STAFF HIGHLIGHT:
Andi Jones This was Andi Jones’s first summer working at Camp Royall, but she brought a special understanding with her. Andi, a 20-year-old UNC-Greensboro junior, is also on the spectrum. “We loved having Andi on the team this summer,” said Camp Director Lesley Fraser. “She had an amazing ability to adapt to each of her campers’ needs.”
“Andi brought a calm presence and positive energy throughout the summer. She showed unconditional positive regard for all of her campers, and her love for them was clear.”
Andi said she felt truly connected with her campers Andi said working at Camp Royall taught her a lot and often ended up having heart-to-heart talks with about herself and other people. “I feel that I am a them. “It was so important to completely different person now them to find someone that they when I first arrived – more “Andi brought a calm than felt understood them,” she said. confident, empathetic, and secure presence and positive in the idea that I have found my Andi was able to relate to some purpose in life. This has been an energy throughout the absolutely amazing experience of her campers’ struggles and tell them that she, too, had been summer. She showed that I wouldn’t change for anything there. And like everyone at Camp in the world.” Royall, she provided acceptance. unconditional positive “I think it’s really important that At UNC-Greensboro, Andi is regard for all of her they have someone that they majoring in psychology and sign trust, who respects them for who campers, and her love language. She hopes to work as they are rather than trying to make a counselor for people who are for them was clear.” them be someone they’re not.” on the spectrum, are deaf, or are LGBT, saying she sees many “I love how Camp Royall manages to bring us all commonalities in those communities. She especially together – not only campers, or people on the admires the way people who are deaf see themselves spectrum, but each and every staff member or as part of a culture, not having a disability, she said. volunteer,” Andi said. “We are all one close-knit group They believe that they are entirely functional and of people, each of whom shares a common goal and is just need resources to succeed. in some way endeavoring to make the world a better place. I love when anything here manages to create Andi first came to Camp Royall on a service trip with a smile on the face of one of my campers, when they UNCG’s Office of Leadership and Service Learning and can truly feel like they fit in somewhere, or can be then worked at Mini Camps during the past year. She themselves without having to fear judgement.” also serves as vice president of an organization called Spectrum at UNCG, which does volunteer work and Lesley said Andi’s demeanor reassured her campers. fosters autism awareness and acceptance. 12 • Camp Chronicle 2017