Ashton Killilea: Putting Summer Camps In Play
Even when thunderstorms conspire against her, Ashton Killilea remains calm under fire.
Day one of Guilford's popular pre-school, youth, and teen travel camps, serving more than 200 kids, started off with just such wild weather on June 25. Ashton had to make a quick decision to keep Guilford's summer camps in play. Using Facebook and other contact methods, she informed everyone involved of a change of game plan, moving Camp Menunktatuck's capacity crowd of campers from Jacobs Beach to A.W. Cox School in time for the
8 a.m. start.
"Even though we had to move it and let all the parents know before the day started and it was crazy, the staff handled it," says Ashton, crediting her summer staff of directors, assistant directors, and counselors.
In fact, what this head of Guilford summer camp programming of three years (and, prior to that, Guilford Parks & Recreation college intern of two years) seeks in her leaders are "mini-me's," Ashton says, smiling.
"I want them to be organized and detail-oriented and to be able to have fun. Our staff members are fun-loving [and] energetic and they care about the kids' safety. I can't say enough about them."
Being organized helps Ashton in her work, "because this job requires so much!" she says.
Ashton revs up the Guilford camping program in December, when she's also working as Totoket Valley Before-and-After Care coordinator for the Town of North Branford.
"I start by reaching out to past employees," many of whom return and are promoted through the years, she says. "Month by month, there's a lot of planning and marketing, because we do have competition. Come March, we're interviewing and hiring and then we've got to begin training."
Ashton also developed the department's comprehensive summer season training manual, combining into one document requirements to be met by all summer employees, from gate guards to life guards and camp counselors and others.
"They have to be trained in areas including CPR, EpiPen use, and special needs," says Ashton, who invites CT SuperKids staff to town to give employees insightful special needs training.
A New Haven resident, Ashton first found Guilford Parks & Recreation in 2007 through her college intern program at Southern Connecticut State University. A recreation major, Asthon had experience as a camp counselor, director, and program organizer with the Town of New Britain, for which she also headed up concession sales and parking for regional athletic competitions at facilities including New Britain's Rock Cats stadium. She picked Guilford's offer over other towns', including Cheshire.
"The interview process had something to do with it," says Ashton, who interviewed with Parks & Recreation Director Rick Maynard. "I could have gone somewhere and been a camp counselor for my internship, but I'd already done that. I wanted to go into the office and learn the customer service side."
As an office intern, Ashton also instituted the popular Guilford Parks & Recreations beach and lake events.
"We have three throughout the summer. It's a public event with themes, like we've done Dr. Seuss and Finding Nemo. We have hot dogs, a DJ, face painting. Now, the new intern organizes them," says Ashton, who earned her degree in 2008 and was hired to run Guilford summer camp programming in 2009.
This year, Ashton's added her Rock Cats connections, lining up a special evening at the stadium on July 18. Guilford campers will arrive an hour ahead of game time for a barbecue and some special time at the field.
Back at the office, Ashton has the current intern shepherding Guilford's pre-school summer camps at the community center, while Ashton also meets regularly with the directors of
grade 7 through 9 Get Out, Way Out travel camp and elementary- through middle-school Camp Menunkatuck, Guilford's extremely popular outdoor day camp.
"I'm usually at camp every morning and afternoon," she says.
Camp Menunkatuck offers the outdoor setting of the Jacobs Beach playground and pavilion combined with "specialist areas" including arts and crafts, boating, nature, cooperative games, sports, and drama. Ashton, who loves offering events that help parents to feel informed and included, points to last week's "Day in the Life of a Camper," as just one way to pull parents into the camp experience.
"The parents participated in games and we had a barbecue. They want to feel a part of their kid's camping experience and we're good at that, whether it's just sending them daily updates or planning special events."