Rangers who signed up throughout the year to volunteer as a SCICON counselor share their favorite parts and experiences.
By: Carissa Chavez and Emmah Abney
As a SCICON counselor, there are many responsibilities that come with it. Their job is to make the experience better for sixth grade students which can be tough at times, and also manage a weeks worth of school work on top of that. In the end, this life changing experience can be beneficial to both students in high school and elementary school.
Sophia Contreras, ’26, says, “Being a SCICON counselor is honestly really fun and you get to make a lot of new friends.”
With being a counselor as a high school student, many younger students tend to look up to you and want to be around you. Flyn Olson, ’25, says, “My favorite part is being around the kids all the time. They are so entertaining.”
Grace Hyatt, ’25, says, “It was really good, you get to have a lot of experience with the kids and just showing them [what] you got to experience as a sixth grader.”
Photo C.Chavez/Gigantea
Going to SCICON can be a helpful experience for Rangers, as they can learn the perks of leading a group of younger students. Hyatt says, “You get to learn a lot about being a leader in your group.”
The benefits of SCICON are really helpful to your college application, as it can benefit your community service hours and give you a chance to participate in an opportunity to expand your leadership.
Contreras says, “The community service hours made me want to become a counselor.”
If the experience goes well, past counselors often return. Olson, who returned again after her first time, says “I wanted to return not just to be reminded of it but also to hopefully give some kids a wonderful experience.”
Photo C.Chavez/Gigantea
Studies can be caught up with during the week of counseling at SCICON. Hyatt says, “[SCICON] gives you one, two hours session to do your homework.”
With this, students are able to catch up on any work that they had missed over the week they were absent from school. Olson says “I was lucky my teachers were super forgiving with school work. I think I also work better on a time crunch.”
A fun way to bond with the cabin students is to make cheers and fun experiences for them to remember.
Contreras says, “My favorite part was making up cabin cheers with the kids because it was the way we got so close.”
Olson says, “It is a wonderful opportunity to disconnect with the world.”
SCICON Photos
Photo courtesy of Olson
Photo courtesy of Olson
Photo courtesy of Olson
Carissa Chavez
Carissa Chavez '25 is a fourth time year journalism writer with the Redwood Gigantea. She enjoys writing and is excited to write stories throughout the year about lifestyles and feautures. Outside of Redwood Gigantea, Carissa is a baker and apart of the certified nursing assistant program.You can reach her by email at caris.ch3841@vusd.us
Emmah Abney
Tags: features, rangers, Redwood, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood rangers, redwood scicon, rhs, rhs scicon, visalia ca
