cREATIVE cAREER CORNER: JACK MITCHELL

Jack Mitchell (alumni 2003-2012 & current staff 2014-2019) is a graduate from Lexington High school currently working towards his Bachelor of Science in Public Communications with a concentration in strategic communication from the University of Vermont. He currently works as a tour guide at his university and also works at Kidstock! during the summers!

What is your fondest Kidstock! memory?
Although I have numerous great memories from Kidstock! my fondest is definitely performing as a crab with a jetpack in the summer stage production of Hula-an (a Hawaiian themed story based on Mulan). I remember counselor Colin taping two two liter soda bottles together to create my jetpack which made 8 year old me VERY happy.

Did you do any other camps/programs in the area other than Kidstock!?
I did a few other camps in the summers. However, most of the time that I wasn't at Kidstock! I spent at my neighborhood pool. I remember waiting outside the gate when the pool opened at 10am and staying until the lifeguards kicked us out at 6pm, only to do the same thing the next day!

In what ways do you find that you have to be creative in order to be successful?
I think creativity is important in almost every aspect of my life. Success in life, and especially in school requires a huge amount of problem solving, which creativity is a big part of. Creativity also comes into play almost every day while I am giving tours at UVM. I have to constantly think on my feet, make sure everyone gets the information they need, and answer a bunch of questions. This balancing act makes each of my tours different and relies heavily on my ability to be creative. 

Any skills that you feel Kidstock! helped you get started with?
I truly don't know where I would be without Kidstock! It was such a big part of my childhood, and continues to play a big role in my life. So much of my personality is based on the interpersonal skills that I developed throughout my time at Kidstock! and it has led me to studying Public Communications in college! I can entirely credit Kidstock! with how comfortable I feel public speaking, which I rely on in my job as a tour guide and will continue to rely on throughout my life and career. I can't express how grateful I am for my time at Kidstock! and all the impacts it has had on me.

Any notable accomplishments that have happened since you've left Kidstock!? Anything else you'd like to add?
I am looking forward to coming back as a counselor this summer for my 5th summer as a counselor and my 16th consecutive summer at Kidstock! It is crazy to think that I used to cry in the parking lot every day before camp because I didn't want to go in and I ended up loving it so much that I've never left!