A Full Circle Moment: Two DC SCORES Alumni on Volunteering at Summer Camp

DC SCORES summer camp is in full swing at LaSalle-Backus Elementary School! 

Thanks to funding from the Devin & Lauren Talbott Family Fund, close to 80 campers are participating in the five-day-a-week camp, which runs through July and has a curriculum that combines soccer, poetry and the arts, science and technology, and DC history. Like all DC SCORES programming, the camp is free to attend for DC public elementary school students.

Every day, the program is led by DC SCORES staff, coaches, and a group of dedicated volunteers who are using their summer to give back to their community. 

This work is personal for two young camp counselors, brothers Fernel and John Gonzalez, who attended DC SCORES summer camp and regular season programming as elementary and middle school students. 

Now, as high schoolers, the pair are volunteering their time to ensure that other young people benefit from the program as they did.

How old were you when you joined the DC SCORES program, and when did you start volunteering?

Fernel: I was 13. 

John: And I was 11 years old. This is our first year volunteering with DC SCORES.

Why did you decide to volunteer with DC SCORES?

Fernel: I wanted to volunteer with DC SCORES this year because I enjoy working with the organization and children. 

John: It’s really great. I was in the program for three years, and I wanted to see how much I can do for the kids and make them laugh.    

What was the transition from camper to camp counselor like?

John: When I was a student, I looked up to Ronald [Granados, DC SCORES Program Coordinator], like DC SCORES staff, so that made me transition to what I am today. I can see how I can change people, and they can look up to me.

What did you enjoy most as a camper, and what do you enjoy most now, as a volunteer?  

Fernel: As a camper, I enjoyed playing soccer and training with the team. But as a camp counselor, it’s all about sharing the same positivity I had as a camper and showing it to younger kids.

John: I really liked being a camper, but as a camp counselor, it’s even more positivity, more vibes I get from the kids. 

What is something that you have learned while volunteering for DC SCORES? 

Fernel: What I’ve learned is to show leadership to the kids and set a good example.

John: I learned teamwork, communication, and speaking up for myself a little bit. I see kids are not communicating as much, and I wanna show that communication is key. 

Does soccer and/or poetry remain part of your lives after graduating from the program? 

John: I still play soccer. I play for the Cardozo [Education Campus] high school team and I like poetry. I like writing to express my feelings to other people. 

Fernel: Soccer still remains for me in high school, and I write to express how I feel about the stuff that’s surrounding me. 

What is something you learned as a DC SCORES camper that you use now as a volunteer? 

John: I was very shy, but now I’m changed. I communicate to people as a camp counselor. 

Fernel: The thing I took away from DC SCORES as a camper was showing positivity. Now, I liked showing that passion for soccer as a camp counselor!