Hailing from the great state of New Jersey, Tom is going to be a Junior Camp Counselor for the first time at the NAC this summer!
Tom has low vision and challenges with depth perception, but that hasn’t stopped him from experiencing all the wonderful activities we offer at the National Ability Center! Tom started skiing at Park City Mountain with the National Ability Center when he was 13 and in the past three years has attended eight camps throughout both summer and winter seasons.
Tom is currently a junior in high school and works at REI, he is looking to apply to college soon and plans to study something involving the outdoors!
This summer, rather than joining in the camps as a camper, Tom will be coming to us as a Junior Camp Counselor. He is very excited to experience camp from a different perspective while also participating in the awesome activities the National Ability Center has to offer.
We asked Tom a few questions to find out exactly why he keeps coming back year after year. Here’s what he had to say:
What is your favorite thing about Utah?
All of the outdoor activities that I am able to do with ease. Everybody is super friendly and accommodating!
What is your favorite thing about the NAC?
My favorite thing about the National Ability Center is that there are so many activities that a person can do, and we accommodate all skill levels and disabilities.
What is your favorite activity at camp?
My favorite activities at summer camp are archery and the challenge course and my favorite activities at winter camp are downhill skiing or rock climbing.
What is your biggest challenge, and how do you do manage this challenge?
My biggest challenge is my low vision but I am pretty good at adapting to my situation and asking for help.
What are you looking forward to most about being a camp counselor?
I want the experience from being a counselor and being able to help people in the camps. I am also still able to do most of the activities that the campers are doing, which is fun. If someone has any trouble with the activities I will most likely be able to help them.
What is the best advice you would give a new camper going away from home for the first time?
Be open to all situations and know that you can always call home. Once you get to camp you most likely won’t think about home that much because there are so many fun activities.
We are greatly looking forward to having Tom at camp assisting with camps as a junior counselor. We know that he will be great addition to the NAC team and be able to really help out those first time campers who are nervous about being away from home.
