Mailan Nguyen
Business Manager
Mira Costa junior Sean Goodbody soars like an eagle by spending his last summer of high school as a camp counselor in a Boy Scout program, Camp Emerald Bay.
Learn more about Camp Emerald Bay.
Goodbody first started working at Camp Emerald Bay as a Boy Scout camper in 2013, and then returned in 2014 to work as a counselor in training, and came back again in 2015 as a camp counselor.
“I went there as a camper when I was thirteen and it just always seemed like a really fun thing for me to do, just being able to stay on a desert island,” Goodbody said. “Everyone on the staff seemed like they were all good friends, and it had all of the active outdoors stuff that I enjoy to do as well. If I thought it was fun as a camper, it’s ten times that as a staff member just being able to lead it and become in charge.”
Find out more about the Boy Scouts of America program.
Goodbody first applied for the camp counselor position in November and had his interview in January. At his first interview, he was very nervous and also worried about being underdressed, but felt confident that it went well, He said. Afterward, he was in a perpetual state of anxiousness waiting until March to hear back from them, but he was ecstatic when he heard back.
“Being a camp counselor is really fun because you are stuck with everyone in the camp for two months and although it might feel small, there is never a lot of tension like you would expect,” Goodbody said. “The environment is always very fun because it’s summer and no one really has anything that they would need to worry about.”
View photos of Camp Emerald Bay activities and Sean Goodbody.
Goodbody loved witnessing the entire camp being run by kids under the age of eighteen, he said. The greatest parts about camp for Goodbody was spending it with his friends, and making all the memories that they did while one thing that made being a counselor difficult was the early rising time which made for lack of sleep.
“I love the feel of the camp because it is my home away from home, everyone there acts like a big family since we are always helping each other and working together,” Costa junior Alex Jones said. “The counselors there do a fantastic job of setting a positive environment for everyone by making sure that all things run smoothly and Sean especially keeps everyone’s spirits up, while at the same time, ensuring everyone is on task and getting their respective jobs done.
This upcoming summer, Goodbody will work as a ranger at Camp Emerald Bay where he will be part of the Youth Protection Program. Counselors over the age of eighteen is prohibited so this will be his last summer here. Goodbody is looking forward to his last summer there and having the opportunity of being a leader for Camp Emerald Bay, he said.
“Overall, ever since I started working as a counselor for Camp Emerald Bay, every summer has been the best summer of my life,” Goodbody said. “Yes, it is hard work and yes, the customers demanding, but the impact I make on all of the kids and the friendships I form with other staff members, outweigh all of that.”
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