A Fond Farewell and a Warm Welcome
Long-time Camp Colton Director Mary Giannola is retiring and current Program Coordinator Jackson Carranco will be the next Camp Director.
Being the Camp Colton Director is often described as a dream job and, for the right person, it is. It means days spent outdoors in Hart Prairie, nights around the campfire, and adventures with excited middle school and elementary students. After 31 years of working in Flagstaff Unified School District and 9 years as the Camp Director, Mary is retiring in June. She passes the Camp Colton baton to Jackson Carranco, the current Program Coordinator. Below, Mary reflects on her transformative time at Camp and Jackson looks forward to the future.
Retiring Camp Colton Director Mary Giannola.
Reflections from Camp Colton – Q&A with Mary Giannola
What was your favorite part about being Camp Colton Director?
I loved how each day was different. Some days were so hectic. If someone called off, I covered different staff positions. Depending on the day, I was also the cook, medic, educator, and maintenance staff! I’ll miss the excitement of seeing what each new day at Camp Colton would bring. Serving the students of Northern Arizona was the best part of my career.
Mary Giannola and the deceased Camp Colton Cook David Kronick.
What are you most proud of accomplishing as Camp Director?
It was an honor to serve our students in such a spectacular setting that for some, changed their life for the better, built character, and increased their independence. I can’t fully take the credit for everything that has happened during my tenure at Camp because it took strong partnerships and relationships to get it done. I brought together Flagstaff Unified School District, Friends of Camp Colton, teachers, volunteers and community members to develop new programs, paint structures, improve the solar system, create four outdoor classrooms, install signage structure, create the forest restoration plots, reduce fire fuels, repair the existing wood storage lean-to, build benches for the lower fire ring, oversee the building of our accessible cabins, and be a part of the Camp Colton Master Plan and Bond Override process. My goal was to leave Camp better than I found it.
Learn more about Camp programs.
Why are experiences in nature important for kids?
Kids thrive when they are engaged and learning hands-on. Programs at Camp Colton are all hands-on but even more special because they are also outdoors in nature. This experience supports learning and understanding that sticks with kids for years, sparking new friendships, inspiring future career paths, and instilling a lifelong love and appreciation for nature.
Stories From Camp Alumni Through the Decades.
The Importance of Camp Colton – Q&A with Jackson Carranco
Current Camp Colton Program Coordinator and soon-to-be Camp Colton Director Jackson Carranco.
Why is outdoor environmental education important for kids?
It becomes more important with each passing year to invite kids outdoors and leave behind phones and other distractions for a week. Camp Colton gives kids and their teachers an opportunity to connect with one another in a safe space and explore this special place we call home. At Camp Colton, we get to be there and help Northern Arizona youth awaken and connect over the wonders of nature, and themselves, and what they are capable of. At Camp, a new part of our campers blossoms. They become sensitive to the world around them, develop a more positive relationship with learning, and are empowered with feelings of confidence and self-value that many have never experienced.
Jackson Carranco dressed up as a bat with Northern Arizona University Professor Tad Theimer.
How does Camp Colton benefit our community?
In addition to all the ways Camp Colton benefits the community by directly helping our youth be stronger, kinder, and wiser stewards of our land and resources, Camp Colton is also helping our community indirectly. Camp Colton helps teachers become better educators, empowering them to get outdoors and make their classroom teaching more powerful through professional development opportunities, unique teaching experiences, fostering connections to local STEM experts, and simply by hosting a space where teachers can connect with their students in new ways outside the classroom. Friends of Camp Colton works alongside us to support disadvantaged youth in our district and others by financially supporting their visit to Camp, which helps to break down walls that can rise up between groups of kids at school and between families in our community, creating a more equitable town where all are welcome and invited to be a part of creating a better future together.
What are the benefits of outdoor education?
Why are you excited to be the new Camp Colton Director?
As I move into the role of Camp Colton Director, I am looking forward to building up and supporting our staff, ensuring the quality of our existing programs is exceptional, and working alongside Friends of Camp Colton to maintain a healthy vision of the future for Camp as we work to expand access, design and implement new exciting programs, and realize our master plans for wonderful new Camp facilities.
