2018 Staff Spotlight - Max Goldberg

Hey everyone! My name is Max Goldberg, and I'm super excited for camp this summer. I just started the third trimester of my freshman year at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. That's just south of Minneapolis.

At school, I sing in the chamber choir and play club volleyball with Holden Greenberg, an NSC alum, and of course many others. I'm on track to major in Computer Science with a minor in Music Performance. I've also been playing a lot of guitar and piano in my free time!

This will be my 11th summer at North Star.

More about Max

What is your favorite camp meal?
- Mac and cheese and mini sausages.

If you could be any animal (besides a human), what would you be and why?
- I would be an aquatic creature- not sure which one. But they have a lot more of Earth which they are able to explore.

What is your guilty pleasure tv show(s):
- Curb Your Enthusiasm

Where is your favorite spot at camp:
- The health center porch- during the Friday night music practice.

What is your dream Job:
- Something in software design-but I'm not too sure yet.

If you could have dinner with any three people, dead or alive, who would they be and why?:
- Richard Feynman, Benjamin Franklin, and Elon Musk

What is the best Christmas/Hanukkah present that you've ever gotten:
- All of my family coming together.

What are/were your favorite subjects in school:
- Computer Science and Classical history/languages

What are your top three movies of all time: From several different categories:
- The Incredibles, Forrest Gump, Back to the Future.

What's your go-to pie at the Norske Nook:
- Peach Praline. Yum!

What sports teams do you root for:
- Nebraska Football and Creighton Bluejays- basketball

Share a random or little known fact about yourself:
- Within a few hours after I was born, I was in an advertisement for the hospital because I was such a cute baby. They lifted me up like Simba in The Lion King, and I believe we still have the original tape at home.

2018 Staff Spotlight - Simeon Lee

Coming all the way from Peterborough in England is 1st year counselor Simeon Lee. Sim is a student in Hull, where he's studying history and politics. He began playing drums at 13 and started a band with friends. He's a big outdoors guy and obtained his Duke of Edinburgh award and he enjoys hiking. 

At camp you'll find Sim on the waterfront. He obtained his RYA level one in windsurfing and has some sailing experience as well. Knee boarding is one of his specialties and we're looking forward to having him teach campers some different tricks here.

More about Sim

How did you learn about North Star and why did you apply?

- As a student in England, I was looking for a camp to work at in summer and North Star was the stand out option for me. I applied to contribute to something special and have the summer of a lifetime!

If you could be any animal (besides a human), what would you be and why?
-It's got to be a giant manta ray, they're basically just a massive floating table that drifts through the ocean.

What is your guilty pleasure tv show(s):
- Ibiza weekender

What is your dream Job:
- If it could be absolutely anything I'd be a drummer in an indie-rock band.

If you could have dinner with any three people, dead or alive, who would they be and why?:
- Winston Churchill would be number one, he was an incredible and very rare man who'd have a lot of interesting things to say. King Chulalongkorn of Siam (now Thailand) would also be fascinating because he was saved his country from many threats. Lastly it would be my old music teacher Mr Turner as he always made me laugh and was full of insights.

What is the best Christmas/Hanukkah/holiday present that you've ever gotten:
- A table tennis table I got a few years back, I used to play it all the time.

What are/were your favorite subjects in school:
- History and economics have got to take the top spots (revealing my inner geek here!)

What are your top three movies of all time:
- Kung Fu Panda, Saving Private Ryan and Surfs Up.

What sports teams do you root for:
- I don't follow much sport anymore, but I used to be a big Arsenal fan. Internationally, I try to keep up with England rugby.

What noteworthy/random/menial jobs have you held?
- I was a cleaner at my school for a few months covering a cleaner who'd broken their arm; best job I ever had.

What did you do last summer?
- I went to Croatia and the Dominican Republic, then worked for a short while in Next.

2018 Staff Spotlight - Erick Sells

First year counselor Erick Sells comes to camp from La Crosse, WI.  In high school he was involved in cross country, track and field, choir, and musicals. He's also a percussionist and was the section leader  in Marching Band. In 7th grade he joined a local waterski team where he also learned to wakeboard and barefoot.

Erick didn't go to far from home for college, where he's a freshman at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. He wants to become a Physical Therapist and he's a part of the PT club as well as jazz band at UW-L.

More about Erick

How did you learn about North Star and why did you apply?
- I learned about North Star at a job fair that was held at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. I applied because I wanted to spend my summer outdoors while building connections with the youth and sharing my experience and knowledge with them.

If you could be any animal (besides a human), what would you be and why?
- If I could be any animal, I would choose to be an otter because of the environment they live in, their semiaquatic capabilities, and their tendency to be very playful animals!

What is your guilty pleasure tv show(s):
- I don’t think I necessarily have a guilty pleasure TV show, but I will admit that I love watching Disney musicals!

- What is your dream Job:
My dream job is to play drum set in the pit orchestra of a Broadway musical.

If you could have dinner with any three people, dead or alive, who would they be and why?:
- If I could have dinner with any three people, dead or alive, they would be Stephen Hawking, Neil De Grasse Tyson, and Bill Nye the Science Guy. I would choose these three people because with their combined intellects, they could answer virtually any science-based question that I asked them.

What is the best Christmas/Hanukkah/holiday present that you've ever gotten:
- The best Christmas present I’ve ever gotten was a trampoline that was given to me and my siblings by my parents.

What are/were your favorite subjects in school:
- My favorite subjects in school were physics, chemistry, and band.

What are your top three movies of all time:
- There are tons of great movies out there, but some of my favorites include The Princess Bride, The Prestige, and Aladdin.

What sports teams do you root for:
- I do not have any sports teams that I actively root for, but I enjoy following the sports of triathlon and running.

What noteworthy/random/menial jobs have you held?
- I was a drum set teacher for about three years while I was in high school.

What did you do last summer?
- Last summer I spent my time working at the Boys and Girls Club, playing in the pit orchestra for a musical, and practicing on a waterski team

2018 Staff Spotlight - Danny Levy

I recently began my last trimester of my senior year at Homestead High School. I live in Mequon, Wisconsin, and still am deciding which university I will attend next fall. At my high school, I recently played the role of Shrek in our production of Shrek the Musical, and I am currently assistant directing for the spring play Blue Stockings.

Outside of school, I do many music-related extracurriculars. I play piano and trombone and I sing. I am preparing for my senior recital on June 3rd along with other performances. I am also a student composer and am composing a piece for the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra along with a piece for Homestead’s choirs.

After a long and stressful year filled with physics, calculus, and college applications, I cannot wait to return to North Star for my tenth summer!

More about Danny

What is your favorite camp meal?
- Sausage, egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches

If you could be any animal (besides a human), what would you be and why?
- I’d be an otter because they always seem happy.

What is your guilty pleasure tv show(s):
- House of Anubis

Where is your favorite spot at camp:
- The end of the ridge

What is your dream Job:
- Movie/videogame composer

If you could have dinner with any three people, dead or alive, who would they be and why?:
- Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, and a Russian Translator

What is the best Christmas/Hanukkah present that you've ever gotten:
- a jar of nutella

What are/were your favorite subjects in school:
- Music, math, and physics

What are your top three movies of all time:
- Chinatown, Django Unchained, and Mulan

What's your go-to pie at the Norske Nook:
- Butterfinger (duh)

What sports teams do you root for:
- The Vienna Philharmonic?

Share a random or little known fact about yourself:
- I hate Mozart

2018 Staff Spotlight - James Herity

Since I returned home to Ireland after the last summer at North Star I've been studying Actuarial and Financial Maths as a 2nd year student. I'm studying at Dublin City University in County Dublin. I've taken up a new hobby in wake-boarding on Wednesdays with the surf and sail society at my university. I had a few opportunities at camp last summer to try wake-boarding for the first time and discovered it's something I love.

Last December I had a reunion with some of the North Star 2017 staff in Dublin. It was great to see the lads again who are only a short flight or drive away. Currently I am studying for my second semester exams after a successful first semester. As well as studying I work part time at the Cliff at Lyons as a part-time waiter and shall work there up until my departure for camp.

More about James

What is your favorite camp meal?

- Breakfast muffins

If you could be any animal (besides a human), what would you be and why?

- A dog, because I love dogs.

What is your guilty pleasure tv show(s):

-  Desperate Housewives

Where is your favorite spot at camp:

- Swim Point, it's the best place to be when the weathers very hot

What is your dream Job:

- To own my own business one day.

If you could have dinner with any three people, dead or alive, who would they be and why?:

- My oldest brother Paul, because I'd love to see him again,  Wes Anderson, because I love his movies and have questions for days for him &  Will Ferrell, Because he seems like he'd be a fun dinner guest

What is the best Christmas/Hanukkah present that you've ever gotten:

-  A GoPro, I take it with me where ever I travel.

What are/were your favorite subjects in school:

- Maths, Economics and Music

What are your top three movies of all time:

- Tough to say but up there is Isle of Dogs, Blade Runner, Logan.

What's your go-to pie at the Norske Nook:

- Reese's Peanut butter cup pie

What sports teams do you root for:

- Leinster Rugby

Share a random or little known fact about yourself:

- I competed in Pole Vaulting for my school at national level when I was 16 and 17. My record is 3.3 metres.

2018 Staff Spotlight - Trevor Hester

Trevor Hester joins the NSC staff for his first summer. A native of Liberty Center, Ohio, he's currently working on his masters of accounting at Ohio Northern University. He's hoping to one day work for the FBI in the white collar crime division, so campers, watch out! Trevor received his undergraduate degree at Defiance College, where he played collegiate soccer for four years. We're excited to have him on board as a cabin counselor instructing soccer.

More about Trevor

How did you learn about North Star and why did you apply?
 - I heard about North Start from a friend who also applied and I applied because this is my last chance to do something like this before I enter the "real world".

If you could be any animal (besides a human), what would you be and why?
 - Cheetah, because I have always liked them and I think it would be awesome to be able to run super fast.

What is your guilty pleasure tv show(s):
 - Fixer Upper

What is your dream Job:
 - Get paid to travel the world.

If you could have dinner with any three people, dead or alive, who would they be and why?:
 - Ronald Reagan: He is my favorite president.
 - Sir Alex Ferguson: He is one of the best soccer coaches of all time and coached my favorite team.
 - Niel Armstrong: I want to talk to him about being the first man on the moon.

What is the best Christmas/Hanukkah/holiday present that you've ever gotten:
 - Two GIANT boxes of Reese's Puffs

What are/were your favorite subjects in school:
 - History & Science

What are your top three movies of all time:
 - Star Wars
 - Glory Road
 - Toy Story

What sports teams do you root for:
 - Manchester United
 - Dallas Cowboys
 - Cleveland Cavaliers
 - Ohio State Buckeyes

What noteworthy/random/menial jobs have you held?
 - I was a janitor for 2 years in high school

What did you do last summer?
 - Worked at an accounting internship

2018 Staff Spotlight - Ethan Rane

Hi everyone my name is Ethan Rane and I can’t wait to come back for another summer at North Star. I’m most of the way through my sophomore year at the University of Illinois. This year I declared my major to be Computer Science and Astronomy. When I make it out of the Library I spend a lot of my free time hanging out with friends, playing intramural sports and of course playing some Fortnite. Recently I’ve been glued to the TV watching this crazy March Madness Tournament.

Ethan returns to NSC for his Big Ten!

More about Ethan

What is your favorite camp meal?

- My favorite camp meal is Waffles. Mainly because of the strawberry sauce and whipped cream.

If you could be any animal (besides a human), what would you be and why?

- I would be a dolphin because I think it would be pretty fun.

What is your guilty pleasure tv show(s):

- I hold firm that Adventure Time is the best tv show to come out in the last decade.

Where is your favorite spot at camp:

- The Archery Range is definitely my favorite spot.

What is your dream Job:

- I would want to work for NASA.

If you could have dinner with any three people, dead or alive, who would they be and why?:

- I would eat with Kanye West, Teddy Roosevelt, and Freddie Mercury. I think all those guys would be pretty interesting to talk to.

What is the best Christmas/Hanukkah present that you've ever gotten:

- Not sure if this counts but my brother got an electric scooter for his birthday and I liked riding on it whenever I could.

What are/were your favorite subjects in school:

- I have always really enjoyed science classes.

What are your top three movies of all time:

- The Dark Knight, Airplane & 3. Anchorman

What's your go-to pie at the Norske Nook:

- Strawberry Sourcream

What sports teams do you root for:

- I try to root for my university sports teams when it isnt too painful. I also follow the White Sox and Bears.

Share a random or little known fact about yourself:

- I collect seashells every winter break when I go to Florida.

2018 New Camper Pizza Party

New Camper Open House Pizza Party
Saturday, May 12, 2018
12:00pm - 1:30pm
Barnaby's Pizza
960 Skokie Boulevard, Northbrook, IL

Join us on Saturday, May 12 at Barnaby's Pizza in Northbrook for an opportunity to meet some of our junior staff, ask your burning questions and introduce your son to some of the other first time campers. Dan and Andy will be at Barnaby's with some fine North Star staff members who will look to get your son psyched for his first summer at North Star.

Our goal is to help each of our first-time campers to feel comfortable and get even more excited for camp. It is our hope that this allows each of our first-time campers to meet some staff and other first-time campers so that they can see some familiar faces when they arrive at the bus.

You can check out the event on Facebook as well. Please RSVP to Andy@NorthStarCamp.com or at 715-462-3254, and feel free to contact us if you have any other questions as well. We hope you'll stop in and have some pizza!