Welcome back to our Alumni Spotlight Series. If you or someone you know would make a great feature, email Darby at [email protected]—we’d love to hear from you!
Today we are introducing you to Katie Crawford! Katie was a counselor at High Rocks from 1998 – 2001, and again in 2005. Today, Katie lives in Brevard, North Carolina, where she works as a writer. She has published one book titled: “Keowee Valley” and has another book coming out soon. “The Miniaturist’s Assistant” will release on May 13th of this year. We are looking forward to reading her newest work when it comes out! Now let’s hear a little bit about Katie’s time at High Rocks.
There is so much to miss about camp, but most of all, I miss the people. The friends I made in fellow counselors and staff have been some of the most important of my life–not to mention the fact that I met my husband there! And it wasn’t just fellow counselors: I still keep in touch with several campers, whom I adore. A very close second would have to be drinking early morning coffee on the docks with swim and paddling staff in those moments before the kids arrived, watching the fog on the lake. When I arrived at Camp High Rocks as a 19 year-old, it felt as if I’d finally arrived on the right planet.
Throw your full self whole-heartedly into camp life. Revel in being your full, silly, authentic self, which these kids will adore. Flop on the ground for dead ant tag. Say “yes” to chaperoning overnights, the extra duty on the Hobart dishwashing machine, helping the barn staff muck out stalls. Sit on your cabin’s porch and count the stars with your campers. Play cards. Spend time in the counselor’s icebox. Sing LOUD at assembly. Be the counselor every camper remembers by being your kind, authentic self. And keep coming back to camp!
Well, I made my home in Brevard, N.C. (I’m originally from S.C.) My husband is a fellow camp counselor I met my third summer at camp. I’m not sure there’s a bigger impact camp could’ve made than my home and family!
I don’t know if “proud” is the right word, but camp gave me some of the greatest friendships of my life. Being part of those friendships, and the confidence camp instilled in me–to embrace leadership positions, to be a good teammate, to work with others, to embrace my authentic self–have undoubtedly helped me get to where I am as a writer, mother, wife, and community member. Camp taught me that if you join up with good people who care about the world, the environment, and how we grow our children to be kind humans–and you do this together–you’re unstoppable.
I walked into the dining hall at High Rocks on my first staff orientation not knowing a soul. I’d turned down other job offers that summer–some in far-flung places with my college friends. But I’d fallen in love with camp the first time Townsend and Zoob interviewed me down on the swim docks. So there was bravery in doing something no one else I knew was doing. But, too, camp taught me to be brave every time I worked through something with one of my campers: it taught me to trust myself, to be brave in giving of myself to kids who needed me. The first time I sat on the bank next to the lake with a camper going through a hard time, and had to figure out how to be the best friend, counselor, and mentor I could be to help that camper, forced me to access something in myself I hadn’t had to yet.
Being a camp counselor at High Rocks was the best, most exhausting, most fun, and–outside of parenting–most important job I think I’ve ever had.
Thank you Katie for sharing these thoughtful responses! We look forward to reading your next book when it comes out on May 13th.
High Rocks is an authorized Special Use Permit Holder by the Pisgah, Nantahala, and Sumter National Forests. • Privacy • Site Map • Camp High Rocks © 2025
