Keegan and Andy are joining us again at Camp Pinnacle, this year as the Head of Girls’ and Head of Boys’ camp! We are so excited to have them back with us!
Keegan Trofatter
Hometown: Greenville, SC
Years at Camp Pinnacle: This will be my second summer at CP!
Why did you decide to come back to Pinnacle? Since I was young, I’ve always wanted to be a camp counselor. I grew up going to a camp near the Blue Ridge Mountains and already loved being in this area. When I stumbled upon Pinnacle’s website and watched the videos, I thought camp looked like so much fun and wanted to be a part of it! Plus, I admired the goals to use all of the “fun” to give kids confidence and teach them responsibility.
What is your favorite traveling experience? I took a trip to Alaska the summer after 6th grade. I went into the trip not knowing anyone and nervous about flying alone for the first time, but after getting to do midnight, no-sunset hikes, go whitewater rafting in glacier run-off, and meet kids from all over the country, I absolutely fell in love with traveling and being outdoors.
What do you do when you’re not working at camp? Right now I’m finishing my sophomore year at Duke University studying English, creative writing, and markets and management; I will be studying abroad in London in the fall. Beyond academics, I like doing things with the arts: reading, writing, crafting, ukulele-playing, and dancing as junior captain on Duke’s official dance team. I work for the administration of the libraries and do what I can promote the humanities and my favorite thing: books!
What are you most proud of? In high school, I was student body president, which meant I was in charge of our school’s Spirit Week. My senior year, we chose to donate all of the money we raised to donate to the creation of an ALS treatment center in my town. After only one week, we raised $225,120.15. Seeing the reaction of the patients and their families was one of the most amazing experiences of my life!
Tell us a cool fact about yourself. I really like making up stories off the top of my head. Catch me bored with nothing to do or on a hike with some campers, and I’ll most likely be spouting out some nonsense about flying turtles or magic mermaid-cats.
What are you most excited about for the summer? I am SO excited to meet all of the new campers and see returners! Last summer was definitely the most fun of my life, and I am really looking forward to growing as a leader even more this year and working to make CP as awesome as it can be!
What is your favorite camp song? Mountain Dew!
What is your favorite evening program? Air Band, for sure. I love seeing all of the cabins show of their stellar dance moves, and I end up laughing so hard throughout the whole thing.
Andy Laphan
Hometown: Liverpool
Years at Camp Pinnacle: This will be my second year.
Why did you decide to return to Camp Pinnacle? I always feel right at home, and I don’t even feel like I’m working. When you are being chased in Rainbow Tag, sneaking kids past the line in Farkle, and laughing every minute, I don’t know how you can call that work. Pinnacle also has very supportive staff, there to help you anytime you need it.
What is your favorite traveling experience? After my summer at Camp Pinnacle, I went on a road trip with a fellow counselor Tylo. With our snacks and the less important items packed, we set of from San Francisco, going to Yosemite National Park, Los Angeles, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Reno, Lake Tahoe, Bernie Falls, Crater Lake, Portland, Seattle and then back to San Francisco. Nothing was planned except for the final destination, giving us the freedom of a real road trip in America.
Hiking and watching the sun rise over Half Dome in Yosemite, getting lost at certain points, hiking down into the Grand Canyon by the south Kaibab trail to see the Colorado River, swimming in the most beautiful waterfalls found along the way and in the largest alpine lake in North America, exploring some of the biggest and most beautiful cities in America and singing along to “A Thousand Miles” with the windows down along Route 66… It was an unforgettable experience with a forever friend, thanks to camp.
What do you do when you’re not working at camp? I volunteer with kids, work part-time, and run.
What are you most proud of? I took my first leap of faith to enter the Camp America program, which put me in a special needs camp in Wisconsin. It was a point in my life that really changed my perspective of the world and gave me my passion of working with and helping people.
Tell us a cool fact about yourself. I have traveled 7,231 miles through 23 states in a car across the USA. That’s nearly two trips across the North Atlantic ocean!
What are you most excited about for the summer? I’m most excited about meeting all of the new camp staff and getting to know all of the kids at camp again!
What is your favorite camp song? Hey Burrito!
What is your favorite evening program? Definitely Farkle.