Former IVCC campers spend their summer back where it all began

Katie Sowers of Utica and Cole Haynes of Tonica grew up attending Illinois Valley Community College’s summer camps. This summer, they returned to campus – all grown up and ready to take on a new role.

Over the last two years, Sowers has spent her summer break from the University of Arizona employed as a camp assistant in IVCC's Continuing Education Ed’Venture camps – still surrounded by art supplies but now providing markers and glue or guiding small hands through the tasks.

She has become an indispensable aide launching junior rocketeers’ space adventures, burrowing along with them into the insect world, building battling robots or filming the next great movie.

As a child, Sowers would accompany her mother, Jennifer, to work at Continuing Education and Business Services, and was given small tasks like sorting campers’ name tags.  She was always excited to see the new camp catalog to learn what the summer had in store, especially when it included art camps. “I got to circle everything that I wanted to do, and my mom signed me up.”

The children’s excitement now reminds her of how she once felt. She watches as their shyness disappears, and they flourish meeting new people and trying new things. “It is fun to see them get excited about the same things I did. Seeing them get the techie stuff so young is impressive. They go off on their own and figure out how to do things.”

The once-shy camper has grown into a friend and confidante to young campers. “They talk about a million things at once, what they want to be when they grow up or movies they like to watch. I remember being that age and having big aspirations.”

She loves the pace and variety of her job. “I never saw myself working in a position with kids, but I really like doing this.”

For now, Sowers is majoring in business and keeping her career options open. She joined a campus sorority last year and loves the friends and experiences that Greek life introduced. “I really feel like it has given me my group of people!”

Haynes, who has fished since he was big enough to hold a rod, recently graduated with a business administration degree from Grand View University in Iowa and is planning his next step in life. During his post-graduation job hunt, he volunteered as chief hook-baiter, fish-releaser, and casting advisor at IVCC’s fishing summer camp that his mother leads. He loaned his favorite tackle to a novice caster and watched as the youngster reeled in his catch, then – to the children’s delight – came in last in a race to catch the most fish.

He watched the children shed their timidity and become comfortable baiting hooks or handling fish. “I think we made some sort of impact. Even if it is just fishing, and not a skill that will get them a job, it is something they can carry with them that gives them a feeling of accomplishment. And nothing beats watching a kid catch his first fish and get excited!”

Outdoor activities run in the family genes. Hunting first boosted Haynes to championship college shotgun competitions, where he led a top-ranked team and earned numerous personal bests in trap and skeet shooting. His love for fishing lies even deeper. It helps him relax.

As a boy, Haynes could not wait until he was old enough to go to the camp Tricia Haynes led. Later, he signed up for more camps – anything that had to do with making things like art or food.  “The camps got me out of my shell. I was a quiet kid, but by the end I was making friends,” he said.

A high school class introduced him to the trades and Hayes is hoping to launch his own machine shop to create wild game calls. “I thought it would be cool being able to make stuff and see how it performs.”