Alumnae Spotlight-Kate Wilson Washburn
My name is Kate, and I was a camper and counselor at CSR from 2008-2016. During my last two years working at camp, I was the head counselor of Summerplace (forever and always my favorite cabin at camp)! I grew up in Columbus, Georgia, and after working as an educator for several years, I recently graduated with my Master’s in Counseling and now work as a therapist. My husband, two pups, and I call Winston-Salem, North Carolina our home!
What makes Skyline special to you?
Camp Skyline has been a magical, restful, and invigorating place to me for so many years. The feeling of pulling up to camp each summer brought so much excitement and relief, and I still feel the same way when I visit as an adult. So much care and love from so many incredible people have made camp what it is, and I am honored to have been a part of that!
What is your favorite camp memory?
This is a hard one—I have so many! Sundays at camp were always so special to me. Sleeping in, doughnuts, a church service with beautiful songs, long rest hours for extra time on the porch, and Counselor Hunt to top it all off! That was always my favorite nighttime activity, as both a camper and a counselor. Being Waterfront Head during the drought of Summer 2016 was a wild adventure (re: all river- based water activities were closed), but I had so much fun getting creative with the other lifeguards. We did a big reveal every day for different activities that could make the pool more fun! Living in Summerplace for three summers! There were too many meaningful, funny, and/or wild memories to name, and I wouldn’t trade them for the world!
What life skills did you learn at camp?
Camp taught me so, so much. More than anything, I learned how to navigate new environments in an authentic way. I grew up in a close-knit community, and camp was my first experience being the “new kid” (in Summerplace, actually!). Learning to show up as myself at camp gave me the confidence to do so in later stages of life—in college, in the workplace, and beyond.
How has Skyline’s mission statement, “Enriching young girls in God, relationships and self”,impacted your life?
Camp taught me to live in an intentional, genuine way and to always be grateful for the love that surrounds me in my life. So much of my sense of self was fostered at camp thanks to the support and community I felt there. I also owe my career trajectory to Camp Skyline’s emphasis on relationships. At camp, I first realized how relationally-oriented I am, and during my first summer as a head counselor, I actually reached out to my college advisor to change my major to education while sitting in the Counselor Den! My time working with students was so meaningful and ultimately led me to pursue another helping profession: mental health counseling. I wouldn’t be the counselor I am today without first being a counselor at Camp Skyline! Thanks to CSR’s mission statement, I learned to live authentically and care for others with acceptance and warmth, and I am forever grateful.
