Embedded Files
“Onas in the World” is a new series that highlights the ways Camp Onas stays with people throughout their lives. In this first installment, we hear about Alyssa Young’s journey from camper, to counselor, to Program Manager at KABOOM! Read about how Onas played a foundational role in Alyssa’s career path and personal growth.
Alyssa’s Camp Onas Journey
Alyssa’s Camp Onas Journey
Alyssa Young was a camper at Onas and worked on staff from 2008 to 2014. She began in the kitchen as a Camp Aid and held various positions, eventually becoming the Director’s Assistant on Senior Staff in her final year. Alyssa attended Westtown School for high school and earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology, with a minor in Education, from Bryn Mawr College.
Alyssa credits Camp Onas with helping her develop leadership, communication, problem-solving, adaptability, and resilience. Reflecting on her time there, she says,
“If I put my work experiences in order of priority on my resume, camp would be at the top. Camp people were best colleagues and they will forever remain my best colleagues,” Alyssa said. “There's just so many ways in which both campers and counselors develop leadership skills. From performing for the whole camp to leading a pioneer trip to gathering campers for cleaning crews.”
She also emphasized the importance of independence, “I think it's so important for kids to have the level of independence that they do at camp. Kids learn who they are at Onas because we let them be who they are. I love that kids pick their schedule every day—that's so good for their confidence and for them learning about themselves. And then, for people who continue to work on staff, that development and personal journey of self-discovery continues. Camp was such a transformative time for me.”
Working as a counselor deeply shaped Alyssa’s career path, “Being a counselor in a bunk—you have this deep personal relationship as the campers' caretaker. As a teacher, I wanted the kids to have phenomenal experiences to help them grow and develop. And the administrative work I did on senior staff was also an incredible opportunity to learn about how child-serving organizations work. The majority of my love for working with kids comes from my time at camp.”
a fake pioneer I helped coordinate for friends after we grew out of being on staff as counselors.
From Camp to Career
From Camp to Career
The summer after graduating college was the first time Alyssa didn’t return to Onas.
“Of course, I got an internship working with kids,” Alyssa said. “I worked in Cambridge, Massachusetts with an urban farming, agriculture, and food program for kids. It was a camp again! But my work was focused on the office.”
After that summer, she moved to New York to teach at an all-girls private school and later worked at Brooklyn Friends School. Eventually, Alyssa and her partner returned to the Philadelphia area, where she spent four years working at a Friends school before deciding to explore a new path.
When asked what the best part of being at Onas was, Alyssa didn’t hesitate. “It’s the people. I had the ability to connect with people who were older than me and younger than me. That was so formative to my experience. No matter where you are at camp, you're looking out for somebody younger than you. You're being guided and mentored by people who are older than you. Camp’s structure creates strong mentorship opportunities, leadership opportunities, and also strong friendships.”
It’s not just finding a career passion that has stayed with Alyssa– she’s also formed strong friendships from her time at Onas, “Some of my best friends are the people who I worked with at Camp and I'm so fortunate to have ties that are long lasting. I see my Camp friends being unofficial parents to my future children. They are people who will be a part of my life for forever.”
Her Work Today
Her Work Today
Alyssa is currently a Senior Program and Partnership Manager at KABOOM!, a nonprofit that partners with communities to build playspaces in areas where equitable access has been historically denied. Based in the Philadelphia region, she helps ensure that these playgrounds integrate learning opportunities and have stronger impacts on the children and families they serve.
Although Alyssa loved teaching, after eight years, she was ready for something new, “I was ready to push myself to try a new skill set. I felt I had skills that I wasn't utilizing in the classroom that I was interested in exploring. I was itching for more responsibility.”
One notable project Alyssa worked on is Play Everywhere, a grant program that funded 10 community groups in Philadelphia to build custom designed playspaces tailored to their community goals and outcomes.
“These playspaces are meant to be integrated into the unexpected, everyday locations across a city—maybe in commercial areas, community gardens, or even the sidewalk. It’s about creating play opportunities where kids already are.”
“I think if we get the whole kid thing right, we'll have a better society. Camp Onas really instilled that in me - it is core to my set of personal beliefs. I am grateful to Camp for teaching me that.”
She loves her work, “It's a fun job. I really feel like I won the lottery. Teaching was a joy and I love working with kids so much, but I feel like I really landed in a good place coming out of the classroom.”
“But,” Alyssa adds, “every summer comes around and I wish I was going down a tarp slip and slide with dish soap in the lower fields.”
Outside of her professional life, Alyssa lives in Germantown, Philadelphia with her partner, rescue dog Peppercorn, and cats Maeve and Hallie. In her spare time, she likes to play volleyball, cook and host her friends, and renovate her old home.
Did Camp Onas impact you and your life path? If so, email friends@camponas.org with the subject line "Onas in the World" to be featured in the series.
Did Camp Onas impact you and your life path? If so, email friends@camponas.org with the subject line "Onas in the World" to be featured in the series.
Page updated
Report abuse