Darian McCullough, 23, Youth development worker, Childs Park Recreation Center, St. Petersburg.
By ELLEN MOSES
Published August 24, 2003
How did you get interested in this job?
I came home after my freshman year in college and I was looking for something to do. I was here playing basketball one day and I knew somebody who was working in the office who said I should apply.
How old were you when you started?
Nineteen. I started working the summer of '99.
What kind of schedule do you work?
Generally between 8 (a.m.) and 5:30 (p.m.) if I'm lucky. It depends on the parents, when they pick the kids up. It's Monday through Friday from June until Aug. 1.
What kind of training do you need?
At the beginning of each summer we have citywide training for all summer recreation employees. They take you through different games, behavior modification, just all sorts of things. Then we have our on-site training here. We probably spent, like, four days training and then before you sign on, you have get processed where they do, like, two background checks and things like that.
What do you do in your job?
They call me a rover, but it's kind of unique. Really I go around to each of the groups and see if any of the coaches need any help with their kids. I handle a lot of the discipline, and I plan the special events.
How old are the kids at play camp?
The youngest is 5, the oldest is 11 for play camp. Then for teen camp they go from, like, 12 to, I want to say 16.
What kind of strategies do you use for discipline?
We talk to the kids. We try more positive reinforcement. We show them different ways they can go about making better decisions. The problems are just normal kid stuff: fighting, just talking about each other. You called my mother this, you called mine that, you know, things like that.
What is your favorite thing about this job?
Getting paid to play. It's a nice break away from school, after a long year of exams, tests, things like that. It's just like a break away from the norm. This job is never really the same. You never know what's going to happen. It's something different every day.
What is your least favorite thing?
Probably the heat. We're outside a lot, at the playground and the pool. But it's the summertime and this is Florida, so what are you going to do?
What kind of personality traits do you need for this kind of job?
Patience, understanding, caring.
What's it like being surrounded by kids hanging on you all the time?
At first it was like weird, because I wasn't used to people always wanting to hug me and grab on to my shirt, but after a while you just get used to it.
What did you learn about yourself from doing this?
That I actually like people. Kids are more touchy-feely, and I wasn't that kind of person. But you can't be around them and not be that kind of person. And you learn to be a leader. If you can get 5- and 6-year-olds to do what you what them to do, you can get pretty much anybody to do the same. Now on the other hand, I don't want to have kids of my own any time soon. They're fun to play with, but I like to put them up after 5:30.
Are there any perks of the job?
Field trips. It's the ultimate job if you ever wanted to visit all the theme parks.
How much money do you make?
(Playcamp workers) start off at about $8.50 (an hour) and get a raise every summer.
What would your dream job be?
It would probably be something like this, but with more money. I really enjoy the kids, and I'm really not a desk person, which I'm finding out. I wish I'd thought about that before I decided to be a computer science major.
Are you rethinking career plans?
Kind of. Now I've sort of been thinking about teaching. I really don't have anything concrete lined up and my supervisor here has been encouraging me to go into recreation.
