Teacher and Coach, The Westminster Schools
Name: David Gale
Summers as a Camper: wasn't a camper
Years as a Staff Member/Positions held: 4 summers
- 2002: Camp III SIC Counselor, Motorboating Counselor
- 2003: Camp III Assistant Head
- 2005: Camp III Camper Services
- 2007: Motorboating Chief
Current Profession:
- 6th Grade Boys Chair, English Teacher, Wrestling Coach at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta, Georgia
Previous Roles:
- I have been an educator for over 20 years, serving as an administrator, teacher and coach for independent schools in the Atlanta area.
Career Path
When I arrived at Camp in 2002, I didn’t know the impact Sea Gull would have on my life. After my first summer at Camp, I knew I wanted to work with kids by teaching, mentoring, and coaching young people. My first cabin was 51 in Camp III, which motivated me to work with middle school students. I went back to school and earned a BA in English and an MS in Educational Leadership, hoping that I would be able to give back to schools what Camp gave to me.
Key Lessons from Camp
I tell people I learned about teaching, writing and exploring literature in school, but I learned how to be a teacher and work with kids at Camp Sea Gull. I use Camp lessons daily. When I first became a teacher, my classroom rules were the Camp rules. As the Grade Chair, I support 90 boys daily, and our Locker Commons is one big cabin. Whether it be goal-setting, character-building, devotionals, classroom management, overcoming challenges, developing resilience, or even just setting up a broom ball tournament when we have spare time, the lessons from Camp not only serve as a beacon for me as a person but also as markers in my work with children.
Influential Camp Mentor
So many people along the way have influenced me, but Jon Vance changed my life by allowing me to work at Camp. I was profoundly impacted by watching Captain Lloyd work and interact with care, joy, and kindness towards campers and counselors.
Advice for Staff
My time at Camp impacted me as a person and set a trajectory in my life’s work. I look back at Camp as some of my best days as a young person, and the lifelong friendships and memories are invaluable to me.
You never know what impact you can have on a camper’s life, so give every interaction everything you have. Surrender to the power of camp, and make even the small moments extraordinary.
