What’s the buzz at YMCA Camp Bay View this summer? The Bay View Buzz Podcast, of course!
Heather Hayes, Camp Director at Camp Bay View, made a dream of hers a reality this summer. She came up with the podcast idea to better engage her camp’s teens.
"The podcast might be one of my top three favorite things I've ever created and brought to camp," said Heather, whose Teen Trekkers unit recaps weeks at camp and interviews staff on the podcast.
"One of the speakers [at the ACA conference] shared some creative ideas they got to get teens involved more in camp. They shared their version of a podcast, which was going to his teen unit and having lunch with them every week."
Heather vowed to bring something "new" and "innovative" to camp this summer. So, she thought, why not start a podcast?
"I thought, 'I think our teens could really run a real podcast that goes out to families, that engages them in a different way we’ve never done before,’" said Heather.
Little did Heather know that the teen unit head, Isaiah Henry, had his own podcasting background. So, he was the perfect person to help the kids get their show off the ground.
"It's been a really fun experience to see them really take on the role of being producers," said Isaiah, who studied media and communications in college. "Also, stepping out into a new role where they're bettering their communication skills, talking to different people and holding a conversation as teenagers."
Isaiah is proud to influence the teens and help them build confidence as they explore a new interest.
Sammy Bertrand is another Camp Bay View staff member who has helped the teens with the podcast this summer. The Teen Trekkers counselor noted that she initially did not know how to use GarageBand to edit the podcasts or how to properly use a microphone. But she has learned a ton on the fly, giving the teens a new lane to explore.
"I think we're making a product that we're proud of," said Sammy, who helps the teens record and edit each episode. "It makes them want to do it more. It has honestly been a blast doing it with them."
Sammy noted how several campers in the Teen Trekkers unit have a dream of becoming actors one day. One of them is Dukel, who is known by his friends at camp as Duke. He was happy to host an episode with one of his best camp buddies, Coulter, and use the show as preparation for what he could do one day as an actor.
"This is good experience for me," said Duke, who co-hosted Episode 7 of the podcast. "So, I can be confident in what I say, and project my voice, be able to read lines, memorize it, all that good stuff."
Coulter said he learned through podcasting that he should slow down a bit when reading aloud, so he can enunciate more clearly. And as Duke mentioned, having natural chemistry with someone like his co-host made recording their episode that much more enjoyable.
"It was really fun because you get to, on one hand, read off a script," said Coulter. "But on the other hand, you get to improvise on what you want to say with the basic guideline on what the podcast is about or make up what you want to talk about. And, of course, I'm with one of my friends; it makes it even better. So, it's a good time."
There's no word yet on what's next for the Bay View Buzz. But with one summer under its belt, you should expect more "buzz" coming your way in the future.
