one of the great things that I was able to accomplish was to build our leadership Division. And so when we we had ninth grade campers in our senior Division and we had our cits in our Junior division in so are 15 and 6 year old 18 year olds were living with our nine year olds and so being able to pull the ninth graders the oldest campers out of the senior Division and pull the cits out of the junior division. You didn't build a leadership division where now our ninth and tenth graders are together was a is a huge accomplishment. We you know had a capital campaign and raise the money and and now I think it's um, it's a really essential part of what our program is and it's a wonderful the division also has cabins that are built a little bit differently so we can do more programming in the fall and in the spring. So I really open Camp up two more groups. And so that's another thing that I feel very fortunate about we're able to start The mother-daughter weekend in the fall where we have over 300 people come for the weekend, which is a really fun time. And also we do a mother-son weekend in the spring and that's over a hundred, you know mums and boys coming to camp and getting a chance to enjoy camp for the weekend. So those are some of the accomplishments that I think are important important and then are there any times that you remember where you failed to achieve something that you really wanted to achieve? That was really important for you? I think some of the I've been very fortunate in the sense that I kind of have blown up through the ranks. And so I've done different jobs and done different things. And so I think the hard the hard part about learning when you fail is just getting up and trying again and trying not to give up, you know, and I think you wouldn't someone says no the work instead of having it be no you take it as a next opportunity right and no next opportunity to move. Vaughn and try again and fail, you know, you means you just get up and try again. And so I remember camp director being very frustrated with me one time because I couldn't learn how to backup a boat trailer and so it's unless standing and so, you know, you have to turn the wheel the opposite way and I just couldn't figure it out. So it's just one of those things where even today I'm not very good and I do not drive a boat trailer unless I absolutely have to but let's just one of those silly challenges where you're like, okay, I really need To think and you have to think opposite of what I ordinarily would be because I'm so left-handed, but I think just learning from your mistakes. I think a lot of times I think I'm fortunate that you have the opportunity to grow from the mistakes that you make and so that's one of those things where you just have to keep yourself upbeat and positive and try to move forward even though you make mistakes. So in the in those times like when you're learning how to drive the boat Trailer is it like for you getting not being able to get it or not being able to do it the way you thought needed it to be done. So so I think it's very frustrating, you know, because it's a challenge and it's something where you sit there and you say, you know, I can do this because I just need to reverse my what my what my instinct would be. And so so again, it's one of those things where in order to accomplish that I just had to repeat it over and over. Over again and that's sometimes what people need is to just hear it more than once and to do it different times, you know when I was teaching and I taught special ed for a while. It was just one of you had to just sometimes with some children. You just have to do it a different way until they actually get it and once you get it you can move forward but it's just having the patience which of course would be something that I need to have intend to take the patients and to be willing to just keep practicing and practicing. Now you're someone who has dedicated much of your life to serving others. And this may be a hard question to acknowledge. But what is the impact that you think you've had on women over the years? Yeah, that's a really hard question because I think I have to sit down and try to add up all the years and add up all the different kids and all that kind of stuff. But I think like I just mentioned I think the most important thing. the gift that camp gives and that I've been very fortunate to be a part of is that just helping girls grow and become stronger and I think every time I run into someone, you know, I I know lots of people that have gone into camping or gone into other leadership positions or are running their own companies and they just will call and say Jodi I use stuff that I learned at Camp every day at my job, even though I'm not a camp, you know, those life skills were so important and I'm so appreciative of what camp No gave to me and and I just think that that's something that we try to tell the counselors, you know today. You know what you're learning here. Your today you're going to be using you know, 5 6 and for the rest of your life, you know, and so those are the that's probably the greatest gift that we give is just helping women grow as much as they can. And what was that like for you when you get those calls, I love it. I love it. So that's those are the rewards you know, so that's the thing. So in camping, I think the counselors come Act because they love what they can give to the campers and the rewards they get are the smiles and the hugs and I you know, I did it I was able to do it. I didn't think I could and I can and so when I get those phone calls from people to say, you know, look what I'm doing now, and I'm so appreciative for that as I look back campus such an important integral part of you know, who I am, you know, and that just makes you smile and those are the best rewards right there. What are some of the people or you don't have to say specifically who but some of the people that really stand out for you? What are what were they like and how do you see them out in the world now? So are you talking about like my role models or people or staff that I had that I admire either one? So a lot of let's see. So I think the thing that Well, I love that people can take what they learned at camp and do something totally different with it, but are using the same skills that they had, you know, so for example, you know friends that have been become lawyers, you know, actually there's I was going to say doctors as well. But just people I think a lot of that camp camping world really is a lot of social skills and a lot of times people go into jobs where they're working with other people and now on this whole Tech world where everybody's you know, On their phones or doing whatever it really comes back to how you communicate with each other is what's important and just being able to have a conversation with another person face-to-face becomes a really important thing which of course girls learn naturally at camp. And so people that are in I would say, you know working with children and Rec Department searched in schools. We have so many staff than become teachers and it's just one of those amazing things principals teachers and working with children as a career. And so that's a great thing that can't provides. What is it? Like for you being in the camp industry? I think being in the camp industry is again. We are very fortunate that camp fills very quickly and that we do have waiting lists. And so I feel like we go a lot to really part of the American Camp Association, which is a organization that our camp belongs to and they do do some great trainings and we are able to participate and be trainers and I'm a what's called an ACA visitor where I go around and help other camps get their accreditation. And so I feel there's always things to learn. So every time you go to a conference, you know, there's always things you can meet other people that are doing things and they challenge you all the time, which is really great thing and you know Camp has a lot of traditions, but it also has room for Change. And so when we come back from those conferences and we can look at things. And try things do things a little bit differently. It's always a fun fun opportunity to help can't grow and change, you know with the times and as we grow so that's great. You're really impacting Hawkins, but also other camps that are looking to grow of course. Yeah. I mean we share I think that's a great thing about Camp directors and where it comes together everybody shares with each other and so for hopefully all just trying to help each other be the best that we can be and so that's really nice environment. I meant to be so it's amazing because it's like we're not competing with each other. We're trying to help each other. You know what I mean? Even though we could we're not really every campus different. So we're not really fighting over the same children, or we don't look at it that way, you know, we're just all happy to be able to have the opportunity to work with kids and help them grow. So I'm just as happy that someone comes to your Camp, you know as that, they got the opportunity to go to camping but versus not being able to go to Camp. So I want to back up just a minute. When you when you stepped into the role of being a camp director, how long did it take you to really feel like that that you were settled in that so, you know, we have Candlelight at the end of a session and so the woman that was assisting camp director and and Vaughn and Riley and I I just remember so when campers are leaving Candlelight, you know, they're walking up the hill and everything and I just remember looking at hand. In and just saying we're doing it. We are actually doing it. We know we are the camp directors and the campers and we just finished two weeks of camp and no major catastrophes and you know, and we're I use the word, you know, we're like Peyton's a peeking saving. I mean, you know, we became we became the camp directors that you know were role models and it was just one of those things that pretty amazing feeling that that right we could do it, you know, and I really felt Um Judy Snell was also camp director and she was the first woman to become him director. So I feel that was really great to have females in that position and be the role models for our campers and our staff. So it's just a really fun time. Listening to me to be a podcast featuring extraordinary women in business produced by Philly made. Babe, you're enjoying this. If you or somebody, you know should be featured as a guest. Please email made to be at Philly made creative.com. I was just the first time where I really felt like okay, we're doing it. The other time of course has changed a and also changed a in the parking lot is just such an exciting time because all the parents and the kids and everybody the dampers are running in and reconnecting with each other and then you have all the new campers that are anticipating camp and there just seems to be a huge. Vibe in the parking lot on change days unless it's always a really fun time than to feel like okay. Here we go. We can do this. You know, this is going to be really fun. So was there ever was there ever a time where you thought I'm not really the right person for this. I think I think the Campos has its challenges and so that there are times when you're like, oh man, how am I ever going to do this? But You know, I think you just have to kind of break it up into small bite-sized pieces and say okay. I can accomplish this we can make this happen. And so I feel like one camp director told me, you know, you'll know when it's time for you to move on and don't know when that time comes be smart and don't overstay your welcome and I have told everyone or that I'm going to retire in a couple of years ago that that's one of those things where I want to leave camp and really good place and you know and be happy about it and so on. A great a great thing to think about what are some of the memories that most stick out for you either as a camper or a counselor or a director? I would say some of my favorite memories and it's funny. I really would say learning to water-ski and I remember just when I got up on skis I would be so happy. I'd be like singing, you know, going back and forth having that chance to water ski with really fun again. I was fortunate, you know to have to make some of my best friends at camp and so on spending time with the staff that the women that I was counselor with my 50th birthday. We all went together on a sailing trip for a week. And so it was amazing that the four of us lived all over the country but gives to be back together for a week, you know, it was like we had never left that's always a really fun time to be together with with alumni and friends that you don't get to see very often but and then that you're together again, you know, you just feel like okay, I'm back, you know, we're all back together and that's just a wonderful feeling and then again, I think every time so we do this really funny thing on opening day when we hand out staff shirts. And so we all Gather in the lodge together and we call off the new kit new staff members name and they are handed their I hand them their stature and then they run into the lodge to meet the people. Have already got their staff shirts on but that's again. That's just one of those moments where it's so exciting because the junior counselors and the new staff are so excited to be come part of the Hawkins family. And that's just a really one of my favorite favorite times each summer. So today answer the question. Okay. Where do you look for inspiration? I do a lot of reading and I love to read but mostly I think my inspiration just comes from others and again conferences that I attend and inspiration just about life and I think a lot of my inspiration just comes from my family and going to church I get a lot of inspiration out of music. I mean, there are so many things that can inspire. But I'm really happy that I wake up in the morning and I'm ready to go. You know what I hop out of bed and say let's go for it. And I think that sometimes that doesn't happen naturally for people so I'm pretty pretty happy that that's one of those things where I have that ability to say, what does today have to bring in let's go for it. So we practice that you have being a camp I think is one of those great things and that you want to put the most amazing won't make the most out of the day. That you can and I think sometimes we stand up flag and we just say you don't listen to the birds singing, you know, just for a moment take a moment and pause and look how beautiful campus and being part of nature seeing the stars at night and seeing the lake and the moonrise and all those wonderful things where that's so inspirational I think for all of us just to be able to take that moment in nature and enjoy and be inspired by what what we see and what we hear and what we could become. Part of so obviously Camp is a huge part of your life. What are some things in your life that you're passionate about outside of Camp? So I love again. I love to read I love to ski, I've become really passionate about cross-country skiing. That's a really fun thing and teaching skiing is a really fun things on the weekends in the wintertime when I can I teach at a ski area, which is just an opportunity again to work with children. I meant to teach them a skill a very fun fun skill life skill and I really enjoy swimming when I can enjoy water skiing in the summertime. So lots of just being outdoors camping fishing anything that that brings you back to Nature is certainly something that I enjoy. Why do you think that's important for other people to get outside? I think that in this world than just being outside and we you know becoming part and understanding what the opportunity is and what how precious I think how precious nature is and just learning to take care of, you know, we did we have a lot of solar camp and we recycle and just learning about nature and and here's this gorgeous tree and look at this zucchini that we're growing in the garden and the kids are just like wow, that is so cool. I've never seen as a penis so small but just helping them learn, you know that this is something that we need to take care of and to protect in the Nature's gift that we have and that we need to preserve it and and and to enjoy and enjoy I think the girls when they're a camp they can see the stars in their life. It starts or so much brighter it camping. I don't tell them that's the fact that we don't have any street lights right so that they can see the stars much better. But just the fact that they can appreciate it and to learn did you know that this is part of our First that we really need to protect and become part of the environmental awareness and you know that that should be a part of all of our Lives. What are some other things that you hope girls get while they're at Camp. So I really feel that teaching people to be motivate themselves, you know to be so that they can follow their dreams. I really think that's an important thing to help girls realize that they should should make dreams and then try to reach for them and that just goes along with building their self-esteem and helping them learn that you know, what you're you can do what you want to do and you can make things happen and you know a girl that's in the Missouri division who started her own company, you know, putting pockets in bathing suits and you know, and so I mean you can do what you want. And I think that's one of the greatest things that gifts that camp can help girls realize that you know what I want to know. I want to be on school counselor. Learn how to swim I want to you know, read a book. I want to do different things or you can grow as much as I can and become a doctor, you know, and I just think that we're helping kids think about what is the their potential and that there is no end to their potential. I would hope that we that they go home from Camp saying, you know, I can do different things and more things be strong about it. What are some ways that that you teach or train people to to look at life that way I think it's kind of happens naturally at Camp because I think that our staff and our counselors of you know, we talked about it during staff lie, but that it happens naturally because when you're when girls are with girls and they see each other doing things they're asking their counselors. You know, what are you doing? Where do you go to college or what? Do you want to be when you grow up? And so I think that's just kind of part of the process in the sense where they can share with each other and say, oh, well, you know, I'm going into a nursing program and this is why You know, I'm a can just have that time. I think that camp is about campers have the opportunity to ask questions and people listen. I think that's a really important skill at Camp. I'm afraid that sometimes we live in such a hurry world and sometimes kids are spread out and doing so many different things but that at Camp you have a chance to slow down and relax and just enjoy the simple things and also to listen to each other and to learn from each other. What is it that you want women to know whether they are in a career in Camp or not. Just women in business. What are some things you want them to be left with? I think that the whole concept about learning from your mistakes and not being afraid to keep trying and to set a goal and that you know, you just when you have a goal in mind that you just take small steps towards it at you don't want to take off more than you can chew but that you have to know that every day you get closer to that goal and it's a little step at a time and that and that you can be strong and look within yourself and find your strength and to use you know, No use your friends, which is sounds like I don't mean use your friends, but that your friends will be there for you to help you. I think one of the greatest things can't give each other is the opportunity to have friends and life friends. I've had so many people tell me, you know, my Camp friends have helped me through, you know, so many problems and times when life was difficult that I could rely on my Camp friends to hold me up. And then I do think that your can't friends are unique in the sense. When you live in a cabin with people for two weeks. It's different than going to school, you know with kids wear. Home at night. Your Camp friends can really become your true friends. And so you rely on your friends and just make yourself the best you can be. And you've also much of your staff. Is there pretty young there were 15 16 17 and up. What is it like managing a staff of that age? So I think that's part of the that's part of the secret of not growing up not getting old. You know, I think when you surround yourself with young people, it's very nice helps you stay young yourself. But again, I think that we learn a lot at the end. CA our camp conventions and stuff that how to deal with this with people that are younger than you and what's happening in their lives and how things have changed and how we adapt to the way that Society is and what's happening in their lives and how can we relate to them? Because of course when I was a counselor things were you know, totally different and we didn't have cellphones and we had a flying on a plane was. Was something that you maybe did you know hadn't even done yet? As you know, it wasn't something so people are just so much more mobile and and have everything kind of at their fingertips were as I was looking it up in a dictionary or hooking up an encyclopedia. And so those things are different and so how we just interact and challenge our younger staff becomes important and we really want to try to relate as well as we can to them. And of course like I am an old fuddy-duddy. The inlay know that sometimes and they deal with it and I can learn so much from them, you know, and that's one of the fun things as they share, you know with me and and can help me grow as much as I can. So that's always helpful. How do you find that being being such a leader in a leadership training setting? How do you find you grow as a leader? So again, I am learning every day. I think that's one of the things that you no, you never stop learning. You can always just pick up little things when I'm reading and what I'm meeting other people were always, you know, talking about what Howard interact with the counselors and just setting up different training sessions and just having conversations with people but that I think to always be learning is really an important thing that work continually looking things up on the internet and trying to go to different sections and participate in things that we feel that will help us grow. And so for you you had mentioned that in the next couple of years you're planning on retiring. What do you think is next for you. So so I really want to do a little bit of World Service somehow and and so I'm trying to think about that. I really want to travel and reconnect with some of the international stuff that I've met throughout the years. So that's kind of a fun thing to think about I still will do some work with children somehow either volunteering at a school teaching people how to learn Read I think is such an important skill. My certainly I'm passionate about that and we'll think about doing that but just working I'll be doing something working with people. There's for sure and you know what not as my parents got older. I realized that I enjoy working with older people just as much as I enjoy working with five-year-olds, you know, so that they're certainly lots of opportunities out there to work with a variety of people and in variety of places. And so I just look forward to trying Um new things that's great. That's great. So what are do you have any last bits of advice for women in business looking to grow and develop themselves in their careers? I would just say again that I think sometimes with counselors your lot right now. A lot of times with counselors go undecided into school, you know their life element. I don't know what I want to do and I just think you know II try to say, you know, that's from the back. Thing it just gives you the opportunity to try different things and to just stretch yourself. And so again, I just encourage everyone to step outside the box and you know and not be afraid to just try something because you never know what you're going to find and then when you do have the opportunity to find something you're passionate about stay with it, you know to follow your passion and follow your dreams because I feel like you're so much more productive when you're doing something you love then when doing something that you might get paid a lot of money for and I think you know, that's one of those things where kids at work at Camp obviously. No because they don't make a lot of money but you let you love it and you feel passionate about it. And so to be able to have a job that you're passionate about is a really fantastic thing. So follow your dreams Follow Your Passion. Alright, and if you were to give somebody listening to this a homework assignment in getting their what would that look like a homework assignment would be to interact with as many people as you possibly We can you know, and don't be afraid. You know, I always encourage the staff to try and when you go to college, you know join some clubs do some things that you see that you think oh, you know, I think I'd like that but you're afraid to try it. So don't be afraid to you know, try new things. That would be my homework assignment. Try new things. Try new things by five new things in the next two or three months. All right, you heard it try five new things in the next two or three months and can find your passion and find your passion. Keep growing Jody. Thank you so much for being on May to be this has been such a pleasure talking with you and I really need it. Yeah, it's very fun for me to reconnect with YouTube Kristen. So thank you for your time. Maybe to be is a production of Philly made creative. We hope you enjoyed listening if you liked this episode subscribe on Spotify iTunes Google or anchor and stay tuned for future. So it's we come we come from have to go back to the mountain head turn World Round We Go.
Camp is a special place for those that were fortunate to be able to go to one. While each camp has its own special qualities, there is something common about all of them. It is an opportunity to explore, and to learn about yourself. The experience creates a lasting bond between people. For our host, and producer Kristen Berman, her camp experience at YMCA Camp Huckins was profound and has carried over into her career. There was a lot Kristen learned at  Huckins about responsibility, leadership, and creating a community. Learn how Jody Skelton went from being a camper to now Executive Director as she heads into her 50th year at camp. She has seen thousands of young girls transform and grow into powerful women over that time. Jody loves the great outdoors. She is full of life and love, and has a tremendous commitment to bringing the magic of camp to each new generation. ________ SUBSCRIBE on your favorite podcast platform including Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Google Play Music, Overcast, and more. This greatly helps others in finding the show. SIGN UP to receive emails when  episodes are published. 