Each summer, Poly Prep Country Day School’s Dyker Heights Campus turns into more than a Middle and Upper School – it becomes Poly Summer, a place where Upper School students step into leadership roles as counselors, guiding younger campers and shaping the camp experience from behind the scenes. The camp first opened in 1966 and, after running uninterrupted for over five decades, it closed for two years due to COVID-19 before reopening and continuing to evolve with new programs and opportunities. While young campers ages five to 12 splash in pools, create art projects and run across athletic fields, older Poly students take on new responsibilities: mentoring kids, managing activities and modeling what it means to be a part of the Poly community. For many students, working as a Poly Summer camp counselor is their first job or experience taking care of younger kids. This experience provides more than just a paycheck; it creates leadership roles that shape Poly students and their campers, while fostering community connection and a more profound sense of belonging within Poly Prep.
The camp, directed and organized by Director of Auxiliary Programs Carrie Quigley, offers two programs: Summer Experience Day Camp and Performing Arts Day Camp. Days run from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. from Monday through Friday, June 30 through August 8, with activities designed to balance fun and learning. Campers are placed into one of the four age divisions: Nursery Division (ages four to five), Junior Division (ages five to seven), Intermediate Division (ages seven to nine) and Senior Division (ages nine to 12). Within those divisions, campers remain in smaller groups with their peers, moving through swimming lessons, sports, art activities, music and team-building games. “Activities are determined to be developmentally appropriate for each specific age group, so younger campers get more rest time while older ones take on greater challenges,” Quigley clarified. Beyond the daily schedule, traditions like weekly barbeques, spirit days, Poly olympics, carnival shows and more, bring the whole camp together. These shared experiences integrate younger campers into Poly life and remind high school counselors that they’re part of something bigger, serving as role models who help younger campers to discover new interests and realize what they are capable of.
For Bayo Maathey ’26, who worked as a camp counselor this past summer, the role became much more than supervising kids and managing games; it was about stepping into mentorship and building relationships with his campers. “At first, I thought I’d just be running around with kids and helping out,” he admitted, “but I soon realized the kids were watching how I carried myself.” The awareness he noted changed how Maathey approached each day. He began to see himself not only as a counselor, but as a mentor. The campers looked up to him for reassurance and encouragement. Whether it was teaching a new skill, cheering them on during a game or simply listening to them, he recognized that his actions and words had a ripple effect.
One of the most significant lessons Maathey took away from this experience was how much his attitude influenced the group’s dynamic. “Kids reflect your energy,” Maathey explained, “If you walk in upset or tired, they feel it right away. But if you show up excited and ready to have fun, they will return the same spirit.” That understanding pushed him to be intentional: to greet the group with enthusiasm and positivity, to keep his patience in challenging moments and to set the tone for cooperation and fun. Over the course of the summer, Maathey discovered that leadership wasn’t just about authority – it was about consistency. He described how campers would test boundaries or have difficult days, but by maintaining calmness and showing respect, he was able to earn their trust. “It taught me that leadership doesn’t come from telling people what to do,” he highlighted, “it comes from your own actions that naturally set an example.”
Quigley stresses that working at Poly Summer camp requires consistency, effort and commitment. She explains that, “coming into the job demands a certain level of maturity,” which is why only a select number of students apply each year. “For any student, it’s hard to make that commitment to not go on vacation, not visit any colleges and just fully be there for six weeks straight.” Quigley added that counselors must remember that families “are trusting them with their most prized possessions,” alluding to their children, so it’s essential that they stay motivated and show up each day. For students who want to get involved, the message is clear: leadership at Poly requires dedication, and taking on that responsibility as a high schooler is not always easy.
While Poly Summer may seem like just a seasonal program, it plays a larger role in strengthening the school’s sense of community. Students and faculty who take part in these programs deepen their connection to Poly by extending their involvement beyond the academic school year. Maathey added that he even bumps into his former campers or co-counselors in the hallways during the school year, a reminder that the relationships built over the summer don’t end in August; they continue to shape daily life at Poly. “Working at the Poly Summer camp made me see Poly differently,” Maathey reflected. Instead of viewing himself only as an overseer of events and activities, he recognized that he was an integral part of helping the community thrive.
Poly Summer continues to stand out as a place where students, faculty and campers discover new strengths and form lasting connections. High school students take on meaningful commitments that challenge them to grow and stay consistent, while younger campers gain confidence and relationships through the guidance of those role models. The result is a cycle of learning and belonging that continues to strengthen Poly Prep as a whole. Poly Summer isn’t just about keeping kids busy during the summer months; it’s about weaving every age group into the larger story of Poly and building memorable bonds year after year.
