Lifelong Love of Summer Camp Inspires YMCA Director

By: Mollie Shauger | Friday, May 28, 2021 | Leadership

Gailmarie Sprague, on right

Gailmarie Sprague has essentially lived her “entire life at camp.” As a third-generation Y employee, she grew up attending YMCA summer day camps from an early age, and started working at the Y when she was 14. She’s held a role in almost every Y department, including Child Watch, summer camp, and after-school programs. She’s also taught dance.

She is currently the Director of Enrichment and Family Programs at the South Mountain YMCA, a branch of the Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges. She shared her Y experience as both a camper and staff member.

Q: What did you love about going to Y summer camp?

Sprague: I was obsessed with camp. The counselors were the most amazing people. They were like superheroes. As an adult I still idolize them. With Y camp, you were able to do whatever activities you were interested in. As a kid, it was really cool to have a lot of options. The staff was really great, I can’t help but be so amazed by them. 

Q: What’s great about working at Y summer camp?

Sprague: Even if it’s just a summer job or your career, you’re impacting kids in an amazing way. It’s a really, really great place to be for the summer. Working for the Y, you’re just going to have fun for the summer and it’s rewarding.

Q: What skills do you learn that you can carry with you in life?

Sprague: You don’t really realize it but you are developing job skills for any field. Skills like thinking and responding quickly, networking skills, customer service and clerical work, attention to detail, time management, and many other interpersonal skills. It’s such a natural way to get used to what a workday looks like. Working at the Y also opens up opportunities to use specialized skills and interests, and the ability to create your own schedule and program plan. If you love science, for example, you can create experiments. We look for really great specialists. 

To learn more about job opportunities at the Metro YMCAs, visit metroymcas.org/jobs. Explore our summer camps at metroymcas.org/summercamp.