Meet the Kids Junction Summer Adventure Camp Team!
Our summer program is highly successful because of our quality staff and our creative programming. Our staff are selected because of their energetic, outgoing, and fun-loving personalities, their ability to positively guide your children, and their desire to make a difference! Most of our amazing staff are pursuing or have earned degrees in early childhood education. At a minimum, our counselors are required to have completed a School-Age certification course or equivalent and a SAC training program. Working together with our office and kitchen staff, we are happy to say we have the best staff you could ever want for your child! Welcome to our Kids Junction Summer Adventure Camp Family.
Ms. Tara – School Age Director
Education
I graduated from Beloit College in 2014 with a bachelors degree in biology and a minor in music.
Experience
Right out of college I began working at a camp leading various outdoor education courses for nearly 2 years. From there I worked at a childcare center in Mount Horeb for 1.5 years where I earned my lead teacher qualifications. I have been at Kids Junction since June 2020 where I have enjoyed hanging out with the school-agers and teaching music classes to the littles.
Personal
In my free time I enjoy spending time with my husband and daughter. Together we enjoy going for walks, spending time up north and playing in our yard.
Ms. Olivia
Education
I graduated from Middleton High School in 2019. I then attended the University of Iowa pursuing a degree in elementary education and an endorsement of literacy in the classroom for grades K-12. I recently transferred to the University of Wisconsin Madison to continue earning my degree in elementary education and minor in education policy.
Experience
Prior to working at Kids Junction my previous employment was centered around children. I babysat, nannied and had been a dance teacher to children ranging in age. I was hired at Kids Junction in May of 2021 and since then have worked in their summer program as well as after school.
Personal
In my free time I am an avid reader and writer. I also enjoy baking, skiing, volunteering and hanging out with my friends and family.
Ms. Abigail – Team Leader
Education:
I graduated from Sheboygan South High School in 2020 and currently attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying Elementary Education and English as a Second Langauge (ESL), with a minor in Educational Policy.
Experience:
My work has continuously been centered around working with children. A few of these positions include being a coach, substitute educational assistant, camp counselor, and babysitter.
Personal:
In my free time, I enjoy spending time outside doing activities such as skiing, boating, running, and hiking. I enjoy watching Badger athletic games and spending time with family and friends.
Ms. Sidney – Team Leader
Education:
I graduated from Madison Memorial High School in 2020. In Fall of 2021, I started my gen eds at Madison Technical College to further my aspiration and desire towards a major in Elementary Education. I plan to transfer to UW Madison in the Spring of 2024 to continue towards my degree in Elementary Education.
Experience:
My work has always been through child care since I was 12 years old. From 12 years old, to now, I have babysat for numerous families from ages newborn- 14 years old. Outside of babysitting, I worked at the Kids Club for Princeton Club Gym for 2 years. Then in June of 2020, I started my employment through Kids Junction and have been here ever since. Here at Kids Junction, I have worked with infants/toddlers, after school, and summer camp.
Personal:
In my spare time, I enjoy all sorts of outdoor based activities. Some of my favorites are deer hunting, fishing, hammocking, tubing, and spending the day on our family pontoon boat up north.
Ms. Bailey
Education
I graduated from Plymouth High School in 2022. I am currently enrolled at Madison College in
the Early Childhood Education program and am learning a lot about childcare and the laws and
license requirements that go along with it.
Experience
I started baby-sitting my siblings when I was 9 or 10 and started babysitting other people’s
children when I was 12. I was the town babysitter as I am from a small town in northern
Wisconsin called Radisson, the population was around 300 people!! I was babysitting up until
my senior year of high school. In that same year I started working in Plymouth School Districts
childcare center as a classroom assistant.
Personal
What I like to do on my free time is watch tv and cuddle of my kitty Lily. Most of my time is
spent with my boyfriend and we do a lot of things together like shopping and going to see
movies.
Ms. Pam
Education
I Graduated from UW Madison with and Elementry Ed Degree. I have a minor in Health Education and have had extensive training in caring for children and adults with special needs. I also completed early child training at Madison College to enable me to open a family daycare in Madison.
Experience
Ive been working with Children for 40+ years. I became a respite caregiver for families with children needing special help and opened a licensed family day care in the late 80s early 90s then decided to finish my degree in Elementry Ed. I then had children of my own and home schooled for 12 years while caring for the children of several families. As my children got older I became a licensed substitute for several districts in Dane County.
Personal
I love being with kids, seeing them light up as they learn. I love to teach about God and am a devoted Christian, wife and mother to 4 adults.
Ms. Pam
Education
I graduated from UW-Milwaukee with a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education with a minor in science and social studies.
Experience
I have worked in childcare for 14 years with 11 of them being Kids Junction. I’ve worked in all aspects of childcare, from 3K to Art to office administration, and found that my heart is in the classroom.
Personal
I live outside of Mount Horeb with my husband and 3 boys and our dog. In my spare time I enjoy making t-shirts, reading, scrolling Amazon and walking around target.
Ms. Cheyenne
Education
I graduated in May of 2019 from Southwest Wisconsin Technical College with an associates degree in early childhood education.
Experience
I started babysitting in my hometown when I was about 12-13 years old up until I graduated high school. When I moved to Fennimore to start my college career, I began a job at the SWTC Child Care Center working with all different age groups, but mostly the 1-year olds. I worked with them for two years until I graduated in May of 2019. In January of 2020, I began my journey at Friendly Frogs Child Care. I was an aide at the center until February of 2021, when I became the lead teacher for their 3-4 year old classroom. I was the lead teacher there up until I moved to the Madison area and joined the Kids Junction team in July of 2022.
Personal
I grew up in the small town of Hillsboro, WI with my parents, 2 brothers, and my sister. I have 2 nephews who are my absolute world, Bentlee and Carson. I was a CNA from the age of 16 until just before I turned 21 and decided that I wanted to continue pursuing my love for teaching. In my free time, I love cooking, crafting, or watching my favorite show. I enjoy traveling and trying new foods and meeting new people. I live in the area with my cat, Archie, and I spend a lot of my time cooking, online shopping, and hanging out with friends and family.
Ms. Emily
Education
After graduating with my Associate Degree from Spokane Falls CC, I decided to move to Wisconsin
and pursue a degree in teaching. My specialization will be for grades K-5 and teaching English as
a second language.
Experience
My journey began as an Assistant Teacher at Spokane Falls Early Learning Center. During this time, I really fell
in love with teaching and knew I was in the right career field. I then pursued a role as a Lead Teacher at
Tender Care Day Care, teaching both toddler and preschool-age children. As of now, I have the privilege of teaching
at Kids Junction here in Madison, Wisconsin.
Personal
I grew up in the beautiful state of Washington on the northern coast. Having grown up outdoors, I enjoy hiking,
fishing, and being up in the snowy mountains. I am an energetic, family-loving and outgoing individual who loves
teaching and new experiences!
Ms. Ciarra
Education
I am currently a third-year student at University of Wisconsin-Madison, expecting to graduate with a Bachelors of
Science degree in Psychology. On top of that I currently have a minor in Disability Rights & Services and working
towards another minor in Criminal Justice.
Experience
Throughout high school, I primarily worked one-on-one with children with disabilities in several sports camps.
Coming into college I volunteered in similar camps, however moving from children to adults with disabilities. I started at
Kids Junction this past Summer of 2022 and am so excited to continue working with kids!
Personal
When I am not working or studying, like any other Badger, I love to go to football games with my friends on campus.
Off campus I typically am going to concerts, hanging out with my friends, or visiting my family back in Oshkosh, WI.
Mr. Erik
Education
Experience
Personal