Matthew showed a high level of competency with us from the very beginning. He came at recommendation from another staff member and not only met but exceeded our expectations for the role of Youth Advocate with us. Our Advocate position is similar to that of Camp Counselor, where staff is spending an extended amount of time (including overnight) with youth for up to 10 days at a time. The job can be mentally and physically strenuous, and requires a constant attention/dedication to detail. His outdoor experience and passion helped him to be a natural fit for our community. Matthew showcased a talent for working with both high school and middle school age youth, which he had previously mentioned having experience with as a ski instructor. He formed genuine connections with the youth in his care and supported them consistently throughout their time at camp. In particular, he navigated a situation having to do with racial conflict between group members with both poise and compassion for all youth involved. Matthew was a great asset to have on our Youth Advocate team and in such a short amount of time made a huge impact in our community to the point where we hope he returns in the future to continue to nurture the connections he made with our youth.

Matthew consistently sought feedback on his performance and showed a desire to improve. His baseline level of work was already competent and he took to learning the camp's schedule, rules, and expectations very easily. When feedback was given, it was listened to and then implemented. If he ever had any questions, he would come to a supervisor to clarify.

From my observations, Matthew is a passionate, caring, and, engaging individual. This aided him particularly in forming solid mentor bonds with youth. He put effort into treating them with respect and care and it resulted in his group being very unified and considerate of one another. As for what his weaknesses are, I would say he simply needs more experience to become a more seasoned youth worker, in whatever capacity that looks like in his future.

The scores given are based on both Matthew's performance with us and take into consideration his ability to grow. He is already very competent at many things and being at where he is in his life has a lot of room to grow into an exceptional young professional. I cannot overstate how much I would recommend Matthew for any position he is applying to. He would make a notable and valuable impact on any team he is apart of.