Director Jud's Blog

My name is Melissa Mooradian, I spent my first summer at Stone Mountain Adventures Teen Summer Camp when I was 12 years old.  I was a camper at SMA Teen Camp for four summers, from 2005-2008, and the three and a half weeks I spent at SMA each summer changed me dramatically.  They helped me build confidence, learn to overcome fears, and embrace the challenge of new activities.  As a small timid 12 year old, I was terrified of most of the “adventure activities” offered at camp.  My first time white water rafting down the Youghiogheny River, I cried so hard before getting on the river that my counselors almost didn’t make me go.  I’ve rafted that river 8 times now, successfully leading my own boat of campers down the river this summer. Stone Mountain Adventures Teen Summer

My name is Melissa Mooradian, I spent my first summer at Stone Mountain Adventures Teen Summer Camp when I was 12 years old.  I was a camper at SMA Teen Camp for four summers, from 2005-2008, and the three and a half weeks I spent at SMA each summer changed me dramatically.  They helped me build confidence, learn to overcome fears, and embrace the challenge of new activities. 

Stone Mountain Adventures also taught me to embrace life in the purest way.  To be positive in everything I do and to have fun with everything I do.  Most importantly I think, I was surrounded by adult staff members who truly cared about me and my well being.  The staff at SMA Summer Camp for Teenagers weren’t afraid to be themselves, to dress up in crazy outfits when running a lemonade stand for charity, to dance around the dining hall while doing dishes.  They also took a special interest in me and allowed for times of more serious connection and conversation.  Their support allowed all of the other growth to happen and I am grateful for them to this day.  The counselors at SMA Teen Camp were some of my greatest role models and as I camper I dreamed of one day returning to camp in their position.

And thankfully my dream came true this past summer when, at 21 years old, I returned to SMA Summer Camp to be a counselor.  In coming back to SMA Summer Camp as a counselor, I hoped to provide the same positive camp experience to current campers.  But I was also unaware of all of the amazing ways that the campers and my counselors would influence my life.  They reminded me of all the things I learned as a camper, to embrace life and be positive.  They allowed me to dress up in crazy outfits and dance around the dining hall.  And they provided the unconditional love that I remembered receiving at SMA Teen Camp as a camper. 

Working at SMA Summer Camp for Teens was also one of the most rewarding things I have ever done in my life.  I got to see positive change in my campers every day.  I got to witness them getting to the top of a rock climbing route for the first time, stand up on the wakeboard after weeks of trying, or go white water rafting even if they were afraid.  I saw the ways in which they cherished their SMA Overnight Summer Camp experience as I had cherished mine.  And even though SMA has changed in many ways since I was a camper, this summer allowed me to experience the magic of camp all over again from the other side. 

I believe that SMA Non-Competitive Summer Camp is a place where amazing growth occurs for campers and staff members alike.  SMA 2 Week Summer Camp provides a safe space for people to be themselves, build confidence, and try new activities.  All of these reasons are why I have decided to return to SMA Non-Competitive Summer Camp for another amazing summer.  As someone who hopes to one day work in the field of education, I believe that the experiences I have gained from Stone Mountain Adventures have been invaluable.  I feel unbelievably lucky to have spent 5 amazing summers at Horsepower farm and I can’t wait to experience all of the magic for a 6^th time during the summer of 2015.