Staff of 2019: Returning Counselors and New Counselors
Saturday, June 15th, 2019
RETURNING COUNSELORS:
Reid Thor
I am a 22 year old student at Florida State University, and am the Vice President of the Buddhist Student Association there! I am an artist that loves nature and music more than anything in the world, having grown up on the beach with artists throughout my family. Every chance I get I will wear a tropical shirt because of their comfort and my love for flowers. What excites me most about camp is getting to lead my team into the battle we call Capture the Flag (you’ll never see me more excited), and what eases my mind is to know that I will be able to be on a paddleboard at our beautiful waterfront once again.
I am excited to come back to camp for my second time ever and be able to help make camp the most positive experience that we will all have in our young lives!
Lucia Sicius
Hi everyone!! My name is Lucia! This will be my third year returning as a counselor at Birch Hill, the happiest place on earth! I am originally from the great land of Miami, Florida. I am so excited for all the magic this summer will bring, especially out on the water (boat staff wooooohooo!).
I just recently graduated from Florida State University in May where I studied biology. Needless to say, I am ready for some tender, fun, and beautiful moments with everyone at camp.
Besides boats boats boats, I love jamming out, hanging with friends, sports (especially soccer), and traveling as much as possible. After this summer I’ll be moving to Colorado!! I can’t wait to see everyone and meet all the new additions to this beautiful family.
Connor Huydic
Hi everyone! My name is Connor Huydic and this will be second summer as a counselor at Camp Birch Hill. I am currently entering my senior year at the University of Connecticut while studying pollical science and history with the ultimate aspiration to attend law school next year and one day become a lawyer. In my free time I am an avid soccer referee which I have been pursuing for seven years now, and enjoy doing almost any sporting activity outside with my friends and family. Last year was my first summer at camp and I can’t wait to be back. I’m especially excited to be out on the boats with you all waterskiing and wakeboarding, and I cannot wait for the start of evening programs (EP) this summer and all the fun camp wide games that are planned. I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of familiar faces this summer and meet a lot of new people as I have no doubt we’ll all have a great time. Looking forward to seeing you all at camp soon!
Chris Evers
My name is Chris Evers and this will be my 4th year at Birch Hill. I am 22 years old and live in Franklin, Massachusetts. I enjoy music, disc golf, and traveling whenever and wherever I can. I am currently an undergrad at Champlain College, wherein I am working towards a career in secondary education. Here at camp I primarily teach archery, as well as doing a colorful variety of other activities found around the grounds. The latter including spending time on the water, sporting it up on the fields, playing music, and reading under various shady trees. This summer I am most excited to spend time with all the friends that I have made here, and to also make friends with so many new faces. What inspires me in life is the opportunity to give and to learn from all those I meet, and camp is perfect for that.
Alex Crompton
This will be my third summer working at camp, and I am very much looking forward to being back at the place that brings me so much joy and fulfillment. Seeing familiar faces of the campers I have come to know and love gets me most excited about spending the summer at camp. I am a member of the soccer team and dance ensemble at Babson College, and my major is entrepreneurship. When I am not at camp, I enjoy adventuring around my home state of Vermont, and spending quality time with my friends, and watching Game of Thrones, Survivor, The Amazing Race and Jeopardy James. My favorite meal is anything that you would find on a kids menu, specifically chicken fingers, burgers, and fries. Over spring break, I went to Spain with my friends from college, and I had a blast exploring the country culture and enjoying the excellent cuisine! Some of my talents include, juggling, dancing, singing, athletics, and extreme uno. I love making others happy, and camp is the perfect place where I am able to be myself and foster happiness throughout my cabin. I cannot wait to be back, and I am excited for all of the new faces and memories that this summer will bring!
Chad Olivieri
My name is Chad Olivieri and I could not be more excited to come back to camp again this summer!! I’m from Nashua, New Hampshire and I’m a student at Boston College studying elementary education. During the year I love to hike, run, play any sport with a ball, and generally get outside as much as possible. It’s hard to narrow down what I’m most excited about this summer, but I’d say EPs and playing basketball all day long are up there. My favorite camp meal is definitely taco Tuesday, with burgers and fries at a close second. The most underrated spot at camp is the railing going into cabin 4.
Betsy Samber
Hey Birch Hillers!! I’m Betsy, and this will be my second year as a counselor! I was a camper for 5 years and I just graduated from UCLA with a degree in Environmental Studies. The thing I’m most excited for now that I’m done with school is to be back at camp! I love yoga, hiking, filmmaking, traveling, and just generally being outside and being creative. The craziest thing I did this year was spend a month camping in the Amazon! Some of my favorite camp activities are paddle boarding, jewelry making, and jumping on the water tramp! I can’t wait for lip syncs and capture the flag, and to see all the campers, new and returning! Let’s have the best summer ever! Yahoo!!!
Sarah Van Ells
Hello! My name is Sarah and I cannot wait to be back at Camp Birch Hill this summer! This will be my second year as a counselor, after several summers as a camper here. I am originally from Westchester, New York, and currently am a rising junior at UMass Amherst where I study Music Education and Voice Performance. At school I am a part of several clubs, including the UMass Theatre Guild, where I music directed my first show this past spring. In my free time I love to travel, pick up a new instrument, or enjoy great meals with great people. Looking forward to another fantastic summer at my home away from home!!! YAHOO!!!
Eevi Saari
Hey guys!
My name is Eevi and I’m one of the international counselors at Camp Birch Hill this year. I’m from Finland and I’m 19 years old, so I just graduated high school this June. This will be my second summer at Camp Birch Hill and I couldn’t be more excited to come back!
At camp I’ll be teaching mostly arts and crafts and probably some other fun classes. I’m super into art, music, traveling and foreign languages. Now that I’m done with my studies I will take a couple years just to work abroad, travel and experience life. Coming back to camp is the perfect way to start the adventure.
Can’t wait to see everyone at camp!
Bliss Rose
Hey I’m Bliss! I live in Tallahassee, Florida and I LOVE CAMP because it’s a place where everyone can be themselves and make new friends. I was a camper from 2009-2012 and a counselor in 2016, so I’m thrilled to be back at Birch Hill this summer as a counselor and mindfulness activity staff. I just graduated from undergrad at Florida State University, and I work as a nurse assistant in the off season because I enjoy taking care of people. I love hiking, smelling flowers, writing poetry, hula hooping, and singing camp songs. The waterfront at camp is my favorite place, where the rolling hills in the distance welcome you to splash and play! I’m so excited to meet my campers and have the best summer ever!! MLIBH ️ YAHOO!
Mitzi Wiggin
Hey there! My name is Mitzi and this will be my third year as a counselor at Camp Birch Hill. I am super excited for another fabulous year of fun and adventure!!! I am a Neuroscience major at Wellesley College with a minor in Education. I’ve been a summer camp kid my whole life so this time of year always gets me excited to be outside and do cool and fun activities. I’m a music lover, but I don’t play any instruments. In my spare time I love to play field hockey, dance, take road trips, go to concerts, and spend quality time with friends and family. This year has been full of fun adventures for me, I traveled to Sri Lanka, England, and Spain to visit friends and eat good food. I am so excited for another great summer at Birch Hill!!!
Max Penzo
My name is max penzo I am 19 years old and this is going to be my second year as a counselor at camp birch hill. Last year I was a cabin one counselor and I taught many land sports such as football, dodgeball, and street hockey. I also had the opportunity to teach paintball and archery. This year I currently was undecided as to what I wanted to do but in the fall I will start taking first responder classes. I currently live at home in Essex, Vermont while working full time. I really look forward to coming back to camp this year and working/teaching with all these amazing people!
Emily Greco
Hey everyone! My name is Emily Greco and this is gonna be my eighth year at Camp Birch Hill (second as a counselor). I started coming to camp when I was 9 years old and haven’t stopped since. I’ve continued to come back because Camp Birch Hill is so uniquely special, there’s truly something for everyone. Whether you’re prefer making pottery, or mountain biking, or both! Birch Hill is a place you can try it all. I loved being a counselor last year and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else with my summer. I’m a lifeguard and I love all things water related, so don’t be surprised if I live in my bathing suit, and set up camp at the waterfront.
I’m going to be a Sophomore at the University of Miami School of Nursing. I love Miami, but right now its too hot and I can’t wait to escape to New Hampshire for the summer. I love to swim and sing and all around be silly. I can’t wait for fireworks, lip-syncs, capture the flag, and everything else. I’m packing my towels and practicing my camp songs! I can’t wait to see all you magical people soon!
Sophia Rogers
Hey, I’m Sophia! I’m from New Rochelle, New York and I am so pumped to come back to CBH for my second year as a counselor! I was a camper at Birch Hill between 2012 and 2014. As a counselor in 2018, I taught acting and improv as well as sailing at the Waterfront. I can’t wait to be back at Camp and teaching those and other classes as well as working on the Yahoo Times and Camper of the Day! I have grown up sailing and kayaking on Long Island Sound with my family. I have been in plays and musicals and have been studying acting/improv since elementary school. I am currently studying Acting at the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU where I also write and perform sketch comedy. But the urban jungle of NYC doesn’t compare to the beauty of New England. I can’t wait to be back up in New Hampshire this summer. Nothing beats spending weeks at CBH. I have also traveled throughout the United States and to a number of different countries in Europe and the Americas. My favorite place on Earth is Edinburgh, Scotland and I’ll actually be studying abroad not too far from there, in London, England for my fall semester. Some of my favorite experiences have been hiking in the mountains along the border between Poland and Slovakia, and in the Picos de Europa in northern Spain. Back in high school, I had amazing outdoor experiences such as snorkeling and ziplining in Costa Rica, sailing and spearfishing (for dinner) in the Bahamas. I like trying new things so I even tried to learn how to surf in San Diego, emphasis on tried! I also paint landscapes of places I have been or want to visit, as a hobby. I am an animal lover: I have two cats at home and I love looking for frogs at Camp, and of course playing with the Camp dogs. I’m excited for Camp Birch Hill and its amazing activities and unique evening programs after dinner, whether it is a fun game or fireworks on the Fourth of July. I think one of the best parts of Camp that I cannot wait for is seeing all the smiling faces a the beginning and end of each day!
Lily McLean
Hi guys, my name is Lily and I’m 20 years old and come from a place called Ballarat, all the way down in Victoria, Australia. This will be my second year as a camp counsellor. I honestly can’t wait to see everyone again and have another great summer! What makes me most excited about camp, is that I get to spend my time on a boat, having a ball driving kids around on tubes and wakeboards. Seeing the campers have the time of their lives is the best feeling, knowing that you are the one who has contributed to their experience.
In the off season I’m usually just working at a fruit and vegetable shop or playing soccer and hanging out with friends. Recently I travelled to Canada for 3 months to get my level 1 snowboard instructor certificate, which was outrageously fun but was absolutely freezing.
I love to travel around the world, it’s one of my passions and because of it, I have been to so many places, from Dubai to Europe to America. One of my favourite places I’ve been to, would have to be Hawaii, I just love the beach and the hot weather. At my beach back home, we like to take the boat out and go fishing for calamari, tubing and when it’s not rough, we even go wakeboarding!
Looking forward to the best summer ever!
Drew Perry
My names Drew Perry and this is my second year as a councilor at Birch Hill and I can’t wait to be back! Last year I was a cabin 10 counselor and taught cannoe/kayak, golf and high ropes.
I have a degree in Adventure Leadership and Photography from Northern Vermont University and I’m a certified canoe instructor through the American Canoe Association.
I currently reside in the wonderful state of Vermont with my fiancé Sabrina in a small town called Milton.
Outside of camp I am a flooring specialist for the Home Depot where I do custom flooring designs for customers. In my free time I enjoy using my photography skills from college to photograph tile from around the world to share on Instagram.
I look forward to seeing all my campers from last year and meeting everyone new!
Caroline Lafleche
Hi! I’m Caroline and you could say I’m a lifer at this here Camp Birch Hill. I was a camper who grew up to be a counselor for my first summer in 2015. I had a brief hiatus sadly but this will be my third summer as a counselor. You could also say that I just can’t stay away, which you would be correct.
This past spring I graduated from Tulane School of Architecture with my Masters degree and am starting a job in residential architecture this coming fall in Boston. When my life does not revolve around architecture school, I enjoy eating, running around, frolicking, and hanging with my dog, Lola. At camp, you will mainly find me on the BOATS, but will also find me being very spirited at every evening program. If you enjoy glitter, I am your girl. I am BEYOND excited to be returning to camp and cannot wait to see new and old faces at my favorite place on earth.
Tatiana Gonzalez
Hello Birch Hill! I am so excited to come back for another summer (even though I will only be returning for one session.) My name is Tatiana Gonzalez, and this will graciously be my second year at camp. My first year at camp was genuinely a life changing experience in more ways than one, but most importantly because it reminded me of the joy and adventure that we are all supposed to keep within our hearts. This attitude is exhibited by the directors, the counselors, and most importantly, the campers.
I currently reside in South Florida with my nuclear family, but my rich heritage stems from Puerto Rico, where the rest of my family lives.
I recently graduated from Florida State University studying Biology and Psychology, hoping to, in the future, continue my education to become a clinical neuropsychologist. However, in the meantime I’ve decided to take some alternative routes that will elevate my own experience before I commit to such a task. Part of this experience included teaching English abroad in Chile for 5 months, which provided me a handful of lessons, one being that travel is one of the most useful forms of self discovery and intuitive wonder. I hope that was only the beginning to a life long adventure.
Some hobbies I enjoy include reading, writing, playing and listening to music, spending time in the outdoors, taking photos, admiring Nature, yoga, connecting with others, and chatting about all of the things that happen within this life.
My favorite quote, which I feel reveals a lot about my perspective of life, is: “It is all one vast awakened thing. I have learned this from starting at mountains for months on end.” My favorite book being “Women Who Run With the Wolves”, which also says a lot about me. (Also, every one should read it.)
I am a certified lifeguard so you will possibly see me at the water front teaching paddle boarding, amongst other water activities, along with yoga, Nature studies and variety of other classes.
I am looking forward to connect with you all and to participate in your memory of an unforgettable summer.
Much love and, as always, Yahoo!
Liam Hardacker
Hi my name is Liam, I am 20 years old, and am a rising junior at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. I study sociology and political science with the intention of probably focussing in law. This will be my second year as a counselor. Previously, I had been a camper at Birch Hill for four years and absolutely loved it! Camp is an amazing place where you can truly be accepted by everyone and make lasting and meaningful friendships. At school, I love being active and playing any sport that I get the chance to play. I am the captain of the ultimate frisbee team and I often play basketball and spikeball. Additionally, I also love water sports including wake boarding and wake skating. Camp has lasting effects on the people it touches and I can confidently say that my love for ultimate frisbee and playing for 8 years was caused and reinforced by camp. I love camp! I am so excited and cannot wait for what is in store for Birch Hill this summer!
Jacob Logan
Hi everyone! My name is Jacob and this will be my third year as a counselor at Camp Birch Hill. I just finished up my freshman year at Southern New Hampshire University where I am studying Graphic Design & Media Arts, and I’m also a member of the Cross Country team. Some activities that I love include running, creating/listening to music, going on any adventure that is presented, and water-skiing. I am looking forward to spending a lot of time at the high ropes course, taking out a sailboat at the waterfront, and singing camp songs at cove. I can’t wait to meet you all and have another amazing summer at Birch Hill!
Max Crockett
NEW COUNSELORS
Will Corkhill
Hi everyone! My name is Will Corkhill and I’m from Wellesley, Massachusetts. I am currently a rising Sophomore at Villanova University. At Villanova I’m studying communications and play on the club soccer team. This is my first year being a counselor at Camp Birch Hill, but I attended camp for 5 years. I’m most excited about just coming back to camp as it was my favorite few weeks of each year when I was younger! When I’m not at camp I love to hike, play soccer, listen to music, and spend time with my family and friends. I also have three siblings and a yellow lab named Wyatt. My favorite meal at camp is the Taquitos and my favorite camp activity is foxes and hounds. I’m super excited to be back at camp, reconnect with old friends, and can’t wait to meet all the campers!
Peter Cowell
My name is Peter Cowell and this is my first year working at Camp Birch Hill! I’m English but I currently live in Melbourne, Australia and I can’t wait to fly over to New Hampshire. I will be working as a Tennis Councillor and hope to get involved with football (soccer) at camp as well. I am a fourth year student of Maths and Economics at Monash University in Australia and in my spare time I am always playing sport. Looking forward to meeting you all, Peter.
Jess Reynolds
Hi everyone! My name’s Jess and I’m from Melbourne all the way down in Australia.I’m 20 years old but I’ll be turning 21 at camp. This will be my first time at camp birch hill and my first time in America too. I’m so excited to meet everyone at camp and especially to meet the horses. I’m looking forward to getting away from Melbourne winter (it rains a lot) and have some fun on the water. I’m in my second year at Monash university where I study developmental biology and genetics and I hope to be a science teacher when I graduate. In my free time I love going out on the river behind a boat and skiing or wakeboarding. I’ve been dancing since I was a little kid and especially love ballet and jazz. I love to eat and I’m looking forward to the food at camp almost as much as all the activities. Can’t wait for this exciting summer!
Clayton Coleman
Howdy! My name is Clayton Coleman and growing up I split my time between Los Angeles, California and Kalamazoo, Michigan. While on a school trip to Peru I met a veteran counselor who told me all about camp and I was sold. I’m a lover of all things outdoors, but there’s a special place in my heart for rivers and lakes. After growing up kayaking, swimming and fishing and exploring the forests of Michigan, I know I’ll be right at home!
I have almost a decade of gymnastics and cheerleading experience, and I’m excited to share what I know with all the campers. Running and arts and crafts are also a couple of my favorites, although I think you can enjoy almost any activity if you go in with a positive attitude! I studied political science and conservation biology at UCLA, and I plan to build a career that allows me to focus on what I love most: helping people find joy in being outdoors and engendering an appreciation for nature.
Marta Maza
Hi all! My name is Marta Maza and I am 21 years old. I’m from Barcelona, Spain and I’m studying Audiovisual Communication at the Ramón Llull – Blanquerna University. This is my first year at Birch Hill and I can’t wait to get started and meet the other counselors and the campers. I think it will be a unique and unforgettable experience.Photography and video are the things I love the most. They are my main hobby and I invest all my free time on them, as my future dream is to introduce myself as a professional photographer. People always say that I’ll end up marrying my camera!Apart from my creative side, I play soccer with my friends in a weekly game (we’re not that bad!), I dance since I was a little girl and, when stressed out, I put my headphones on and disconnect from this world.I love the sea, I could spend hours looking at the horizon, which I can often do, living in a Mediterranean city. But that does not mean I do not like the mountain, whenever I can I escape to the Pyrenees and I get lost in the woods with my friends and, of course, my camera.If you see me with the camera say CHEEEEEESE 🙂
Avery Dichter
Hey! My name is Avery Dichter. I’m from the little town of Dunstable, Massachusetts (though we’re in the midst of moving this summer all of 30 minutes away). I’m a rising sophomore at Colorado College and am on the rugby team there. I love science and plan on majoring in molecular biology. During high school I played field hockey, lacrosse and alpine ski raced. I love reading, photography and baking. Another big hobby of mine is traveling and exploring new places. My dream is to visit all seven continents. I love everything about the outdoors so being in Colorado this past year has been amazing with all the mountains, hiking, camping, and other cool activities around. This is my first year at Camp Birch Hill, and though I was never a camper here, I did spend my summers at sleep away camp when I was younger. I’m so excited to return to the amazingness that is camp and can’t imagine it’ll take long for me to feel at home!
Savannah Salitsky
I’m Savannah and this is my first year returning to Birch Hill to be a counselor! I attended Birch Hill as a camper for 9 years, and it was the absolute highlight of my youth, so I’m ecstatic to be back. This summer, I am excited to teach dance and work on the water front, as well as help my cabin bring their A-game for cabin cheers and lip syncs. During the year, I am a student at the University of Vermont studying health sciences, gender studies, and Spanish. I hope to travel abroad to Barcelona this upcoming year, and ultimately would love to work in women’s healthcare globally. While at school, I enjoy skiing, hammocking, and hanging out on Lake Champlain. My favorite thing in the world (besides camp) is my dog Hollie, named after Billie Holiday. Although I’ll miss her this summer, I’m certain returning to camp will be beyond worth it, and I can’t wait to meet everyone!
Idel Mena
Hi, hello, how are you? My name is Idel Mena. I am graduating this summer from Florida State University with Bachelors of Arts in Studio Art concentration in Photography. I’ve lived in Miami, FL for most of my life but I am originally from Cuba. I like to live an active lifestyle trying to swim, or hike, or honestly anything that is outside at least every other day. I am very interested in non profit worked and have worked in that system for about three years now. My absolute favorite thing in the world is traveling. The idea of getting to know a culture and it’s people first hand is a concept that still amazes me constantly. I’ve gotten to travel quite a bit in my time in school and can’t wait to be an avid traveler for the rest of my life. I am so excited for this summer, and to be able to create spaces where we could have safe fun. A day without laughter is a day wasted to me, so bringing positivity to anywhere I am is usually my top priority!
Soledad González de Gor
Hi! My name is Soledad González de Gor, but I like to be called Sole and I´m 19 years old. I´m from a very nice city in Spain called Málaga, but now I’m living in Madrid for a few years while completing my studies of Medicine.
I went to Birch Hill as a camper in 2012 and 2013, and as CIT in 2014. I can say that since that moment I can’t wait to come back to camp as a counselor and make the summer of those children, as these summers were for me.
I have already worked as a counselor in a spanish camp where I have discovered how much I like sports and, specially, how much I like to spend time with children. If I had to say my favorite sport it would be soccer, but I love water sports, golf and ping pong too, without forgetting other activities of camp such as jewelry or fun with cooking.
I am very familiar and a good friend of mines, so every time I’m not studying I like to do plans with them. I have two older brothers. One of my favorite things on Earth is to see the sunset or the stars farway from the city. After reading this, I think all of you can imagine why I love so much camp and can’t wait to be there again. #mlibh!!!
Machaela Wiggin
I am a first time camp counselor at Camp Birch Hill! I was a camper at Camp Huckins (an all girl’s camp) and many soccer camps in the past. I was a psychology major and gender studies minor at Mount Holyoke College (a traditionally women’s college) where I played varsity soccer and sang in an acapella group. I recently re-discovered my love for skiing and I love to read, especially in the summer outside in the shade. I even used to read up in a tree in my grandmother’s backyard! Fun fact about me, I recently checked off all but one continent on my passport from when I was 15 to now. I am SO excited to be spending the summer here at Camp Birch Hill, particularly for the paddle boarding and swimming we will all get to do on the lake!
Haven Rose
Hey Birch Hillers, my name is Haven Rose and I’m so incredibly excited to be a counselor this summer! I’m a rising sophomore at Florida State University where I study civil engineering and like to play Spikeball, or jam Kendama in my free time. In high school I spent my afternoons rowing competitively on the Saint Lucie River in southern Florida, where I developed a passion for the outdoors. At camp you can catch me down at the waterfront where I’ll be life-guarding and adventuring around the lake 🙂 . Learning and teaching new games is one of my favorite pastimes so be prepared to have fun! Cracking jokes is my specialty whether I’m on sailboat or tossing the baseball. I basically grew up at Birch Hill over seven consecutive summers, and I am looking forward to channeling my inner camp enthusiasm once again! YAHOO!!
Andrea Wilson
Hi, my name is Andrea Wilson, but most people call me Andi. I’m 23 years old and am originally from Edenton, North Carolina. Growing up I spent lots of time at the beach or at the barn, fostering my passion for horses and the outdoors. I’ve always loved working with horses and children, and have spent summers working at 4H camps and other overnight camps in North Carolina. I began my college career at Virginia Intermont College as an Equine and Psychology major, but had to rethink my plans when the college closed after my freshman year. I took a gap year, and spent my time traveling the east coast working at professional barns. I finally made my return to school at UNC Pembroke as an English Education major. These days I spend my spare time at the barn or reading a new book. I am beyond excited to spend my summer at Camp Birch Hill and work with both the campers and horses!
Adam Salyer
I’m Adam! I’m from St. Louis, Missouri and this is my first year with Camp Birch Hill. I was a camper for four summers with 4-H. I’ve played soccer almost all my life and love being outdoors. Im most excited to experience summertime in a new place! I will be studying Communications at SNHU in the fall.
Dayron Sanchez
My name is Dayron and I am a fourth-year student at The Florida State University. I am currently studying environmental science and have a passion for anything that involves nature. I enjoy traveling all over the world, last year I traveled to eleven countries and two states. I also love to hike and fish whenever I get the chance. I am a foodie and will eat almost anything if it means trying something new. This is my first year at Camp Birch Hill team and I am so excited to meet the campers as well as my fellow team.
Cowan McCormick
Hey everyone! My name is Cowan and this is going to be my first summer working as a counselor at Birch Hill. However, this will be my tenth summer in total as I spent 8 of the best summers of my life as a camper and another in the teen adventure program. I have been looking forward to returning for a few years and can’t wait to make this the best summer yet.
I just finished my freshman year at Villanova University where I am studying Civil Environmental Engineering. I love the outdoors and want to dedicate my career to working towards a more sustainable future. I grew up playing lots of sports like soccer, lacrosse, and basketball so I decided to join the Club Ultimate Frisbee team at school. In my free time I also love to ski, hike, wakeboard, and play the great sport of roundnet. Music is another passion of mine and I love going to concerts or music festivals. I’ve played the bass clarinet since 4th grade and have been working this summer to teach myself how to play the guitar, but I have not made much progress if you ask my family who has to listen to me every day. I am leaving my job of 4 years at a local apple orchard to spend the summer at Birch Hill and am very excited to continue working outdoors. I can’t wait to meet everyone and start making memories!
Elayna Bennett
Hello! My name is Elayna Bennett and I’m 19 years old. I’m from Portsmouth, NH, but next fall I’ll be living in Saratoga Springs, NY and attending Skidmore College as a Psychology major. This is my first year being a counselor, but not my first time at CBH! I was a camper for four years and have nothing but the fondest memories of learning dances for the lip sync, bonfires at cove, and hunting down Rich for ice pops! Since being a camper I discovered my love for the sport of ultimate frisbee. When I was younger I bounced around from soccer to field hockey to softball, but by my sophomore year I finally discovered what all other sports were missing… a plastic disc! Frisbee has been a huge part of my life since I joined my high school team, and I can’t wait to continue playing in college, and share my love for the sport at CBH!
When I’m not playing frisbee I enjoy drawing, painting, playing the ukulele, reading, and cooking. I recently went vegetarian and have the best time trying to emulate my favorite meat dishes (I particularly love making tacos with Trader Joe’s beefless beef). There is actually a good chance if you go to my local Trader Joe’s you will find me there skimming the aisles and trying the free samples! I’m also most content when I’m outdoors. As soon as the weather’s nice I can’t get enough sunshine, and find any excuse to be under the sun, from biking to hiking to swimming. I’m beyond excited to be back at CBH this summer and can’t wait to meet everyone!!
Cedar Williams
HI everyone my name is Cedar Williams. I am 19 years old and from Annapolis Maryland. I’m currently living in DC however and plan to be here for the next few years. I am a rising Sophomore at American University majoring in Political Science and minoring in music theory. I had been a camper for six years and was so excited when I heard I could become a counselor. Birch Hill holds a very special place to me and I’m excited to get to experience yet another BH summer. My interests include sailing, all sports, playing and listening to music, hiking, traveling and many more. I just recently got back from a trip in Northern Africa and also Italy. I hope to make this a great summer and am super excited to meet everyone this year!
Danielle Giachos
Hello fellow camp folks:) My name is Danielle Giachos, I’ll be new to camp this summer, but it already feels like home. Some of the coolest people I know (shoutout to Tati, Bliss, Reid, & Lucia) have convinced/recruited me to join the magic that is camp and I couldn’t be more excited, this is going to be quite an amazing summer=) A little bit about me, well, I graduated from Florida State University in December with a degree in Biology and Psychology and throughout college had the privilege of working in a few Neuropsychology labs, one of which, studied the alpha brain waves of patients with trait anxiety using an EEG. Don’t mean to bore, but I do have a passion for studying the mind and it’s intricacies. It’s crazy how little we actually know:o Something I’d say I am truly inspired by is the power of human connection, two minds coming together to reach a place beyond what they could have reached on their own. I’m looking forward to making lasting connections at camp and learning something new from each person, every day. In my free time you’ll catch me either doing yoga, reading, journaling, meditating, creating/art-ing, playing with a hoop, experimenting in the kitchen, or snuggling with my cat :3, most of which I prefer to do out in nature. I also love to travel and explore new places. After camp, Tatiana and I plan to take a cross-country road trip out west, hike and camp at some national parks, and hopefully work on a farm! There are many exciting things around the corner and I am currently overflowing with gratitude and immense joy just thinking about it all…see you all at Birch Hill!
Gabriela Manzano
Hello!My name is Gabriela but everyone calls me Gaby and or Gabster. This will be my first year at Camp Birch Hill and I’m so excited! I’ve always wanted to go to camp but never got the chance. I’ll be living out my 12 year old dream this summer!I finished up my junior year of college in SUNY Oswego. I study TESOL there and plan to travel the world with my degree. I’m from New York City but plan to leave it as soon as possible. My dream is to have a little farm with horses, cows, and goats. I think I’m headed towards Washington, but who knows!
I’ll be spending most of my time in the barn which I’m super excited for. I’ve been on my schools’ equestrian team for the past 3 years riding western and one year English.I can’t wait to meet everyone and hopefully make lifelong friends and memories. I’ll see you all soon and I can’t wait for an amazing summer!!!
BRYAN BEAN
Hey everybody! My name’s Bryan Bean and I’m from Kingston, Massachusetts. I just finished up my third year studying computer science and math at UMass Lowell, and hope to pursue postgraduate opportunities sometime soon. More markedly, this will be my first year as a counselor at Camp Birch Hill!
I’ll be starting camp alongside my cousins Miriam and Macheala Wiggin, and Machaela’s boyfriend Adam Salyer.
In my free time you could probably catch me playing board games or video games or watching weird movies with my friends. I’m also pretty into cooking; I love making things I’ve never tried before. I play a decent bit of racquetball too, and hike whenever I can. I’m excited to get outside for a while and am really looking forward to
getting to know you all!