“She helped [my daughter] gain confidence in her math and social skills.”
“[She had] genuine heartfelt concern…truly gifted and wonderful.”
“Always guiding in a steady and gentle way.”
These are just some of the ways our families have described Miss Sharon, the On-Site Camp Director of the Creative Education Institute’s Academic Fun & Fitness Camp.
35 Years of Classroom Teaching Experience
In 2007, Sharon joined the North Coast Education Services team as a tutor. Originally from the east side of Cleveland, she came to us with a wealth of experience and a thirst for knowledge. Sharon received her Masters from Cleveland State University and already been an educator for several years. “I successfully taught in Cleveland for 35 years on the west side,” she recalls, “although I have always lived east.” Sharon was drawn back to teaching after her retirement because she still wanted to educate children, just in a smaller setting.
Sharon Becomes the On-Site Camp Director
Shortly after joining North Coast Education Services, Sharon was approached to proctor a make-up test for the Academic Fun & Fitness Camp. The following spring, the camp approached her and asked her to become their new On-Site Camp Director. Sharon admits that she was not prepared for camp because it was unlike she had ever experienced. However, she was committed to the new project and determined to do her best. “I not only made camp a wonderful experience for the campers, the counselors, and the parents,” she said, “but for myself as well.”
Click here to read the story of Michael, one of our campers!
Sharon has been the on-site camp director since 2008. (The camp itself began in 2001.) “I love camp and so do the campers, counselors, parents, sponsors, and visitors.” She adds, “Now my only problem is topping myself each year to keep camp fresh.” Miss Sharon attended workshops for autism professionals at the Milestone Consortium and continues to work hard to develop new ideas for the program.
When Sharon is not tutoring or running the Academic Fun & Fitness Camp, she is a dedicated volunteer. She is a past president of the executive board of the United States Tennis Association. Currently, she serves as the chairman of their Grants and Scholarship Committees. She also enjoys reading, traveling, and playing games on her computer. She still lives in northeast Ohio with her husband and her daughter resides in Manhattan.
“Every experience is different.”
After all of these years working with North Coast Education Services and the Academic Fun & Fitness Camp, I asked Sharon to tell me her favorite part of the experience. Sharon responded, “Every experience is different. Every student presents a new, exciting challenge for me to solve. The tutors are as varied as the students.” She also added, “The Academic Fun & Fitness Camp is the hardest job you will ever love to have. Everyone should enjoy their job as much as we all love our camp experience.”
As she reminisced, Sharon commented that she could fill the pages of a book with all of her accounts from her years at camp. “Maybe someday I will.”
For more information on the Academic Fun & Fitness Camp, please visit www.unschoolcamp.org.
North Coast Education Services is a proud supporter of the Creative Education Institute and the Academic Fun & Fitness Camp.