There is a lot that goes into being a camp counselor, and we’re excited to have some of our campers and camp staff contribute valuable stories to our blog. This week, Claudia Pietrus shares with us her experience undergoing Lifeguard Training, and everything she has learned about what getting her certification really means.
My name is Claudia, and I’ve been coming to camp since I was eight years old; it really is my home away from home! This week, I’m here for Lifeguard Training , and it’s a lot of work, but insanely rewarding. Knowing that I’m learning skills that’ll save someone’s life someday is worth any amount of daily buoy swims.
I’ve been wanting to do LGT since the age of thirteen, so I signed up this year as soon as I heard program sign-ups were out. Camp has given me a lot of skills to aid in my own survival, but now I can use them to help others, too. Someday, I hope to work as a lifeguard in a local lake or at the YMCA. I decided that I’d definitely rather go through certification surrounded by friends in one of my favorite places than swimming fifty meters twenty times in a chlorinated pool.
This week has been a ton of fun, even if I felt like I was eating six servings of dinner every time I exited the lake. I can feel myself being able to do more and more every day and learning so many things–I love it! This feels like I’m really gaining valuable skills with the added bonus of being at camp.
I’m with a great group of seven, and I’ve quickly made new friends. Fresca is super cool, and Tippy is very helpful. She believes that all of us can succeed, and that makes us believe that we can too. Thanks for reading!
Girl Scouts Heart of NJ 