Anna Stowe '26

Hi! I am Anna Stowe, a rising junior and psychology major at Haverford College. This summer, I interned as a Behavioral Technician at Potential ABA Services in Pennsylvania and worked as an abilities counselor at a YMCA summer camp in Annandale, New Jersey. 

​As a behavioral technician intern at Potential, I saw firsthand how ABA services use play-based learning experiences to help children with autism expand their verbal, emotional, and social skill sets. I worked one-on-one with a client throughout the summer, spending the day playing games and running educational activities to help the child meet the goals set for them by their Board Certified Behavioral Analyst, or BCBA. It was so special to foster a positive connection with my client while watching their independence and confidence grow, especially when we’d reach major milestones during our time together. My favorite memories at Potential include building Play-Doh boats, playing hide and seek in the facility’s gym, and creating massive structures with magnet tiles.

​While I worked as a behavioral technician, I also applied my experience in behavioral analysis and childcare to my job as a camp counselor at the YMCA. In my role as an abilities counselor, I worked one-on-one with children with disabilities, making sure they got the support and advocacy they needed to have a successful and fun day at camp! I often worked to ensure camp was accessible for the children I worked with, helping to get them accommodations and modifying any activities when necessary. I also worked to provide emotional support to the children I worked with, giving them extra reassurance if they were nervous about a new activity or helping them work through stressful situations. Most of all, I loved getting to know my campers. One of my favorite memories at camp came from working with a camper who loved music and dancing, especially the song “Move It, Move It” from The Penguins of Madagascar. The whole camp group would always have dance parties (which always included this camper’s signature song) to celebrate his love for dancing and have fun together!

​Overall, I was so grateful to spend this summer making a difference. These experiences made me fall in love with education, which I now plan to pursue in the future, and I could not have done it without Haverford! I can’t wait to apply all I’ve learned to my work in the future.