Growing Leaders. Changing Lives.
Finn is a high school senior, and a natural leader. He thrives as a summer camp counselor at the Sussex Family YMCA. What started as a summer job quickly became something more: a place where Finn stays active, keeps learning, and makes a real difference in the lives of kids every single day.
“I really enjoy my job here,” Finn shares. “I feel like being active and doing things with the kids is just something that I really enjoy doing.”
At camp, no two days look the same. And that’s exactly what Finn loves most.
“You can try to guess what’s going to happen every day, but it’s different every day… everybody’s the same here. We let everybody just be a kid. And I think that’s the best part.”
For Finn, leadership means helping kids overcome challenges and discover confidence they didn’t know they had. Whether it’s learning a new skill, making a friend, or simply believing in themselves. That impact became especially clear during Kindness Week, when Finn came home carrying a stack of thank-you cards from campers whose lives he touched.
Finn’s mom, Traci Murphy, has watched her son grow in ways that go far beyond a paycheck.
“It’s a journey to watch your kids go from the little kid who goes to camp to the big kid who’s still a kid, but now he’s working at the camp,” Traci says. “You blink, and all of a sudden, they’re putting on their white shirt and driving themselves to work.”
That growth shows up in the little things and the big ones. Finn sets his alarm, packs his bags, and shows up ready to lead.
“Your pediatrician will tell you, don’t go by what they say, go by how they act,” Traci explains. “His actions showed me that he loved it.”
The YMCA’s teen programs are designed to do exactly that: give teens meaningful opportunities to work, lead, and explore their future.
“When you’re 15 or 16, it’s hard to find a summer job,” Finn says. “The Y kind of offers those opportunities. I really like how they specialize in giving teens opportunities to work.”
Through steady paychecks, years of commitment, and hands-on leadership experience, Finn is preparing for college and beyond. In fact, his time at the Y has helped shape his future goals.
“I’ve started to look more into teaching as a career,” Finn shares. “I never really knew what I wanted to do when I started this job, and now I kind of think teaching is something I’m looking into. It’s helped me know what I want to do for the rest of my life.”
At the YMCA, teens like Finn aren’t just filling a summer role… they’re building confidence, purpose, and pathways to success.
Because at the Y, we’re not just creating great camp experiences.
We’re growing the next generation of leaders.