Momentous Event: Interview with Taylor Mason

1. I polled 37 people on whether they have experienced a life-changing moment and 70%
said that they have. You were a part of the 26 that said yes, so what moment changed
your life?
TM: Working as a camp counselor and fully realizing how much I love kids.
2. What impact did this have on your mental health? Positive or negative? Why?
TM: Being a camp counselor was the best part of my summer. At my camp, counselors
only have their phones during breaks, so it is a great time to unplug and really give it
your all. Every kid comes in with different likes, dislikes, wants, and needs. You learn so
much about them in the short time that you meet, and I love being a positive role model
for them. Plus, you become awesome friends with your co-counselors. As far as my
mental health while being a camp counselor, I was thriving. Again, we did not have our
phones most of the time, so I did not have to worry about social media. Plus, at camp,
nobody cares if your hair is messed up or what clothes you wear. It is all about being
yourself, having fun, and making sure the kids have the best summer ever.
3. What did you learn by being a camp counselor and by working with kids?
TM: I helped teach arts and craft classes as well as ropes course classes, so I learned
how to harness the kids and do safety checks during each climb. I also learned how to
run the snack bar and serve hungry kiddos, which is a challenge. But I also learned a lot
about myself. I learned that being enthusiastic, giving 110% into everything that I do,
and going the extra mile is always worth it.
4. Was there a specific interaction that made you realize how much you love kids?
TM: The moment where it really hit me was with this one girl, who was probably in third
or fourth grade. She was doing a ropes element and got really scared, but I was able to
coach her through and she completed it. On the last day of her session, she gave me a
friendship bracelet to say thank you. That was the moment I knew I had made a positive
impact in her life and it was all worth it.
5. Is working with children what you want to do as a career? If so, did this experience
help you notice that?
TM: Yes, I would like to either teach elementary schoolers or middle school science.
Maybe one day I will get a PhD and conduct my own research with kids. But being a
counselor made me want to work with kids even more.

6. Have you worked with children outside of being a camp counselor? If so, please
elaborate.
TM: Yes, I have spent over 250 hours as a Harford Glen counselor, where I worked with
fifth graders. I am in the early childhood education pathway at school and I am the
master tutor for the program as well.
7. What is an important thing that working with children in a classroom has taught you?
TM: Besides all the child development theories and teaching techniques, being in the
working with children pathway has taught me to be flexible. Sometimes a lesson does
not go as planned and that is okay. It is all about catering to your students’ individual
needs.
8. Are there any meaningful stories from Harford Glen that have stuck with you?
TM: One of the most interesting stories I have from Harford Glen is when a girl dropped
her soap in the toilet, and I had to fish it out. But a meaningful story was with this one
girl. She was shy, so I tried to connect with her, and we wound up making our own
handshake. I knew that was special for her and made her feel safe. She is absolutely left
an impact on me and my outlook on life.

Taylor Mason (far right) at Camp Sandy Hill, 2019.