A New Perspective

In April of this year, I stepped into the role of Youth Program Manager at Black Diamond Camp. This position allows me to work closely with the Summer Staff in a leadership role unlike any I’ve had before. As I look back on this summer, it was amazing to see growth not only in the campers, but also in the staff I manage.  

One of my favorite parts of working with this year’s Summer Staff was seeing them be so inclusive of everyone. Despite the busyness summer brings, they took time to engage with each other and grow their friendships. I know without their willingness to serve and their seemingly unending joy towards the campers, summer wouldn’t have been possible.  

With this being my first summer in this role, I wasn’t on the frontlines of camp as much as I had been in the past. This gave me an incredible opportunity to help others succeed and take somewhat of a backseat. That’s not to say I wasn’t busy, but it was a time for me to learn I didn’t have to be the one to do everything just because I’ve done it before. I got to see the counselors engage with the students in ways that made them feel valued and loved, which helped me better understand the big picture of why we do what we do. This all made for a summer full of life change for the students, the counselors, and myself. 

– Tyler Petras, Youth Program Manager