#adtcidol - Meet Team-Player, Jessalyn!

ADTC Role: Staff, Camper   Locations: WI   #Years: 8   Age: 18

ADTC Team-Player – Meet Jessalyn W. from IL!

“I tend to embody different personas in different aspects of my life, so it is difficult to choose just one A.D.T.C. Superpower. But, I strive to be a team-player the most!

I love being at camp and seeing so many wonderful young girls bring their different strengths to the table and become friends in the process. I’ve always tried to befriend every camper or at least leave them with one positive memory of me when they go home. Camp is my favorite place in the world because of the sense of belonging I’ve found there, so giving that to other campers is the best possible job I could have!

At camp, I have received the Camper of the Week award 4 out of the 7 past summers. Those are so special to me because camp is where I feel that I am my truest self and to be recognized for doing my favorite thing is such a great feeling and some of the first validation I received as a young teenager who struggled with feeling like she was enough.

In life, my biggest accomplishment was being Valedictorian of my high school class and winning a full-tuition scholarship to college. I prioritize school over everything else in life, so being able to gain that recognition is something I will always cherish.

I hope I inspire girls to believe in themselves, be kind, and to treasure the great experience that camp can be as long as you keep an open mind and heard. Also, that hard work and taking risks can take you very far in life!”

Icebreakers

ADTC: Dogs or Cats?

Jessalyn W: Cats

ADTC: Hip Hop or Ballet?

Jessalyn W: Ballet

ADTC: On Time or Late?

Jessalyn W: Late

ADTC: Loud or Quiet?

Jessalyn W: Loud

ADTC: Running or Walking?

Jessalyn W: Walking

ADTC: Save Money or Spend Money?

Jessalyn W: Save Money

ADTC: Bus Driver or Bus Rider?

Jessalyn W: Bus Rider

ADTC: Problem Solver or Problem Maker?

Jessalyn W: Problem Solver

ADTC: Extrovert or Introvert?

Jessalyn W: Extrovert

ADTC: Call or Text?

Jessalyn W: Call

ADTC: Insta or Snap?

Jessalyn W: Snap

ADTC: City or Country?

Jessalyn W: City

ADTC: Stay Home or Go Out?

Jessalyn W: Go Out

ADTC: Hawaii or Alaska?

Jessalyn W: Hawaii

ADTC: Book or Movie?

Jessalyn W: Movie

Short Answer

ADTC: What words do you live by?

Jessalyn W: “Compassion, gratitude, forgiveness”

ADTC: What or who makes you laugh the most?

Jessalyn W: My parents, cat, and best friends

ADTC: How would your friends describe you?

Jessalyn W: Caring, intelligent, organized

ADTC: What is your favorite dance style?

Jessalyn W: Contemporary

ADTC: What hobbies do you have outside of dance?

Jessalyn W: Eating (does that count?), watching The Office with my mom, going out with friend or just by myself!

ADTC: Other than necessities, what one thing could you not go a day without?

Jessalyn W: My phone; obviously

ADTC: If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Jessalyn W: Nachos, hands down (bonus points if they’re vegan)

ADTC: If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

Jessalyn W: California

ADTC: What is your biggest fear?

Jessalyn W: Living with regret

ADTC: What is your favorite Holiday?

Jessalyn W: Christmas!

ADTC: What is your biggest pet peeve?

Jessalyn W: Bad drivers, inconsiderate or unfriendly people

ADTC: Is there a fun fact about you that people might find surprising?

Jessalyn W: I’m going to college to study nutrition (and am vegetarian) but work at my family’s ice cream and hot dog shop!

#adtcidol - Meet Team-Player, Jessalyn!

ADTC Team Player - Meet Jessalyn W!

Camper Video - Jessalyn

Contemporary Routine: “Amber” By 311

Camp Fire Q’s with @jessalyn.wilson

ADTC: What is your True Color Personality Style?

Jessalyn W: Blue! (But Gold was a close second) I absolutely agree, I try my best to be the kindest and most caring version of myself, even though life, stress, and difficult situations sometimes get in the way. I think the world would be a better place if more people practiced kindness (cliche, right?) and wish more people were willing to go above and beyond to show others that they care. I definitely tend to wear my heart on my sleeve and am quick to tell people about what I’m going through or feeling, hopefully to help them if they’re going through a similar situation or will in the future.

ADTC: Who is your Idol?

Jessalyn W: Every counselor I have had at ADTC has inspired, but especially Ellen, Chloe, Rachel, and Megan. These four have guided me through my toughest times at camp as well as helping out with kind words and advice during the “off-season”. These four are accomplished students and dancers, and people every camper can look up to. They are wise, loved by their friends, and some of the funniest, kindest, unique people I have ever met. I have such a different relationship with each one of them, so I always know who to turn to when I need advice, a laugh, some extra kindness, or reassurance that I’m heading the right way in life.

ADTC: Why do you love to dance?

Jessalyn W: As typical as this sounds, it’s the best way for me to let go and feel my emotions. If I’m having a difficult night, I turn up the music and improv in my room. If I’m feeling stuck in life, I work on new tricks and improving the basics since there is no better sense of accomplishment than finally getting a move you didn’t think you could. Honestly, dance is the only thing I’ve ever done, so I don’t have much to compare it to. But I know that I want to keep doing it for as long as I can, in some capacity. I couldn’t imagine my life without it.

ADTC: What goals are you working on right now (in both dance & life)?

Jessalyn W: Since I just graduated from high school, I guess my biggest life goal is surviving my first year of college! Not sure what success looks like in that instance, but I just want to enjoy my time there and feel like I’m becoming a better person. (As well as having a successful three weeks at camp as a first-year JIC.) As a dancer, I want to improve my flexibility, master a quad pirouette, get better at choreography, and add new skills to my repertoire. My big goal for the next four years is to become an NAIA All-American dancer!

ADTC: Tell us about a difficult situation in your life and how you got through it. What did you learn?

Jessalyn W: I’m going to sound like such a teenager when I say this, but definitely my first real break-up. Sure, I’ve had my heart broken by boys and friends in the past, but the moment your first real relationship ends, you kind of lose your footing for a while. The hardest part was losing the sense of value you automatically gain from being in a relationship, as well as learning how to forget the memories and move forward in life. I started spending more time simply doing things to make myself happier and telling myself (and other girls) that it is okay to be single! You are no less valuable or worthy just because you don’t have a boyfriend, as much as your friends or social media may tell you otherwise. I also became closer to a lot of new friends and made memories I wouldn’t have if I were still in a relationship. I use that experience to help all the younger girls on my dance team who have had their hearts broken to remind them of their worth and that life goes on!

ADTC: What is the most daring thing you’ve ever done? What did you learn?

Jessalyn W: My junior year of high school, I enrolled in community college! With a handful of students from my high school, I started commuting a half-hour into the city every day to take college classes to earn my Associate’s degree. This meant leaving behind my comfort zone and friends at my high school and becoming more independent. It definitely forced me to grow up fast but I wouldn’t trade the lessons I learned there for the world. Last year, I became an officer for my college’s honors society which was a big commitment and a lot of hard work, but from that experience, I met my best friends and went on free trips to conventions in Orlando and various places in Illinois. By believing in myself and taking that leap, I gained knowledge, confidence, and a lot of memories!

ADTC: What is the your favorite ADTC memory & why?

Jessalyn W: I don’t even know how to pick just one! One time at the Illinois camp, a group of girls and I were in a dorm room telling stories and came up with the imaginary creature, Punswa. I, somehow, was chosen to portray the character so I put on crazy makeup, the funkiest clothes I could find, and wore a towel on my head. I wore the same thing the next day for Wacky Wednesday and definitely confused and creeped out some of the counselors and other campers. Punswa became a camp legend that returned every year for a Wacky Wednesday appearance! A more recent memory was hanging out with the counselors Friday night after the show eating pizza, telling stories, and just being goofy. That night, some campers were dealing with some complicated conflict and in helping them solve it and comforting them, I learned a lot about what it means to be a counselor, positive role model, and caretaker. I became a lot closer with the counselors that night and will never forget what a crazy, scary time it was.

Be an #ADTCidol like Jessalyn – You Could Win a Week of Dance Camp!

Note – this online contest is more about you as a person than a dancer. At ADTC, girls are our idols. And we believe girls need to hear more authentic stories from other strong girls.
 
As we consciously let our own light shine, we give other girls permission to do the same. The more we share our power, the stronger we all become.
 
Share your #ADTCidol story & A.D.T.C. Superpower  (Adventurer, Dreamer, Team-Player or Creator) & inspire other girls! You could be featured on our website & social media, & we’ll enter you to win a free week of dance camp.*

You can submit a questionnaire for you or someone else. You’ll also get a $25 canteen credit at camp just for submitting (good for apparel, candy, ADTC souvenirs, etc.).

 
We’ll announce our winner on 4/29 (International Dance Day)!
 
* If you’re the winner & you’re already registered for ADTC 2019, we’ll give you the $25 Canteen Credit AND refund one week of camp.

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