We are always so fortunate every summer to have an amazing group of ladies to be a part of our leadership team. This summer, the leadership team will consist of Head Staff members, Activity Leaders, and Division Leaders. The ladies who are part of the Head Staff are not only in charge of their individual areas, but also help me to run all aspects of camp programming. Activity Leaders are the ladies who run their assigned activity. They oversee all of the counselors working at their activity, ensure the campers are being safe and having fun, and make sure that their activity is running smoothly! Division Leaders oversee their assigned camper division: Midget, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, Teen. They lead their division powwow ever day, check in with the tepees in their division, and make sure that all the girls in their division are happy and healthy!
I am excited to announce this summer’s Head Staff members and Activity Leaders.
2014 Head Staff
Assistant Program Director: Aileen Glaeser
Aileen Glaeser – APD
Aileen Glaeser will be returning to camp this summer as our Assistant Program Director. Aileen came to Heart O’ the Hills as a camper at the age of nine and continued to attend for the next six years. During her time at Heart O’ the Hills, she has served as a Heart LITe for two years, a counselor for one year, and for the past three years, she has been a part of the camp’s Head Staff. Aileen will graduate in May from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and a minor in Business. During her time at The University of Texas, Aileen has been a member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority (Delta Chapter), Order of Omega Honor Society, and Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Society. She has also been a University of Texas TIP Scholar and has been on the Dean’s Honor List. Following this summer at camp, Aileen will be attending Baylor Law School, in Waco, Texas, where she has been awarded a Dean’s Academic Excellence Scholarship. It is her love of camp and what it represents that keeps her coming back each year and she hopes that the campers and counselors she works with during the summer grow to value their time at Heart O’ the Hills as much as she has over the past fourteen years.
Head O’ Field Sports: Caetyn Jones 
Caetyn Jones will be returning to Heart O’ the Hills this summer as Head O’ Field Sports. She is a student at Baylor University and plans to graduate in May 2015 with a degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders- Speech and Language Pathology. Following graduation, she hopes to attend graduate school to become a Speech and Language Pathologist.
Caetyn was a camper at the Heart for 10 summers, a Heart LITe for 3 summers, and a counselor and sponsor for 1 summer. Her first summer away from camp, Caetyn worked as a lead teacher at a Learning Center in San Antonio. She found a passion for special needs children when 3 of the 7 toddlers under her direct care had speech therapists and occupational therapists for various delays and disorders. Seeing “her babies” grow in their communicative abilities, allowing their unique personalities to beam was extraordinarily rewarding. Her second summer away from camp, she taught swimming to infants through adults. Caetyn loved witnessing her student’s confidence in the water and in their physical abilities flourish.
Caetyn grew up in San Antonio. She has been very active her whole life. She danced from kindergarten through seventh grade. During that time she also practiced gymnastics for two short years. From sixth through ninth grade she played volleyball for her school, YMCA, and a state-level club team. In High School, Caetyn found a passion for cheerleading. She eventually became the Captain of her competitive high school squad. Also, during her later high school years, Caetyn coached a 12 and under YMCA girls volleyball team. She thoroughly enjoyed teaching girls the sport and watching her team grow both as individuals and as a team.
Caetyn’s favorite camp activities as a camper were Quadrille, War Canoe, running field day, and seminar day (the best times were had on the challenge hike to Camp Stewart and the advanced canoe trip to Camp La Junta-of course, this had nothing to do with the cute boys at the destinations!).
Now that she is in college, Caetyn enjoys jogging, yoga, painting, swimming, playing with her dog, and exploring the outdoors. She is an active member of Chi Omega sorority and the National Student Speech Hearing and Language Association, both the Baylor chapter and the national program.
Caetyn is thrilled to have the opportunity to be part of the head staff this summer. She sincerely believes in the summer camp experience and wants to share with campers and staff members the remarkable adventures of Heart of the Hills!
2014 Activity Leaders:
Jacy Steelman – Head LITe
Head LITe: Jacy Steelman
Jacy Steelman will be returning for her second summer at Heart O’ The Hills as Head LITe. Jacy is studying to earn her degree in Recreational Administration at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. Last summer was the first summer Jacy came to camp as a horseback instructor. She has been riding horses since her parents brought her home from the hospital, and continued on with her horseback riding lessons in both English and Western riding styles at an equestrian academy outside of Fort Worth. As Jacy began to get into junior high and high school, most horseback activities dwindled, but were not forgotten, as she devoted her time to school athletics, much like her father, Clyde Steelman. Clyde served as a counselor at Camp Stewart in the mid-70s. Just as her father Clyde was an athlete, playing in 2 collegiate sports, football and track & field at Tarleton State University, Jacy continued with her track & field career at Oklahoma State University after graduating high school. At OSU Jacy was a sprinter/jumper competing in long jump, triple jump, 60m, 400m and receiving the Oklahoma State Student Athlete Honor award during her time there. While in high school, Jacy was a 3X State Champion in track & field, 2 times returning state cross country runner, earning top 15 girls 1A-5A in the state of Texas to join the Texas Girls Coaches Association All Star Track & Field team. In high school, Jacy strove to be a well-rounded student, participating in many activities, including academic competitions, One Act Play, Beta Club, Creative Writing club, FFA, FCA, Choir, cross country, cheerleading, basketball, tennis, and track and field. Trying so many different activities has made Jacy a well-rounded person, well-suited for camp life. Jacy transferred at the end of her sophmore year to Texas State to continue her education. After a fantastic 2013 summer, Jacy really felt a pull toward the camp world and has decided to become a camp director after graduation. “I fell in love with camp last summer, not realizing it while I was there, but soon after I left, it dawned on me how much it had all meant to me. Heart O’ The Hills does have a special place in my heart now and Summer 2014 is just waiting for me!“
Climbing Activity Leader: Fallon Parnell
Fallon Parnell – Climbing Activity Leader
Fallon is a junior at Sam Houston State University where she is pursuing a major in English with a minor in Kinesiology. After graduating in December of 2015, she plans to pursue a Masters in Sports Management.
Fallon grew up in Centerville, TX and played sports her entire life: Basketball, volleyball, softball, track, and tennis. She graduated 9th in her from Centerville High School in June 2012 with honors. Fallon received numerous awards throughout her high school sporting career and even helped lead the basketball team to its first Regional Tournament appearance in the history of the girls program during her senior year. At the end of her high school career she received three college offers to further her education.
At Sam Houston she is involved in PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America). Fallon also work at the university on the Coliseum Staff and is constantly involved in sporting events, graduations, and any event the college may host. She also works at a church nursery on Sundays and Wednesdays.
Although Fallon was never a camper at Heart O’ the Hills, she was a counselor last year and fell head over hills in love with everything about it. From the girls, to the other counselors, and the overall experience, she cannot wait to be back for the next round.
“I look forward to seeing all the girls again and making new memories, thanks for allowing me to be a part of something so phenomenal.”
Swimming Activity Leader: Angie Morales
Angie Morales – Swimming Activity Leader
Angie Morales will be coming back this summer as our Waterfront Activity Leader. She is a current Food Science and Technology student at the Tecnológico de Monterrey and next fall she will be studying at the California State University campus Fresno along with her best friend who is also a Heart Counselor. Angie has been swimming since she was 4 years old and last summer she received her WSI and Lifeguard certification. Swimming is one of Angie’s favorite activities along with any type of dance and activity that involves being outdoors. The first time she came to the Heart it was as a Heart LITe and since summer 2011 she fell in love with camp, this is Angie’s third summer being a counselor and she is looking forward to seeing old friends, making new ones and to be able to teach more swimming lessons to the campers.
Caitlin Chadwick – Riflery Activity Leader
Riflery Activity Leader: Caitlin Chadwick
Caitlin is joining us all the way from Wales! She attended a boarding school for 10 years, so she has always spent a lot of time away from home. She is currently on a gap year and has spent two months in Belize. During this trip she spent a lot of time in the jungle doing trekking, canoeing and jungle survival training. Caitlin also spent two weeks in an animal sanctuary in Guatemala which was extremely rewarding.
Caitlin is going to go to the University of Liverpool to study Pharmacology in September. This will be her first time attending a summer camp. Her interests include team sports such as hockey, netball and football (soccer), but she also enjoys individual sports like swimming and athletics. She has played all these sports since she was 7 and was always part of the school teams.
Another hobby of Caitlin’s is the Combined Cadet Force which she took part in through school. Through the CCF she learned many skills like riflery and leadership. Her main achievement was being made a house prefect. She was a year group mentor for the youngest year with the house. She helped the girls with any problems they were having, mainly home sickness.
Happy Camping!
<3 Meghan Sanders
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Have a great summer Heart counselors and campers! Keep the memories as they will last a lifetime… When every June rolls around I think of camp with fond memories. They were some of the best times of my life!