Arguably one of the best aspects of being around kids is hearing the hilarious things they say. It is always interesting to think about what is going on in their minds. Hands down they are the best comedians, so we asked some of our staff to send us stories from their summers working with CentriKid.
My first week as Sam Magellan (the stage character in 2013), my character was crying on stage because he was sad that he had to leave the kids. When I said, “I won’t have any more friends or any more fun,” a little 3rd grade girl in the front rows yelled, “You are never alone, God is always with you!”
– Isaac Kierstead
Last summer I taught the tennis track. One day it was particularly warm, and since it already gets very hot on the courts anyway, I was giving the kids a good water break and rest. As we were walking to the water coolers, one boy came up to me and complained about how much his feet hurt. I tried to distract him from the pain by motivating him to keep going and talking about the fun things we were about to do after the break. As I’m doing this, he looked up and me with the most serious eyes and whispered to me, “No, my toes literally tried to kill me last night,” and then proceeded to walk away and get water, leaving me in utter disbelief of what just happened.
– Vincent Thomas
Camper: Hey, I’ve really been thinking about this whole heaven thing. Can I ask you a question?
Me: Of course you can!!! Go for it! (I was anxiously excited to discuss eternity with a child.)
Camper: Heaven sounds amazing and all, but will there be Mt. Dew in heaven?? I’ve learned that heaven is a perfect place, so there has to be Mt. Dew in heaven, right?!
Me: …
– DeLanna Johnson
During a week in Texas, I had a very small class of kids in my third grade Bible study (4 or 5 kids at most). I had this tiny precious girl that absolutely loved to do cheers, especially when walking to recreation. As our small cohort walked, she would lead our group in the “tiny might mellow yellow” cheer. With such great enthusiasm, none of the rest of her fellow campers were joining in. Despite such, she would so lovingly encourage everyone and yell at the end of the cheer, “THAT’S THE SPIRIT!” and then continue in the cheer once again to no avail.
– Carson Albritton
Last summer, my assistant director, Hannah, and I were talking to a kid on the yellow team who was in the Milky Way Bible study. We asked her which Bible study she was in, and she said, “I’m on the Milkshakes.”
– Micheal Walley
One summer, I had a staffer whose mother would send mail to our team on a weekly basis. The staffer’s mom worked at a day camp, and one week she asked the kids at her camp to draw pictures and write notes for my team. She explained to the kids that CentriKid staffers leave their homes and travel around the country in order to tell others about Jesus. “They don’t get to see their families for the whole summer,” she explained, and she asked the kids to write encouraging notes to cheer us up (in case we were feeling sad or homesick).
– Henry Dutton