quotes

C: "You should write about how unemployed people don't know people they can sell knives to." (on her new job as a door-to-door knife salesperson)

some camper child: "I think there are more drugs in this town than in my town because my town is more affluent"

another camper child, one who repeatedly says racist/classist things with seeming obliviousness: "I know I'm a spoiled brat. I mean, I just realized it. And I don't like it. And maybe it's stupid that I never noticed it before, and maybe you're shocked that I'm only seeing it now...but I'm a spoiled brat. And I'm going to try not to act like that anymore."

In other news, a child has been sent home from camp at her own request. She was having a really hard time adjusting to the social dynamics of dorm life, and constantly spent time on her phone. At least, that's what it looked like. After a bunch of meetings with her, the senior staff finally figured out that she was at camp because her high school gave her a scholarship and sent her here. I wish I'd had a chance to talk to her before she left, to say: this is not your fault, this awkwardness and this difficulty. You belong here as much as anyone else, and you CAN succeed here. I can't make the awkwardness go away, but I can give it a name, and I can give you as much support as you need to make it through this.

But she's gone now.