“Do the right thing, do the best you can, and always show people you care. You’ve got to make a sincere attempt to have the right goals, to begin with, the go after them with appropriate effort, and remember that you can’t really achieve anything great without the help of others.”
Our Staff
Our Experienced Camp Staff
- Facilitate healthy friendships and good attitudes
- Keep ACA guidelines at the forefront of training and throughout camp sessions
- Stay up to date on in-depth training and first-aid specifically geared to farm life
Creating a team at Mary’s Land Farm Summer Camp is one of the most important tasks throughout the year. Our counselors and directors are chosen for their unique personalities, skills, virtues and great attitudes. The counselors understand their duties to guide and help summer camp kids flourish into the person God made them to be. Through farm experiences, story telling, and team-bonding, the counselor and camper relationships become strong friendships that we hope impacts their lives forever. We truly believe that if we have the best team, we will have the happiest of campers, and have the best camp.
Health and safety are at the top of our priority list here at Mary’s Land Summer Camp. All counselors go through an in-depth training program on first-aid, specifically geared to farm specific dangers and are readily equipped to navigate through any potential dangers. Our trained staff, customized care-plans and first-aid will ensure a safe and healthy environment for your child at camp.
Every camp group has a formatting counselor. A formatting counselor is a staff member who has been with Mary’s Land Farm for more than one year and was hand-selected due to their leadership skills to head a camp group.
Qualifications and Hiring Process: Guided by the American Camp Association, all our counselors are 18 years or older, complete full CPS background checks, and in-depth training. Most of our counselors are enrolled in four-year colleges throughout the school year. Each counselor understands that they are hired to keep campers safe while having a great time on the farm. We pride ourselves in the after camp-hours community that the counselors are a part of to create strong relationships within our team.
Staff
Dalton Smith
Assistant Camp Director
Mr. Smith, originally from Tennessee, works as a full time teacher during the school year and will join Mary's Land Camp as the Assistant Director. He has earned a Bachelor's and a Master's in theology from Saint Joseph's College and is currently pursuing a Doctorate while teaching at a local high school. While not teaching or studying, he enjoys time with his lovely wife, especially watching movies! He is excited to join the camp community, as he helps foster fellowship and friendship to fulfill the farm's mission and provide a great camp experience for counselors, campers and parents.
Michael M.
Group Leader - Junior Farmers/Leadership Program
This Michael's 3rd summer working with Mary’s Land Farm. He is a proud native Marylander and just graduated from Christendom College with a double major in English Literature and Classical Studies and Languages. He enjoys reading, having bonfires with friends, and spending time with family. He looks forward to a career in teaching and cannot wait to spend this summer with Mary’s Land Farm!
Kevin O.
Group Leader - Seedlings/Sprouts
Kevin is excited to be a Group Leader at Mary’s Land Farm for the Seedlings and Sprouts age groups! With five years of experience as a camp leader teaching virtues and mentorship, he is thrilled to return for his second year and guide young campers through a fun and educational farm experience. Originally from El Salvador, Kevin is a native Spanish speaker and speaks English as his second language. He is currently studying Business Management and History at Franciscan University. In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer and swimming. One of his favorite parts of the farm is feeding the baby cows—especially since they never judge his constant snacking! Kevin looks forward to a summer filled with learning, exploration, and unforgettable memories.
Anna R.
Group Leader - Farm Pals
Meet Anna! She is a proud graduate of Franciscan University class of 2025. Anna grew up on a farm and she loves reading, writing, singing, and travelling. Anna is excited to interact with campers and help them explore the farm and engage with nature. This is her first year serving in this role and she looks forward to sharing her love for farm life with the Farm Pals.
Annie C.
Animal Specialist
Meet Annie! She is a recent graduate from Christendom College. She is the second youngest of eight siblings and hails from Mclean, Virginia. She loves goats, family, and Irish music. In her free time she enjoys reading and writing poetry, playing volleyball and guitar, meeting new people and trying new things! This is her third year working at Mary’s Land Farm and she will be the Animal Specialist on the farm. She can’t wait to share her love of the animals and the farm with you!
Lauren B.
Counselor
Lauren is a rising senior Primary Education major at Franciscan University. She is from the southern suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA, and she often visits home to spend time with her family. Lauren has worked with children ranging from preschool age to fifth grade in a classroom setting as well as a camp setting. Teaching and spending time with children is "such a joy" for her. She is most excited to have the opportunity to spend the summer alongside children as they learn about the farm and to make new friends at the same time.
Angela V.
Counselor
Meet Angela V! She is currently a senior at the University of Dallas studying Theology and Business. Hailing from Texas, she loves to two-step/swing dance. In her free time she also enjoys embroidering, sewing, playing volleyball, and trying new things. As a previous horse ranch hand and camp counselor, she is extremely excited to work with the animals and children during her first summer at Mary's Land Farm. She is looking forward to greater fellowship and serving all of the campers this summer!
Anna P.
Counselor
Meet Anna! She is a rising sophomore at Christendom College where she loves studying Theology and Philosophy as well as participating in many intramural sports, the hiking club, and dancing at all the Swing ‘n Sundaes swing dance events! Outdoors is her favorite place to be and she loves sports of all kinds. She enjoys working with kids of all ages and is so excited to start at Mary’s Land Farm this summer!
Katy S.
Counselor
Katy S. is from Ellicott City, Maryland, and is a student at the University of Mary, majoring in Exercise Science. She loves outdoor adventures like kayaking, hiking, and camping and is always excited to meet new people and build new relationships. This will be her second summer at Mary’s Land Farm, and she is thrilled to be returning! Katy looks forward to helping campers enjoy the farm and discover a new love for the outdoors.
Nina F.
Counselor
Meet Nina! She is a Senior Theology and Nursing major at the University of Dallas and is excited to meet the friends and families of Mary’s Land Farm Camp. With seven years of experience working at summer camps as a volunteer, counselor, and director, she is passionate about creating meaningful camp experiences. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, traveling, and playing games with family and friends. This summer, she looks forward to sharing the beauty of Creation with campers and fellow counselors.
Bea S.
Counselor
Bea is beyond excited for her first summer as a camp counselor at Mary's Land! As a rising junior at Christendom College, Bea throws herself into the life of the school, from studying for her Philosophy Major and English Minor to heading up the Music Department on the Student Activities Council. She loves embracing her inner child and frolicking in the outdoors, and is looking forward to meeting this year's campers!
Ella A.
Counselor
Meet Ella! She is a senior at Franciscan University studying mechanical engineering. This is her first summer at Mary’s Land Farm, and she is excited to work with campers and share her love of the outdoors. She enjoys working with her hands and discovering new hobbies. With previous experience working with children, she has absolutely loved it and looks forward to serving campers alongside her fellow counselors this summer.
Peter H.
Counselor
Meet Peter! Coming from a big family, he has always been great with kids. Still a child at heart, he loves playing and having fun with his younger siblings. With previous experience helping at summer camps, he has already had many great moments with children and is excited to meet so many new, wonderful little faces this summer. Peter looks forward to mentoring and leading campers throughout the week and hopes to be a positive influence while creating an amazing experience for them all.
Halle H.
Counselor
Halle is from Lafayette, LA, and is a rising senior majoring in Theology at Franciscan University. This will be her second year at Mary’s Land Farm, and she hopes to make this summer a great one for the campers. She loves sewing, spending time in the kitchen, and taking care of the animals on the farm. It is her dream to have a farm of her own someday and she can’t wait to show the campers the joy that farming and the outdoors can bring!
Alex R.
Counselor
Meet Alex! Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Saint Louis, Missouri, he has always had a deep love for learning about the universe and its grandeur. Alex is currently a graduate student of Theology at Ave Maria University. He enjoys going on adventures with friends, reading C.S. Lewis and Tolkien, and hitting the gym. As a Camp Counselor for 2025, he is excited to experience the beauty of nature at Mary’s Land and have a blast with the campers. He can’t wait to meet everyone and make this summer unforgettable!
Abigail C.
Counselor
Meet Abigail! She is 21 years old and lives in Maryland. Abigail enjoys reading, gardening, writing, and making music. She can play both the pipe organ and the piano. She has one older sister and a cat named Bell. Originally from southern Missouri, Abigail moved to Maryland when she was 16 and has since fallen in love with the state. This is her second year at camp, and she is so excited to be back and do lots of fun things with everyone this summer!
Austin M.
Counselor
Meet Austin from Glenwood, MD! He is a freshman in the honors college at Salisbury University, but during the summer, he loves being outdoors. Austin has five siblings and was raised on the values of teamwork, leadership, and responsibility. He is excited to be a counselor this summer and can’t wait to get started!
Gemma B.
Counselor
Meet Gemma! She is a rising junior at Christendom College. She is the third oldest in a family of seven haling from Sapulpa, Oklahoma. She has been working on her family farm since high school and enjoys farming, exploring on her family's property, and spending time with friends and family. Her hobbies include reading, playing piano, and swing dancing. This is her first year working at Mary's Land Farm and she is so excited to meet you!
Gemma P.
Counselor
Meet Gemma! She is excited to return for her second summer at the farm. Gemma grew up in Maryland and is the second oldest of eight siblings. She is currently a sophomore at Franciscan University, studying English and Theology. She has a passion for art and loves spending time outdoors. Last summer, she enjoyed working at the farm, where she spent time with kids and farm animals while appreciating the beauty of nature alongside other joyful people. She is looking forward to another amazing summer!
Tommy C.
Counselor
Meet Tommy! He is currently a sophomore at Christendom College, where he is studying liberal arts. The youngest of eight children, he has a large family with many nieces and nephews. Tommy loves being outdoors and enjoys helping others appreciate the beauty of the natural world. He is very excited for this summer and all the adventures he will go on with the campers!
Natalie R.
Counselor
Meet Natalie! She is currently a student at Towson University with a Biology major and Philosophy minor. She hopes to go to vet school after getting her Bachelor’s degree and wants to specialize in zoological/wildlife medicine. She loves spending time with friends, reading, singing, playing piano (though not very well!), and watching movies. She is so excited to meet this year’s campers!
Michaela S.
Theater Director/Counselor
Meet Michaela! She is so excited to be back at the farm for her second year! As the oldest of five children, she has always loved working with kids and has been a counselor at summer camps for around six years. Michaela is a recent graduate of Franciscan University and now has a degree in Elementary Education. In her free time, she loves spending time with friends and family, reading, singing, hiking, kayaking, and traveling. She can’t wait to meet everyone and have an incredible summer!
Eva S.
Counselor
Meet Eva! Eva is from Charleston, South Carolina. She is a junior at Ave Maria University in the Nursing Program. This is her first time being a camp counselor at Mary's Land Farm, and she is excited to learn as much as possible about animals and teach the kids all about them! See you at camp!
Genevieve E.
Counselor
Genevieve is a senior in high school and lives on a small farm in northeastern Ohio. She loves the outdoors, staying active, and making new friends. She is from a large family, and has several nieces and nephews all of whom she loves interacting with and teaching new things. Some of her hobbies are playing volleyball, reading, and singing. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career in the medical industry. This is her first year working at Mary’s Land Farm, and she is super excited to meet everyone and have a great summer!
Cat W.
Counselor
Meet Cat! She is a rising sophomore at Christendom College where she works at the gym, runs the softball program, and enjoys participating in many other activities. She loves anything outdoors, with children, or animals. She is the second oldest of eight kids, and super excited to work at Mary’s Land this summer.