Fine Arts Camp Staff
Maggie Rotello Hartford: Director
This is Maggie’s seventh year with the Saint Mary’s Fine Arts Camp. She was on a one year sabbatical last summer after the birth of her third child. Maggie is excited to be coming back this summer to immerse herself in the fine arts and once again have the chance to get to know the amazing campers that are joining us for the first time or back again for another fun-filled year of camp. Maggie is a ’99 graduate of Saint Mary’s with a BA in Elementary Education with an endorsement in Reading and Junior High Social Studies. She spent nearly ten years teaching in a local elementary school before choosing to stay home with her three children full time. Maggie cannot wait to drive down the Avenue this July and spend three weeks on the beautiful Saint Mary’s campus. Each summer, she looks forward to seeing what the campers create and always leaves with a sense of awe at what the ladies are able to accomplish in just one week. Maggie hopes to enroll her daughter in camp in just four short years!
Cathy Tadey: Assistant Director
Cathy Tadey can’t wait to return to Saint Mary’s Fine Arts Camp for her fifth summer this year. Cathy has been involved with camp as music instructor, assistant director, and director and looks forward to seeing the campers create, laugh, and perform each year. Cathy is currently the band director at Minooka Intermediate School in Minooka, Illinois where she teaches fifth and sixth grade students. Cathy is also a teacher for the travel abroad program and will be taking a group of eighth grade students to Japan this summer where they will experience the culture, the food, and the history of this unique country. In addition to teaching and traveling, Cathy also enjoys performing with the South Bend Chamber Singers, hiking, and visiting her family back home in Indiana.
Mary McKevitt: Night Supervisor
Mary McKevitt is so excited to return to camp for her third summer! She first started as a counselor, and she will continue her position from last year as night supervisor. The thought of going back to her absolute favorite place puts a huge smile on her face! Mary graduated from Saint Mary's College in 2011 with a degree in Elementary Education with additional endorsements in Exceptional Needs: Mild Intervention and Reading. Mary absolutely loves to travel! She studied abroad in Rome, Italy her sophomore year and she traveled to Killarney, Ireland to compete at the All-Irelands Irish Dance Championship with the Notre Dame/Saint Mary's Irish Dance Team. She also taught in Uganda with the Saint Mary's Uganda program, and she feels so blessed to have had so many opportunities through her alma mater. Mary is now a first grade teacher and couldn't imagine doing anything else! She also loves spending time with her family/friends, being with her two dogs Reilly and Pippa, and running. July can't come soon enough!
Instructors
Susan Baxter (Theatre) is happy to be back at camps for her fifth summer. She has previously worked at Fine Arts Camp as a Creative Writing Instructor and Theatre Instructor. She has also worked as a Theatre Instructor for our Summer Academy Program. Susan has been teaching at Saint Mary’s since 2004 in the Communication Department, some of her classes include Playwriting, Journalism and Communications 101. This fall she will be serving as the Co-director for Saint Mary’s prestigious Writing program. She holds an MFA in Acting from Indiana University and a BA from Seton Hill University. She lives in Mishawaka with her husband, Richard. They have two children, Miranda (SMC class of 09’) and Daniel, who will be a Senior at DeSales University.
Katie Chmelko (Music) is excited to be returning for her third year as the music instructor at Saint Mary's College Fine Arts Camp. She is 2009 graduate of Saint Mary’s where she majored in Music Education. Katie lives in her hometown of Philadelphia, PA and teaches music at Nazareth Academy High School. Katie’s first and favorite instrument is the piano, but she also loves to sing, play the cello, and the flute. Besides music, she enjoys traveling, cooking, and hanging out with her two dogs, Bella and Riley. Katie is certainly looking forward to returning to Saint Mary's for another fun-filled summer!
Michele Kriner (Dance) received her B.S. in Education from Ball State University and her Master of Fine Arts in Dance Performance from the University of Iowa. From 2001-2006, she was on faculty in Ball State University’s Department of Theatre and Dance. In 2007, she moved to South Bend to teach at Saint Mary’s College Program in Dance and Clay High School Magnet for the Visual and Performing Arts. Michele also teaches modern and jazz at Southold Dance Theatre, and past three summers she has choreographed the Summerfly musicals Kiss Me Kate, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Cats: The Musical.
Renee Powers (Creative Writing) is thrilled to be returning to camp as the creative writing instructor. She earned her B.A. in Communications and Women’s Studies from Saint Mary’s in 2008 and just finished her M.A. in Communications at Northern Illinois University. In August, she’ll begin coursework towards her Ph.D. at University of Illinois-Chicago. Renee is an avid blogger and social media enthusiast, but she particularly loves reading young adult novels in the sunshine while sipping iced coffee. Though her hometown is Mishawaka, IN, she currently resides in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and their cat, Asparagus.
Caitlin Riley (Art) is a fifth year returning instructor, but has been involved with Fine Arts Camp since the age of ten, when she attended as a camper! She is a 2006 graduate of Notre Dame, where she earned her Bachelors of Fine Art in photography and sculpture. She has worked as a freelance photographer, digital printing consultant, cupcake decorator, after-school art teacher, stylist, and most recently a blogger! Cait currently resides in Hanover, New Hampshire with her husband and dog snoopy. She loves spicy food, lipstick, neon shoelaces, The Hunger Games trilogy, and glitter! Cait can't wait to return to South Bend to spend the summer at Fine Arts Camp!
Molly White (Art) was a camper at Fine Arts Camp for four years, a counselor for three, and Night Supervisor and Assistant Director each for one year. This is her second year as an art instructor. Molly graduated with her B.F.A. in 2007 and currently works as Stewardship Coordinator at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
Counselors
We asked our Fine Arts Counselors to answer a few questions to help you get to know them. Here are their responses------
Meghan Barnauskas
Hi, I’m Meghan Barnauskas, a sophomore from Livonia, Michigan majoring in elementary education and math with a minor in Spanish. I’ve had the opportunity to take many different classes, but my favorite so far has been General Education and Special Education Partnerships with Mrs. Van Meter because it was the first time I learned about lesson planning, classroom management strategies, and what it truly means to be a teacher. After this course, I knew that teaching was definitely what I wanted to do. During the school year when I’m not busy with class or homework, I enjoy tutoring with the College Academy Tutoring program, volunteering at La Casa de Amistad in South Bend, and working as a tutor for the Saint Mary’s math department. I love Mexican food, country music, the color pink, and The Sound of Music (ever since I was little I loved singing along with all of the songs with my mom and sisters). The perfect day for me would include sleeping in, waking up to find that it is 70 degrees and sunny, spending time laughing and having fun with family and friends, taking a bike ride outside, and curling up on the couch with a good book and big bowl of ice cream. This is my first year as a counselor for the Fine Arts Camp at Saint Mary’s and I cannot wait to spend time on Saint Mary’s campus (it is one of my favorite places in the world), meet and get to know all of the campers, and introduce them to all the fun and excitement both the fine arts and Saint Mary’s have to offer.
Carla Celio
Hi, I’m Carla Celio. I enjoy traveling and taking my nephew on trips around Chicago in the summer. I also enjoy reading and running out doors. My favorite food is Chicken Pad Thai because I could eat it every day! My favorite childhood movie (still my favorite movie now) is Cinderella because I grew up watching it with my sister. My ideal day would be spent at Millennium Park in Chicago on a summer day with friends. At night, the skyline reflects beautifully off of the Bean and illuminates the lakeshore. My favorite class is Magical Realism Literature. 100 Years of Solitude and The People of Paper are both works of Magical Realism I’ve enjoyed reading. I love Magical Realism because it inspires the reader to open the barriers of the mind and experience impossible concepts. I’m looking forward to working with the young ladies attending the camp, having a great summer with them, and sharing the wonderful experiences of being a Belle with them.
Kelly Courington
Hi! My name is Kelly, and I am a rising Junior Political Science major with a double minor in History and Business. I participate in Women's Choir here at Saint Mary's, and I love to sing! My favorite food would have to be tacos because they're easy to make and taste delicious! My favorite childhood movies would be any of the Disney Princess movies because I was convinced I was going to be the next Cinderella when I was little. The perfect day for me would be to go up to the beach with a bunch of friends. My favorite class so far has been my Intro to Political Science class because it encouraged me to think and explore in ways that I didn't high school. I'm really looking forward to meeting all of the new campers, watching everyone learn and grow, and getting to hang out at Saint Mary's for the summer!
Michelle Demski
Hi, I’m Michelle Demski, and I’m going to be a sophomore at the University of Illinois studying Elementary Education. I’m originally from Elmhurst, IL, which is a suburb of Chicago. Throughout high school and college I actively volunteered at local elementary schools. I love working with kids; it’s my passion! My favorite food would have to be bread because no matter who makes it or what kind it is, it’s always so good! My favorite childhood movie is Beauty and the Beast. It’s my favorite because it’s the first movie I remember truly loving and at one point I had all the words memorized from watching it so many times. If I had to come up with an ideal day, it would be simple. I’d spend it with my best friends. We’d listen to our favorite music, talk and spend lots of time laughing. My favorite class this past semester has been my Educational Policy Studies class where I evaluated particular aspects of our education system. I’m so excited for Fine Arts Camp, because I am a former camper (I attended for four summers) and have wanted to be a counselor since I was eleven! I can’t wait to meet all the campers and get to know them, along with my fellow counselors. I’m also very excited to be back on the Saint Mary’s campus and involved in Fine Arts Camp. I’ve missed it so much!
Kalie Holdren
I’m a soon to be junior at Notre Dame and am super-duper excited for camp this summer. This summer will be my 6th year at camp. This magnificent camp journey began as a camper years and years ago. This is my second time as a counselor and I’m pumped to be coming back. In studies at Notre Dame, I prefer to spend all of my time between the Russian and Ceramics departments. As a Russian and Ceramics double major, I get to hang out with lots of cool people! Among my strange interests are hip hop dance, jewelry making, and the occasionally musical performance. I’m a member of Project Fresh at Notre Dame, which is the hip hop dance group that performs yearly and I’m also a member and officer of Notre Dame’s Russian club. My favorite food is mac and cheese, because cheese is the bomb and my favorite movie is the Little Mermaid, because: 1.) I always wanted red hair, 2.) who wouldn’t want to sing all of the time, and 3.) she lived in the water as a child (swimming is awesome!). My ideal day would be shopping through awesome thrift stores and relaxing on the beach and my favorite class is Ceramics because I love playing with clay! This summer, I’m looking forward to spending time with campers, counselors, and instructors and having fun during allllll of camp.
Kathleen Klauer,
Hi, I’m Katie, a sophomore, with an Intending Nursing Major. At Saint Mary’s, I belong to the Friends with Sisters Club, Friends of the Orphans Club, and Student Nursing Association. My favorite food is pasta because I’m Italian and my mother makes it almost every night! My favorite childhood movie is Hercules because I love to sing and dance to all of the songs! My ideal day in the summertime would be spending the weekend in Chicago visiting my family and shopping with my mom.
My favorite class is Nursing Essentials. Being a sophomore and learning new skills is very exciting! I love practicing in the lab and will be working at the Saint Mary’s convent this semester, which I am looking forward to.
Katie Kyler
My name is Katie Kyler and I’m a junior, Class of 2013 with a major in Communicative Disorders. I am currently a member of the University of Notre Dame Marching Band, Notre Dame Symphonic Winds and Varsity Band, which plays at basketball games, as well as Clarinet Choir. I also enjoy running, baking, and dancing. My favorite food is macaroni and cheese because it tastes great and I learned how to make it with my grandma. My favorite childhood movie is Dunston Checks In. The little boy becomes best friends with the cutest monkey. They always looked like they had so much fun and I wanted Dunston as a friend to play and get in trouble with. My ideal day would be to go to Lake Michigan with my family and lay around in the sunshine all day long, swim and make sand castles. And when it turns dark, sit around the campfire and toast marshmallows and look at the stars. This will be my first summer as a counselor at SMC Fine Arts Camp, but I am looking forward to all the activities, meeting new campers, going on field trips and especially Counselor Follies.
Kaitlin Maierhofer
Hi, I am Kaitlin Maierhofer. I am a freshman here at Saint Mary’s College hoping to major in Mathematics with a minor in Secondary Education to teach middle or high school math. I am actively involved with Girl Scouts and play flute and piccolo in the Notre Dame Pep and Concert bands. I also really enjoy reading, listening to music, and hanging out with friends. My favorite food is probably macaroni and cheese, with extra cheese. I would have to say my favorite childhood movie is The Little Mermaid. I was obsessed with it when I was little because it taught me to go after what I want, but that I should also listen to my parents because they are usually right. My ideal day would be to wake up mid-morning and eat a huge brunch with my family. I would want to just lounge around my house, help my parents do odd chores, and finally go out to dinner and a movie or bowling with my friends and boyfriend. My favorite class is definitely band. My teacher in high school was so laid back, but always made sure we learned our music in a timely fashion. Band is unique in that it is able to bring people from so many different backgrounds together, and because of that we were (and still are) able to have so much fun together. I can’t wait for camp this summer! I am really looking forward to meeting new friends, making memories, and even learning some new things myself!
Julie Novak
Hi, I’m Julie Novak, a junior studying Elementary Education at Saint Mary’s College. I’m in the Notre Dame Marching Band, Notre Dame Varsity Bands, Notre Dame Flute Choir, Saint Mary’s Hall Council, and Saint Mary’s French Club. My favorite food is tortellini because Italian is my favorite, and Papa Vino’s makes a delicious chicken tortellini. My favorite childhood movie is Toy Story because it is a good friendship movie and I grew up with Woody and Buzz Lightyear. I am looking forward to meeting new campers, Counselor Follies and seeing musicals. My ideal day would include a lot of sun. I would spend the entire day hiking with my family and friends and enjoying the fresh air. My favorite class is drama because it is a lot of fun. We are constantly doing fun activities and moving around. It is a chance to be wacky and have it be acceptable.
Caitlin Richardson
My name is Caitlin Richardson. I am a junior at Saint Mary’s College and a nursing major. I am in the Saint Mary’s/Notre Dame Irish dance club and I also compete in Irish Dance with the Mayer School. My favorite food will always be pizza. I am always in the mood for pizza. My favorite childhood movie is between Anastasia and Road to Eldorado. The Road to Eldorado makes me laugh out loud every time! My perfect day would be a warm summer day at a lake house and just hanging out all day on the beach with my best friends. Even though I enjoy science classes, my favorite class in college was English! The professor made the class so enjoyable and we read great books! I am so thrilled to be a camp counselor again this year!! Last year was just the best time and I can’t wait to do it all over again! I am looking forward to meeting my new campers, helping them have a great time, and getting away to participate in Fine Arts Camp!
Heidi Ryan
My name is Heidi Ryan. I am a senior and History Major with a Minor in Business. I am in the Notre Dame Band and I play the cymbals. I love hanging with friends and just having fun! My favorite food is dumplings!! They are a German type food and are so yummy! My favorite childhood movie would have to be Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles because I always watched it with my cousin and we had so much fun! My ideal day is sleeping in, getting ready for the day and doing all sorts of activities with friends and family, and enjoying GOOD FOOD!! I love just spending time with my family! My favorite class is Drama. As a senior my plans for the 2012 semester is to live life to its fullest and try to always be happy and not worry about the little stuff. I am looking forward to meeting all my new campers, Counselor Follies, and eating junk food with my campers. I also love Big Time Rush and always love rocking out with the girls!! It’ll be a fun summer!!
Katey Wagner
Hi, I’m Katey Wagner. I am a senior Elementary Education Major with certifications in Special Education and Reading Intervention. I’m the Vice President of the Education Club and enjoy making crafts, especially scrapbooks! My favorite food is sweet potato fries and I especially love when they serve them in the SMC dining hall during summer camp! My favorite movie is Dirty Dancing because I love Patrick Swayze and all the music in the movie. My ideal day involves staying in my pajamas all day and watching movies and eating snacks with family and friends. My favorite class is the first grade class that I’m currently student teaching in! I love every single one of my first graders and enjoy every day with them. After graduation, I hope to get a teaching job in one of the Chicago suburbs. I’ll miss everything about my life at SMC, especially with my first graders. I’m looking forward to making new crafts with my campers this summer and I’m also excited about counselor follies and meeting everyone!!!
