At YMCA Camp Ernst in Northern Kentucky, Cole Perry is a celebrity. Each week during the summer (and even in the off-season), clusters of children surround him in excitement when they see him. It’s mainly to say hi and catch up - but there's another (log-sized) factor of Cole's popularity: the pine stump in a BabyBjorn. Meet Log, Cole’s sidekick and teaching tool.
During the summer of 2013, camp director Eli Cochran was acting “uncharacteristically weird”, according to Cole. “[She] said, ‘Here, carry this log around.’ I put it in a wagon at the campfire. People were laughing, and I was like, Yeah, this is fun.” Since then, Cole and Log have become a staple of each summer. With the hundreds of kids attending Camp Ernst each week, they completely accept it – which is probably the best part.
Staff and campers alike at Camp Ernst know that camp is a place to be your true self, unapologetically. For some kids, though, it can be hard to come out of their shell during the first few days. Cole has used Log to start a conversation with a quieter camper or stop conflicts. Cole says, “I started to use it to work with kids. Like, Log doesn’t like it when we hit each other. Or if a kid needs some extra attention, Do you want to hold Log for a little bit? It can be a comforting thing.” The concept of introducing this inanimate object as a neutral party works to shape the character of Log into whatever fits the situation best at that moment. Log can be a mediator or a new best friend. Campers have their day made by being allowed to “babysit” Log for the day, which can really help with shy or homesick kids.
When Cole’s not at camp, he works as a substitute teacher for grade schools in Northern Kentucky. While he says he’s never brought Log into his substitute classes, the dynamic duo taught a class at the University of Illinois on youth development work. Combine that with a Ph.D. in human and community development, and you get a person who is very well versed in how kids act.
Cole's father, Jon Perry, was the former camp director from 1991 to 2010. This means that Cole has had summer camp in his life for over twenty years. (There are even stories about staff members who were assigned as “Cole Chasers” to supervise a young Cole Perry as he wandered around the camp’s property.) Growing up in an environment that wholeheartedly accepts individuality and creativity can help shape a person into their truest self. Kids (and even staff members) don’t have to fit into a template of how they should act. They can be a star by being loud and fun and all over the place, and that’s the most beautiful thing about camp. It lets children know that being weird and enthusiastic can take you far in life.
