You could say Jaliah Singleton was destined to work for the City of Greensboro. She spent nearly all of her childhood years as a summer camper and a regular participant in Parks & Recreation Department after-school programming. It didn’t even matter that she wasn’t always old enough to register. Her grandfather, Robert Singleton (Field Operations, retired), occasionally brought her to work with him so she could participate in the kids’ activities at the Lindley Park Recreation Center.
Her childhood experiences left a lasting impression.
“Leadership was definitely something that I learned,” Singleton said. “Of course, when you’re young, you learn how to be friends with people. You learn how to get along with people and those things were definitely taught.
“I can definitely say I learned how to be me.”
Today Singleton is the lead counselor for Lindley Park’s summer camp. She oversees a staff of approximately five counselors and two counselors-in-training (CIT) who provide educational and fun activities for children five to 12 years old.
“I genuinely enjoy it. It’s something that I love to do,” Singleton said. “I’m making kids’ summers amazing while they’re away from school. To see the joy on their face and the joy on their parents’ faces because they know that their kids are having such a wonderful time is such a great feeling.
“I feel like I’ve accomplished something if these kids leave this summer and say, ‘I had a great summer at Lindley summer camp!’”
Singleton and her team prepare weekly activities and lessons for campers from June to August. Children participate in a full gamut of meals, field trips, swimming, crafts, games, and activities from 7:30 am to 6 pm. The campers also receive educational training in math and reading to help limit learning loss over the summer.
“Chill time” usually comes after lunch and affords an opportunity for rest and leisurely activity. This is one of Singleton’s favorite times because it lets her connect with the campers by reading with them or playing simple games. Since assuming the lead counselor’s role in 2022, these moments are harder to find than when she was a counselor or CIT.
A more literal chill time was Singleton’s favorite part of camp as a kid and remains so today. “We had an ice cream truck come every Friday and that is the one thing that I look forward to,” she recalls. “I knew every Friday after lunch we were getting ice cream and we still have the ice cream truck come every Friday. Whether that’s the ice cream man or Kona Ice, we have it come every Friday.”
Singleton also enjoys camp activities dealing with science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM), and crafts. You can understand why when you realize she teaches high school science for Guilford County Schools, holds a chemistry degree from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP), and started a business last year that makes customized shirts, cups, and graduation stoles, among other products.
Relationships are a big reason why Singleton keeps coming back every summer. Whether with the campers, her staff, or supervisors, she enjoys the people with whom she works and they have made a big impact on her life. She remembers an experience in college where she crossed paths with a former camper.
“I saw her and said, ‘Do you remember me?’ Singleton recalled. “And she said, ‘Yes, you worked at Lindley in my last year of summer camp!’ So I was able to help her through her first year of college because we already had that relationship.”
Singleton’s relationships with City staff over the years have yielded friendships and helped her transition into different leadership roles. Appreciative parents of campers not only encourage her annually to return but also offered help when Singleton sought work after her college graduation.
Ultimately Singleton decided to start her professional career in her hometown. While she had other opportunities in Virginia and South Carolina, returning to the Gate City provided meaningful support from family, friends, and co-workers. Plus, she likes Greensboro’s size and variety.
“It has so many different areas. You have downtown, but then you also have country life,” Singleton said. “We’re like a kettle pot. It’s so diverse and there are so many different people that you can meet.
“I met people that I never thought I’d meet before and realized these people can help me get into the door. I’m steadily making connections to this day.”
Singleton enjoys making a difference in young people’s lives both as a teacher and counselor. Her experiences have her considering the pursuit of a master’s degree in school counseling. Wherever her road leads, there’s little doubt she will look to share the lessons that helped shape her into who she is today.