Katie
Katie prides herself on her positivity. When others see a “problem,” Katie sees an “opportunity.” When others — not anyone who works at Camp Smile, of course! — dread Mondays, Katie revels in them.
“Mondays are the very best day of the week!” Katie says. “So many possibilities lay ahead. Every Friday, I tell our team, ‘Only three sleeps to Monday!’ ”
And when others are in bed, in deep sleep, Katie is at the gym for her 3 a.m. daily workout.
“One of my passions in life is health and fitness,” she says. “I find it puts me in a great mood and provides me the energy I need for my life at Camp Smile.”
Renown for her leadership and versatility, Katie is thankful for her job and her Camp Smile family.
“I could not love and care for the Camp Smile families, doctors, and team members more,” Katie says. “The individuals who work at Camp Smile are the best group of people I could have ever of dreamed of working with.”
More about Katie
What superpower do you wish you had? I wish I could read people’s minds. I think it would be fascinating to know what everyone around me is really thinking. I just don’t want them to be able to read my mind in return!
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? First I would workout, shower, and then put my PJ’s for the rest of the day. Then I would curl up in front of the fireplace with a great book and a glass of wine. That. Sounds. Amazing.
What is your favorite snack? Really any type of fruit.
Favorite fluoride flavor? Mint
Laurie
Licensed Dental Assistant
Laurie calls herself a “water girl,” which shouldn’t come as a surprise since she relocated to Pawleys Island, South Carolina, a three-mile long, one-quarter mile wide island about 30 minutes south of Myrtle Beach.
“The ocean is the best!” Laurie says. “I enjoy walks on the beach, sitting and watching the dolphins, or heading out on a paddle board. As long as my feet are wet, I’m happy!”
Naturally, Laurie’s favorite superhero is Aquagirl.
“How cool would it be to breathe under water?”
Laurie also enjoys working with numbers and solving complex problems.
“I can see the whole picture and put all the pieces back together,” she says. “Even if one of those pieces is missing I can find it!”
More about Laurie
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? Sleep in, then an hour of hot yoga.
What is your favorite snack? That depends. Salty would be french fries or better yet, sweet potato fries! For sweets, hands down peanut M&Ms.
Favorite fluoride flavor? Bubble gum
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? Scooby Doo. I’ve always loved a good mystery. And Scooby’s a dog, and I love dogs!
Ashley
Licensed Dental Assistant and Bachelor of Science (Healthcare Management)
Ashley started in karate at the age of 5, and she was a black belt by 11. Now a fourth-degree black belt, Ashley also taught karate for seven years.
That’s why she feels a special connection to a Star Wars character.
“Yoda’s the best!” Ashley says. “He is a Jedi Master, and he teaches people. I thought that was super awesome when I was a kid.”
Ashley enjoyed sparring, the forms, the detailed choreographed pattern of movements that showcase skill, and working with weapons.
“I like the bow staff,” Ashley says. “That’s probably another reason Yoda is so cool to me.”
On May 4th, Ashley usually sports Yoda gear at Camp Smile.
After teaching karate, Ashley discovered that she really enjoyed working with children, which is what prompted her to consider coming to Camp Smile.
“It was really fun,” she says. “I taught adults too but it wasn’t my thing. I like working with kids.”
More about Ashley
What superpower do you wish you had? To be able to speak and understand all languages fluently. People get scared to try to treat people as human beings, if you can’t understand them. I think language barriers can be a huge problem but it doesn’t have to be. I think everyone should know another language.
What is your actual superpower? To make everyone smile — and laugh!
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? Playing disc golf and eating at food trucks. Yum! I like taco trucks, and middle eastern.
What is your favorite snack? Mac and cheese and Wasabi peas
Why do you love your job? I get to be playful and silly all day and help kids have healthy, beautiful smiles to show off!
Favorite fluoride flavor? Orange creamsicle.
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? Batman all day! He’s the best superhero. He wasn’t given his powers. He had to work towards them.
Michelle
Michelle loves so much about her hometown of Silver Lake, a town west of the Twin Cities that boasts a population fewer than nine hundred residents. She loves the tight-knit community. In her youth, she was among fifteen to twenty children in town who regularly played together. Most of all, she loves her family tradition of fishing.
While there are several lakes near Silver Lake, Michelle’s favorite is Collinwood.
“That’s where we would typically bring our family’s boat,” she recalls. “Fishing always brought joy to me.”
Her fondest childhood memory was — equipped with her own pole and Snoopy bobber — competing with her older sister and parents to catch the first fish. “Whoever did,” she says, “got a dollar.”
Naturally, her parents never won. The sister who didn’t catch the fish still received some money to buy a modest treat.
The town didn’t have a Dairy Queen, bowling alley, or anywhere else for kids to hang out; the only real places to get snacks were the pop and candy machines at the gas station.
These memories compelled Michelle to return to Silver Lake after earning her college degree in Mankato.
“I like the small town,” she says. “If you need something, you can always call the neighbor and get the help you need.”
After graduating and starting her new job, Michelle is ready to regularly resume fishing on the nearby lakes. Although she often goes with her boyfriend and dog, she also brings along nieces and nephews.
“I just love spending time on the lake, enjoying the great outdoors and sunshine,” she says. “We go wherever we hear they’re biting.”
More about Michelle
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? Sleep in and then spend the day at the lake– enjoying each other’s company and making memories with family and friends. Catching fish would be a bonus!
What is your favorite snack? Jerky and cheese
Why do you love your job? The people—the patients, the families, and the coworkers—are amazing. It is fun to see children excited to be at Camp Smile and learning about the importance of oral health! Plus, where else can you bust out in song or dance and have others join in?
Favorite fluoride flavor? Bubble gum
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? Finding Nemo
Katie
Restorative Function Licensed Dental Assistant
Katie just couldn’t picture herself an empty-nester after her son and daughter went off to college.
“I need something to take care of, I guess,” Katie says.
Over the years, she’s cared for many animals, including dogs, turtles, bunnies and fish. But her husband insisted a dog wasn’t an option because both of them work a fairly long distance from home.
So she opted for cats — and how she’s got three.
“They’re cute, and they have different personalities,” Katie says. “The little one is a bully to the older ones.”
The youngest is a Tabby cat named Ryder, while the older ones are called Mysti and Maya.
“Mysti has spots and Maya looks like the Sylvester the cartoon character,” Katie says. “Ryder is really spassy, and gets into a lot of mischief.”
Her other hobby is reading, particularly sci-fi books.
“My dad got me into it,” she says. “I just like the stories and adventures.”
There plenty of those at Camp Smile, too.
“Teeth plus kids equals awesome fun,” Katie says.
More about Katie
What superpower do you wish you had? Make food out of thin air!
What is your actual superpower? Animals come to me like Snow White!
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? Reading, and camping, and hiking and biking!
What is your favorite snack? Chocolate ice cream and coffee. It’s just stuff that I crave.
Favorite fluoride flavor? Bubble Gum!
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? Scooby Doo!
Brittany
In 2016, thanks to a friend, Brittany landed a job at St. Paul Harley-Davison, working in the clothing section. Friendly by nature, she got to know everyone there.
But after she left for another job, one of the sales associates there sent her a private message on Facebook.
“He was asking me out,” Brittany says.
Brittany declined.
But Jason persisted and, later on, followed up with another message. Brittany decided they could have breakfast and go for a ride on his motorcycle.
“The rest is history,” she says.
In September 2019, Jason’s motorcycle club made its annual trip to the Wilderness Resort. One evening, around 9 p.m., Brittany was admittedly “hangry,” upset that she hadn’t been able to eat dinner yet. But Jason insisted they walk to the beach.
Upon arrival, Brittany was welcomed by friends, torches and a blanket with rose petals and a small box laying on it.
Jason proposed, and Brittany accepted.
Brittany and her father are planning to take motorcycle lessons together. But Brittany now loves being on a bike.
“I love the thrill and freedom,” she says. “It’s you and the bike, and it gives you time to think. It’s a great stress reliever.”
As she did at the Harley-Davidson, though, Brittany loves helping families and patients at Camp Smile.
“I love being able to make kids comfortable in every situation,” she says.
More about Brittany
What superpower do you wish you had? The ability to see into the future!
What is one of your actual superpowers (something that makes you unique and special)? The ability to care about anyone. I love that my mom taught me to be a compassionate human. The world needs more of that. I love building people’s self-confidence and self-love up.
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? Literally anything my three-year-old wanted. I’d let her plan the day and then spend it with the rest of my family on my grandparent’s 80 acres. That is my happy place.
What is your favorite snack? Cool Ranch Doritos with my homemade dip.
Favorite fluoride flavor? Mint
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? Frozen! I love the message this movie gives kids. And honestly, I tear up every time I watch it because of the bond between Elsa and Anna. That’s how close I am to my two sisters. We would move mountains for each other.
Terrece
Terrece has always loved babies, working as a babysitter from a young age and desiring to have her own children.
But in high school, there was a program where students could learn about various jobs within the medical field. Eventually, Terrece earned an internship in a labor and delivery unit.
“And I fell in love,” she says.
Terrece decided to head to nursing school, but she realized there were too many elements of being a nurse that she didn’t like.
“I couldn’t find my fit,” she says. “but then I became a doula, and it was exactly what I was looking for!”
A doula is a professional labor assistant, who provides physical and emotional support to prospective moms and their partners during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. She estimates that she’s helped with over 200 deliveries.
“It is my passion, and I love helping families grow,” Terrece says. “I love babies, but I always tell my clients, ‘I’m there for you as a resource while they’re infants, but as soon as they become a toddler, you’re on your own!’ “
But now a single mother of two, Terrece says it’s difficult to make a commitment to be a doula, given the unpredictable hours and needs.
“It’s a little bit hard to leave, at any given moment, to go to a birth,” Terrece says.
More about Terrece
Ability to read minds.
What is your actual superpower? Ability to jump in during emergencies. I’ve saved a handful of people, and I have assisted in over 200 birth deliveries.
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? Netflix in PJs in a blanket fort made by my two kids, and eating ALL the snacks. I like anything chocolate.
What is your favorite snack? Reese’s Peanut Butter Egg.
Why do you love your job? Interacting with all the kiddos and making their day with tokens!
Favorite fluoride flavor? Bubble gum
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? Encanto or Finding Nemo. The story line and music is fantastic. Finding Nemo, there’s adult humor and kid humor, so it’s fun for everybody.
Jenni
There are many obvious challenges being married to a firefighter, a job that can be dangerous and unpredictable.
Despite this, Jenni is proud of her husband’s work.
“It’s a huge part of our lives,” she says, “and I wouldn’t want anything different.”
When her husband is not home, Jenni says things around the house still break and home improvements need to be made. Being handy, though, has always been important to her. Jenni describes her grandparents and her mother as “fix it themselves type of people.” As a little girl, she remembers being thirsty at a store and asking her mother to buy her a drink. But Jenni’s mother took her to the bathroom and showed her how to fashion a cup out of a paper towel.
“I still remember how to fold it,” Jenni says. “That’s just how I was raised. To figure things out.”
When she was 8, Jenni recalls collecting wood near her home in Chaska and building her own raft. She planned to ride it on the Minnesota River but opted against it at the last moment. Curious, though, she let the raft go — and watched it drift away.
“I was too scared to go out in it,” Jenni says of her boat. “But it was kind of fun to see something of mine kind of go out into the world, and never know where it ended up.”
Jenni loves tackling projects. She and her husband needed a new kitchen table, so she built one. Currently, she’s creating a garden center in their backyard. Someday, she dreams of building a house, especially after helping build a few in Colorado years ago. She did everything from pouring and mixing concrete, to building a frame and installing windows and a roof.
There’s only one preference, she jokingly says.
“Just not near a fire department,” she says.
More about Jenni
What superpower do you wish you had? I would love to be able to clean with a snap of my fingers, because I would make so much more of a mess if I didn’t have to clean it up.
What is your actual superpower? I can build a fire in any weather, any time of year. We grew up outdoors camping, and I’m also a scout master for a Boy Scout troops. We build fires a lot, and I teach how to build fires. We camp in winter and in rain.
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? I would hike and explore a new area or trail. There are so many places around here and in Minnesota that I would love to explore.
What is your favorite snack? Nachos. I make my own, using jalapeño cheese, and melting cheese on it.
Why do you love your job? I love being able to see the kids, just to create a great atmosphere for them, and how to take care of themselves and how important it is, and that it can be fun and not scary.
Favorite fluoride flavor? Vanilla Mint
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? The Pagemaster. It’s a movie with Macaulay Culkin, and he’s a kid who is scared of everything. Christopher Lloyd is the librarian. I love diving into stories, and it’s fun to have different genres come to life.
Jennifer
As a little girl, Jennifer realized how lucky she was to have grandparents who owned a bakery.
“I stole a lot of cookies,” Jennifer jokingly says. “They didn’t really limit me. It was just whatever.”
Jennifer’s “go-to” was her grandpa’s sugar cookies—and she hasn’t tasted any quite as good since the Chaska Bakery closed in 2009.
She also loved the pumpkin cookies available around Halloween, which she loaded up with lots of sprinkles.
“Those stood out to me,” Jennifer says, “and then his peanut butter bars with the chocolate on them.”
She recalls her grandpa having a large copper pot, and he would let her get a taste from the goodies inside. But Jennifer was always so eager that she wouldn’t wait long enough for it to cool down.
Jennifer started baking when she was 13 years old, which is why the cookie cookbook her mother gave her is so special.
At Christmastime, Jennifer is known for making her mom’s Monster Cookie, a recipe that includes 18 cups of oatmeal, three pounds of peanut butter, a bag of chocolate chips, and a bag of M&M’S.
Jennifer already has plans for the cookie cookbook.
“It will be handed down to my youngest,” Jennifer says. “She can make a cake from scratch.”
More about Jennifer
What superpower do you wish you had? To read people’s minds, to know what they’re thinking ahead of time. You get that glare, but it’s nice to know what they’re really thinking.
What is your actual superpower? Being optimistic. Being hopeful and confident in good things happening. It gives you a purpose.
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? Being outdoors. I enjoy walking. I like to walk around Lake Waconia, walk to the beach, and walk to downtown to check out the sights. I like to listen to my surroundings.
What is your favorite snack? Anything chocolate.
Why do you love your job? I love working with people I can call family.
Favorite fluoride flavor? Mint
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? Frozen. I just love the whole movie, from start to finish. I love that both sisters have such a strong bond, even though they’re opposites. At the very end, they reunite back together. I think about that with my girls.
Shelby
In fifth or sixth grade, Shelby decided to try playing an instrument, and she picked the clarinet.
“I really liked the sound of it and liked how it looked,” Shelby says. “It’s just pretty, with the silver and black.”
Shelby says music doesn’t run in her family, but she learned the instrument relatively quickly, and she enjoyed the entire experience. Then, at Osseo High School, Shelby joined the Marching Band.
“That was fun for me,” Shelby says, recalling a Halloween Parade the 90-person band won first place in. “We had a pretty new band director, and she was awesome.”
Shelby likes fast-paced music, and she says Taylor Swift is her favorite artist. In fact, Shelby says she’s seen Swift twice in concert.
“I just like the way she writes songs,” Shelby says. “I feel like it’s very personal to her life, but also a lot of us can relate to it—and it’s very clever.”
Shelby’s interest in music clearly has impacted her household because her brother now plays the trumpet. But, she adds, he isn’t as serious about the instrument as she was about the clarinet.
More about Shelby
What superpower do you wish you had? I wish I could heal the sick, diseased, injured.
What is your actual superpower? I used to be a gymnast, so I’m pretty flexible and can do all three splits. I was the only one on the (high school) team that could do the splits on a beam, so that was cool.
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? With friends or family on a warm beach somewhere. We just went on a cruise in the Dominican Republic.
What is your favorite snack? Muddy Buddies. It’s just nostalgic because we used to make it when I was little.
Why do you love your job? I love helping people and making them smile, especially the little ones!
Favorite fluoride flavor? Mint
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? Princess and the Frog. My mom is originally from Louisiana, so that’s like her favorite Disney movie. And my brother has pet frogs too.
Selena
Selena relishes the peace of a hike, and if she has her way, she’ll have a few essentials: a boom speaker to listen to some music and her water hydration backpack.
“I just like looking at Mother Nature,” she says, “and enjoying my time alone.”
Selena also isn’t shy about singing on her hike.
“Both make my heart so happy,” she adds.
Selena says she’s gone hiking a few times in Colorado, highlighting how much she appreciates the morning walks near water.
“That is just the best,” she says.
One of the most memorable hikes was at Pikes Peak, the highest summit of the southern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. She hoped to hike all the way to the top, but her daughter was feeling sick, so they opted not to go all the way.
Selena says her family likes hiking together, and her four children are good sports, capable of hiking for two hours at a time. In fact, her perfect day would feature a walk with family and friends, then spending time on a lake with a meal cooked on a grill and a bonfire when it gets dark.
“My kids are very active,” Selena says, “and they love being outside.”
Selena says her walking stick is special because it was a gift from her sister-in-law.
“I don’t know what trail she got it from,” Selena says, “but it’s very nice.”
More about Selena
What superpower do you wish you had? To always make people feel happy and loved.
What is your actual superpower? Being a super mom. I have four children, two dogs, and a husband, work full-time, and make time for kids’ sports, chores, friends, and family.
What is your favorite snack? Cotton candy, ice cream, Reese’s Sticks.
Why do you love your job? I love working with children, love to see their faces light up when they receive their token after their visit, their expression when they get their bouncy ball.
Favorite fluoride flavor? Bubble gum.
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? Turning Red and Zootopia.
Kritsana
Licensed Dental Assistant
Kritsana is proud to be from Prachinburi, Thailand, about an hour from Bangkok. She came to the U.S. about a dozen years ago, and she travels back there every other year.
Last year, she picked out a pendant for herself.
“It has lots of jewels, and it’s pretty,” she says. “And it represents myself and where I come from.”
In Thailand, women would wear such pendants for important events, such as weddings. But she is a part of a Thai dance troop in the Twin Cities, and she performs four or five times a year and always wears the pendant. That means she must train monthly and then weekly as they near an event.
Her dance experience also parallels her role at Camp Smile, where she’s thankful to be a part of such a great team. And because English isn’t her first language, Kritsana appreciates opportunities to help kids who are having trouble expressing their frustrations and troubles.
“I like to make other people happy,” she says.
Every other year, she and her son return to Thailand, usually in January.
“We try to go during our winter time, because it’s really hot in Thailand,” she says. “My teacher who used to tell us there’s Hot, Hotter and Hottest!”
More about Kritsana
What superpower do you wish you had? Read people’s minds, so I can help make them happy.
What is your actual superpower? Most people said I’m really good with young kids. I guess I’m a little kid whisperer.
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? In the garden, planting flowers, vegetables, chili peppers, and cilantro.
What is your favorite snack? Watermelon, mango and chips, pickles and papaya salad
Why do you love your job? I love working with kids!
Favorite fluoride flavor? Mint
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? Tarzan and Avatar
Mindi
Licensed Dental Assistant
One of her fondest childhood memories was her family heading to Powder Ridge in Kimball.
“I grew up skiing,” Mindi says. “I have an older sister and two brothers, so it was a big deal for us to go. But it was a fun family outing.”
They went three or four times a year, and Mindi’s father, who had been a ski instructor in high school, taught all the kids. They mostly listened but also annoyed him by running over his skis.
“He hated that,” she says. “But we did it to pick on dad.”
After high school, Mindi and her husband tried trick skis — and fell in love.
“I ski backwards and do 360s and jumps,” she says. “It was scary the first time but it was also fun!”
Just as her father did, Mindi enjoys encouraging and pushing children.
“I love helping kids,” she says, “and helping them have confidence in their smiles!”
More about Mindi
What superpower do you wish you had? My superpower would be teleportation. So I can get to places way faster!
What is your actual superpower? I can shed a positive light on anything!
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? I would spend the day in Duluth with my husband and kids. We love going for walks along the boardwalk
What is your favorite snack? Ice cream, any flavor.
Favorite fluoride flavor? Walterberry
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? Anything with Winnie the Pooh. He looks huggable!
Danielle
Licensed Dental Assistant
Time is tricky for Danielle. For instance, if she could pick any superpower, she thinks she would enjoy time travel. But her actual superpower is being a mom, which means she is a master at juggling her two daughters’ activities, practices and games, piano recitals, musicals and band concerts. Oh, and her family also has an adorable English Bull Dog!
So what would the Hamburg, Minn., native do if she had a free day all to herself?
“Absolutely nothing!” she says. “I am always on the go, and it would be nice to have a day to sit and relax.”
Not that she’s complaining.
She is thankful for her family, and she is thankful for her job, which allows her to work with children.
“Every day is a new adventure. I love making them feel confident at their dental visit, especially when they are nervous,” Danielle says. “All of the staff and doctors are wonderful people to work with, which makes every day enjoyable.”
More about Danielle
What did you pick your prop? I have played volleyball and have had a love for the sport since I was young. I still play in rec leagues, and enjoy watching my daughter’s play as well.
What is your favorite snack? Chips and salsa.
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? I love all Disney movies, but I have two favorites: “Beauty and the Beast,” and “The Little Mermaid.”
Favorite fluoride flavor? Vanilla Cupcake.
Heidi
Licensed Dental Assistant
Heidi’s earliest memories often center around Disney characters and movies.
Lion King was the first movie she ever watched, around the age of 5, and her aunt and uncle would always bring back souvenirs from their annual trips to Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
Growing up, her family didn’t go on vacations. But fifth grade provided some firsts for Heidi: First time on a plane, and first trip to Disney World.
“We didn’t know what to expect. I’m from a small town; I called Plymouth the city!” Heidi says. “But all of it was magical and even better than I imagined.”
On that first trip, Heidi didn’t much care for the rides. She was all about getting autographs from and taking pictures alongside the characters.
“I went back a few years ago, and we did all four parks in one day. It was intense,” Heidi recalls.
Heidi says she appreciates the good, classic stories about learning. She prefers classics to contemporary movies like Frozen.
Just as Disney has made a huge impact in her life, Heidi also believes Camp Smile can be a safe and positive place for children.
“I love the difference we can make in the kids’ lives, showing them the dentist is not scary,” she says. “It’s fun to see the kids progress, grow and become more comfortable.”
More about Heidi
What superpower do you wish you had? Teleportation to save travel time.
What is your actual superpower? I have a big heart and love to make others happy. It’s all about others for me.
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? Sleep in and be with my dog (it’s all about the snuggles!) and my family.
What is your favorite snack? PB & J, mac and cheese, pizza and ice cream. I basically have a child’s palate. Sandwiches with just meat and bread.
Favorite fluoride flavor? Walterberry
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? Descendants, Lion King, Inside Out.
Morgan
Morgan had a revelation while working on a clay project in her seventh-grade art class. She realized she had talent and passion as an artist. So she continued to work with clay and did some abstract painting and drawing and even some art on computers.
But her proudest piece sits in the family room of her parents. It’s a tribute to her grandparents, who often took care of her when she was a little girl.
“My grandmother was into gardening, and my grandpa was always outside,” Morgan recalls.
So as a high school senior, Morgan came up with the idea to make clay sculpture of flowers — about the height of pencils — emerging from a pile of dirt.
“It represented life after someone leaves, that they’re still there for you,” Morgan says.
The tribute won several awards and many compliments from family members.
Naturally, in Morgan’s free time, she still enjoys painting, crafting and drawing.
“Being creative helps me relieve stress and wind down after a busy day,” she says.
Morgan still gets requests, too.
A few years ago, her little sister Abby was really into Monster High, so Morgan painted a mural on Abby’s bedroom wall.
Morgan says she’s able to connect with some kids, who also enjoy art.
“And because I’m creative,” she says, “I also come up with stories to help keep the kids calm.”
More about Morgan
What superpower do you wish you had? To control the weather because then I can make it summer whenever I want to or make it stop raining or snowing!
What is your actual superpower? The ability to work with children and its easy for kids to feel comfortable with me. I’ve always been told that I’m great with kids.
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? I would spend it with my nieces and nephew by making some type of craft or project.
What is your favorite snack? Grapes
Why do you love your job? I love hanging with all the kids!
Favorite fluoride flavor? Grape
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? All three Hotel Transylvania movies and my favorite part is, “I don’t say blah, blah, blah.”
Kaylee
Many Minnesota families have cabins.
However, Kaylee is proud that her family’s cabin on Lake Minnetonka’s Big Island dates back more than a century.
“There’s just a lot of history and family life…a lot of memories made,” Kaylee says. “I grew up there. The cabin definitely means a lot to our family, and none of us want to sell in the near future.”
It started modestly as an ice cabin but slowly evolved over the years. By the 1960s, it had transformed into a house—complete with indoor plumbing. Historically, the cabin is the busiest over the Fourth of July holiday when everyone in the family sleeps over and watches fireworks over the lake.
“You’d feel the fireworks off the water,” Kaylee recalls. “It was definitely really fun.”
Kaylee’s family lived twenty minutes from the cabin, so they were fixtures there throughout her childhood. She fondly recalls sitting on her grandpa’s lap as they drove the boat across Lake Minnetonka. Grandpa John took her and others on many adventures, including tubing, water skiing, and sailing. After their activities, they’d roast hot dogs and s’mores over a fire.
“He was the most generous person,” Kaylee says of her grandpa. “Very positive…and he loved the cabin. He always had projects going on, [was] always trying to enhance it. He had ten sets of every tool and a workshop in the basement. He loved to see people
enjoy the cabin.”
The boats were slowly upgraded: Row boat, fishing boat, speed boat.
What is Kaylee’s favorite activity? Jet-skiing.
“I love going fast and being aggressive and getting some air,” she says. “It’s just thrilling with the wind blowing in your hair.”
Kaylee is thankful for her new family at Camp Smile, where the culture is encouraging and positive.
“I’m super grateful for the Camp Smile family,” Kaylee says. “We help each other out, and we’re willing to teach. I just feel at home here. I now enjoy coming to work and…the experience that we create for patients.”
More about Kaylee
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? I enjoy being outdoors. In the summer, I’d love to be at the cabin or go rock climbing. In the winter, I would probably spend it ice skating; but, it would be really fun to go snowmobiling in the Colorado mountains.
What superpower do you wish you had? To be fully energized without the need for sleep.
What is one of your actual superpowers? I am wonderful at encouraging and building others up so that they are better off than they were before we met.
What is your favorite snack? Either ice cream, chocolate, or tiramisu.
Why do you love your job? The positive and friendly people and the encouraging learning environment.
Favorite fluoride flavor? Strawberry
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? How to Train Your Dragon
Ashley N
In her earliest memories, Ashley recalls her mother reading aloud to her. Trips to the Jessie F. Hallett Memorial Library in her hometown of Crosby, Minnesota, were regular occurrences. By the age of four, Ashley had a “go-to” book.
“It was Chicka Chicka Boom Boom,” Ashley recalls. “I just liked all the rhyming.”
Using different voices, her mom was very animated when reading stories.
Her mother helped to instill in Ashley a love of reading. However, Ashley’s passion for reading waned over the years—until J.K. Rowling released Harry Potter.
“It was really what got me to read again,” Ashley says. “It’s about adventure. Now, I’ve been reading ever since.”
Ashley currently favors historical fiction, and she highlights The Help as one of her favorite books.
“You kind of learn something, and it’s pretty interesting,” she says.
After moving to the Twin Cities from Duluth, Ashley now spends more time with her two-year-old niece Maddi. Of course, she reads with her. It goes without saying that she must pass along her childhood favorite to Maddi.
“And she loves it!” Ashley says of reading Chicka Chicka Boom Boom to her niece.
Ashley’s literary passion is one of the ways she connects with children.
“They’re so interesting,” Ashley says of kids. “…[W]hen they’re scared, I love to get them through the appointment and show them that going to the dentist isn’t scary. And I love all their stories. Sometimes, they make your day with their random, funny stories.”
More about Ashley
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? I would spend the whole day shopping! I love, love shopping!
What superpower do you wish you had? I wish I could fly.
What is one of your actual superpowers? I have been told I have a soft heart and calming personality that comes in handy when working with kiddos.
What is your favorite snack? My favorite snack is cheese!
Why do you love your job? I have been working with kids my entire dental career and love it! I love making kids’ dental experience a good time and just love chatting with the kids. They always tell the best stories.
Favorite fluoride flavor? Bubble gum
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? The Emoji Movie
Serenia N
Music was a constant throughout Serenia’s childhood. Her mother always had music playing in their home, and they would sing along on car rides. Her mother was intentional to expose her to music from different cultures. They’d attend events with Native American instruments or African drums.
“She wanted us to hear other types of music,” Serenia says.
Serenia’s mother instilled a love of music in her. As a result, she played the violin and enjoys the symphony and orchestra.
“I have an all-around love of music,” Serenia says. “I played violin for 10 years, and my daughter plays the violin as well.”
Serenia enjoys closing her eyes and hearing the beautiful sounds violin strings create.
“It kind of takes you out of the moment,” she says.
When she’s listening to music (often with her headphones on), Serenia favors songs from a specific decade.
“I am a child of the 80s! Hair bands, power ballads, music that stands the test of time…my daughter doesn’t appreciate it!”
When she wears her headphones, Serenia often closes her eyes and pretends she’s performing the song in front of 35,000 screaming fans. In reality, she’s doing the dishes, laundry, or other household chores.
Be warned: If you do not have a lot of time, do not ask Serenia to name some of her favorite songs from the 1980s.
“I could go on for hours!”
More about Serenia
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? I would walk around the Sculpture Garden and Loring Park, which are two of my favorite places.
What superpower do you wish you had? I wish I had the ability to time travel. To observe some of our defining moments in history would be amazing.
What is one of your actual superpowers? According to my daughter, I’m the best mom a girl can have. I think that’s super.
What is your favorite snack? French fries
Why do you love your job? No two days are the same. It’s both exciting and challenging. I get to meet new people every day.
Favorite fluoride flavor? Walterberry
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? That’s a tough one. Combination of Moana, Coco, Zootopia, A Goofy Movie, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Big Hero 6, Shrek 2 and The Amazing World of Gumball.
Ashley L
When she’s not working, Ashley is probably traveling — and we don’t mean by foot, bike, or even car! She averages one trip a month, so it’s not surprising she’s already been to Washington, Oregon, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Alaska this year.
Ashley searches for budget-friendly flights to locales that are usually warm and near water, and she loves to sample new foods, explore new landmarks and landscapes, and discover new cultures and experiences.
There’s one catch: Ashley doesn’t like to plan much.
Take her trip to Hawaii. She and a friend did some basic research, but they mostly left their schedule open.
“Sometimes, it stresses me out more to have a set itinerary,” Ashley says. “I just kind of like to go with the flow.”
They visited two islands in Hawaii, and they rode a moped and snorkeled. The highlight was driving up a mountainside (8,000 feet above sea level) and watching the sunset.
“We were above the clouds! It felt like you were in an airplane, but we were in a compact car. It was breathtaking.”
Ashley has a natural curiosity, which also helps her connect with people.
In the future, Ashley hopes to broaden her travel adventures to other countries.
“I really want to explore Greece with a few of my friends,” Ashley says. “I have always dreamed of traveling there but haven’t made it yet. Hopefully, I will someday.”
More about Ashley
What superpower do you wish you had? I wish I could touch people’s hands and feel exactly what they feel (pain, emotions, etc…). When people say something hurts, we don’t know how it actually feels to them. If someone is excited, you would be able to share that exact feeling!
What is one of your actual superpowers? I don’t know if it’s a superpower, but one unique thing about me is that my fingers, thumbs, and arms are all really bendy and double-jointed.
What is your favorite snack? Anything cheesy
Why do you love your job? I love coming to work and helping kids have an awesome experience at the dentist like I did when I was growing up. It’s so fun to see patients progress from visit to visit.
Favorite fluoride flavor? Orange cream
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? Tigger from Winnie the Pooh. “Tigger” was my nickname when I was little because I had so much energy and would literally bounce all over.
Stacia
The family tradition started in elementary school. “Every single night, my mom gave us ice cream,” Stacia recalls. “Just a treat after dinner. My mom still does this, whenever I go visit.” Two scoops as a kid, not any particular brand or taste, though she does prefer chocolate.
Stacia acknowledges that was not the healthiest habit, but she says she was a very active child, playing outside alongside neighbors in Norwood, just west of Chaska. “We would explore, bike around town and make forts,” Stacia says. “During the summer, we were always spending quality time at the pool in town.”
Stacia who is a mother now herself, says she no longer indulges in ice cream daily, but her mother has extended the frozen treat tradition to Stacia’s son. “He spends a lot of time with my parents,” Stacia says. “I feel guilty, so we don’t have it every day, but we still enjoy it plenty of nights.”
On Mondays or Tuesdays, Stacia takes her son to Culver’s, where she enjoys a chocolate Oreo or chocolate peanut butter Concrete Mixer. Pretty much any flavor tastes amazing. Eating ice cream is a good stress reliever, and it’s good for my soul.”
More about Stacia
What superpower do you wish you had? Time travel so I could go back to different parts of my life, especially to times where I could be with my grandma again. I spent all my summers with her.
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? I would do something relaxing such as getting my nails done, having a spa day, or sit by the water and take it all in.
What is your favorite snack? Crackers and cheese. Fruit.
Why do you love your job? I love working with kids! I love seeing them smile and I love getting them to laugh. All the stories kids tell are the best!
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? I love watching Avatar.
Laura
It all started with a gift.
During her college studies in Mankato, while working part-time at Cub Foods, Laura was at the service desk helping a customer who approached with a pair of succulent plants.
“Those are cute,” Laura told the customer.
The customer smiled, and she immediately handed Laura one of the succulents. Laura declined, but the customer insisted.
“That started my obsession,” Laura says. “I’m kind of a crazy plant lady.”
That succulent from 2015 is still thriving, but it’s hardly alone; Laura enjoys visiting the floral section at stores and greenhouses.
Her favorite are her snake plants.
“They’re really hard to kill,” she says, “and it’s kind of cool to learn about them.”
Her succulents, for instance, don’t like too much water. In fact, Laura has found a community of others passionate about plants on a Facebook group. Currently, she estimates she has 30 plants in her two-bedroom apartment.
She says tending to the plants has taught her patience. The original succulent, for example, hasn’t grown much.
“But it’s alive and green,” she says, “and doesn’t get mad at me like my other plants.”
More about Laura
What superpower do you wish you had? Green thumb so I can fill my apartment with plants, and they will never die.
What is one of your actual superpowers? Patience.
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? I would spend a free day sleeping in and going and getting coffee, shopping at Target and finishing the day at the lake with a good book and kayaking.
What is your favorite snack? Reese’s or anything with peanut butter.
Why do you love your job? I love creating positive experiences at the dental office, seeing smiles, and making a difference by building friendships with new people and families.
Favorite fluoride flavor? Mint
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? Frozen 1 and 2.
Julia
When she was a little girl growing up in Maple Grove, Julia loved her family’s Friday night tradition.
“I’m a board game maniac,” Julia says. “I loved playing them. It’s also fun to get together with family and friends and have something fun to do.”
Go Fish and Crazy Eights were early games she learned and favored, then she transitioned to Apples to Apples and Monopoly. But there was one game others didn’t like playing with her.
“The game of Life. Everyone thought I cheated at it, and no one wanted to play against me,” says Julia, who usually chose to be a police officer. “Even now, I ask my sister, and she still says, ‘No.’ “
For a friend’s birthday, Julia once customized a Chutes and Ladders board, with fun challenges like jumping jacks.
When she wasn’t able to see family as often due to COVID-19, Julia says they played together online, via the Chips and Guac Game of the Houseparty app.
“It was fun, but not the same,” she says. “I still like doing it in person, and I like the old-school games, too.”
Julia adds that talking to young patients about their favorite board games is one of her go-to conversation starters.
More about Julia
What superpower do you wish you had? Teleportation or fly. I love to travel, so if I could save travel time, and fly to Greece for the day, that would be awesome! Plus, I think it would be neat to fly at night and see the city.
What is one of your actual superpowers? I love to use my bubbly personality to spread positivity and happiness.
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? I love spending time with family and friends. My perfect free day in the summer would be swimming and boating at the lake. In the winter, I enjoy snuggling by the fireplace while watching movies and eating popcorn all day.
What is your favorite snack? Chips and guacamole. Yum!
Why do you love your job? I love working with kids! My goal is to help make a positive impact on happy and healthy smiles.
Favorite fluoride flavor? Mint
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? Finding Nemo. Every time I watch it, it’s fun and cheerful, and there are parts that I cry.
Kelsey
Kelsey can pinpoint when one of her hobbies started, tracing it back to middle school.
“I’m a bit of a shopaholic, you could say,” Kelsey says. “Retail therapy makes me feel good. I just love shopping. It’s my happy place and so fun.”
She “blames” the passion — or it is an obsession? — on her older sister, Courtney. Kelsey had to “tag along” with her sister once to the mall, and she was immediately hooked. In fact, the sisters had a tradition of visiting the outlet mall to do some shopping with friends, and grabbing some lunch and ice cream while there.
“We have always been close growing up,” she said of her relationship with Courtney. “Shopping was something that we would do during the summer, and it’s something we’ve continued to do as sisters, to bond, to hang out.”
In those early years, Kelsey said they both loved shopping for shoes and clothes, especially at The Buckle. Kelsey lived with her sister in college, and they continued shopping together once or twice a week.
So how did Kelsey fund her passion?
In middle and high school, she earned money through her allowance and babysitting. When she got older, she picked up other jobs working at Starbucks and Trade Secret.
Over time, Kelsey’s shopping habits and traditions have changed. She doesn’t spend as much time shopping, instead having specific stores she likes to visit. She prefers the stores at the Mall of America, and now likes “comfy” clothes, like athletic gear.
“I like to work out,” she said, “and being comfortable. Occasionally, I dress up.”
More about Kelsey
What superpower do you wish you had? To be able to go back in time and relive some special memories.
What is one of your actual superpowers? I like to sing and dance when no one is watching. You can catch me jamming out in my car and room!
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? I would spend it with friends at a beach and soaking up the sun!
What is your favorite snack? Chocolate
Why do you love your job? Working with kids is so rewarding. I love turning their negative experience into a positive one. There’s nothing better than hearing them say at the end of their appointment, “the dentist is so fun!” Knowing that you had some impact in their life and overcoming their fear is the best feeling!
Favorite fluoride flavor? Mint
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? Frozen. I liked the singing in it! The second one is good, but I liked the first Frozen better.
Sommer
Growing up, when life got crazy or scary, Sommer could always count on her “safe place.”
“Hockey was where I went to forget about everything else,” Sommer says. “I played a few other sports, but hockey was the one I looked forward to the most.”
Sommer, who is from Saint Joseph, started skating when she was four years old. She fell hard for the sport, and she credits hockey for teaching her important life lessons, such as the importance of being a team player.
She looked up to and admired NHL superstars Alex Ovechkin and Jonathan Toews, even getting their hockey sticks to play with. Sommer played in high school, but she lamented that her team fell short of qualifying for the state tournament.
“I loved being around my friends and doing something that I loved,” she says. “My brother played, too.”
That connection inspired a rooting interest in the Minnesota Wild, and Sommer would watch the NHL team play with her brother and father.
Now, Sommer has a new hockey player to cheer on.
“My niece just started skating this past winter,” Sommer said, “so me and my brother-in-law take her out. That’s been pretty cool.”
More about Sommer
What superpower do you wish you had? Teleportation. To be able to snap my fingers and be wherever I want, whenever I want to.
What is one of your actual superpowers? I always have a joke up my sleeve to brighten someone’s mood.
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? With my family on ice, skating for fun!
What is your favorite snack? Dill pickle chips
Why do you love your job? Kids have always been my favorite to work with, so to be able to incorporate that with this job was an easy decision.
Favorite fluoride flavor? Mint
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? The Little Mermaid .
Abby
Abby, like so many children, started with puzzles of farm animals and shapes when she was two years old.
Her interest turned into passion, and the number of puzzle pieces just grew and grew. She collected and purchased them, and she enjoyed spending her free time puzzling.
In fact, her family currently has a six-foot tall cabinet filled with hundreds of puzzles.
“I liked anything I could do with my hands,” Abby says. “I also liked LEGOs.”
Now that’s she’s working, Abby says, she still enjoys and appreciates puzzles after work and on weekends.
“During work, I’m running around, doing different things,” she says. “But when I’m puzzling, I can just focus on one thing.”
Abby says her mother pokes fun at her about her “rainy day” pleasures.
“My mom says I like the activities of a grandma,” Abby says, noting that she also likes to embroider and sew.
The oldest of four, Abby says she gets her interest in building and putting things together from her father, who is handy. She remembers him building bike racks and jumps, and he was always working on a project around the house or yard.
More about Abby
What superpower do you wish you had? I wish I had super smell, so I could tell when people are making cookies.
What is one of your actual superpowers? My whole family calls me Eagle ears, because I have a good sense of hearing. It’s good because I like to know what’s going on around me.
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? I love summer turning into fall, so I would probably sleep in, and then go to an apple orchard. Then when I come home, I would make cookies and build a puzzle with some hot chocolate. That would be perfect!
What is your favorite snack? I love anything from Taco Bell.
Why do you love your job? I just think kids are hilarious, and I love laughing with them and making them laugh.
Favorite fluoride flavor? Cotton candy
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? Toy Story, Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 4. I didn’t like 3. I didn’t like the Lotto Bear. He was too creepy.
Nichole F.
In one of her first jobs, Nichole remembers listening to her employer tell stories about different experiences and recipes as a cake decorator.
Nichole was fascinated.
Nichole decided to try one of the recipes, so she and her mom went to work.
That is when the two started a tradition of baking together.
“My mom always loved trying new recipes,” Nichole says. “So, it’s just kind of something I grew up with.”
As a little girl, Nichole enjoyed helping her mom in the kitchen. She would complete tasks like placing flour in the mixer.
By high school, they would team up in the kitchen and find inspiration in various baking shows. Some of their favorites were America’s Test Kitchen, Cupcake Wars, and The Great British Baking Show.
Nichole’s two sisters are both gluten-free, and they love her chocolate and vanilla cupcakes. She also enjoys making a chocolate torte and Bavarian cream, something her grandmother made every Christmas.
“I’m trying to start that tradition in my family,” she says.
Nichole’s favorite part of the entire process is decorating.
“It’s not so much about the actual baking, but the presentation aspect of it,” she says. “You can do whatever you want with a cake.”
More about Nichole
What superpower do you wish you had? Teleportation so I could get places faster and without having to get on an airplane.
What is your actual superpower? People say I have a big heart. I care about people and their well-being. At church, I help with special needs individuals.
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? I would spend time with my nieces and nephews. We would get something to drink from Starbucks, and then do a little baking with a good movie on.
What is your favorite snack? Anything chocolate!
Why do you love your job? I love working with people. Families, their kids, and coworkers.
Favorite fluoride flavor? Mint
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? Anything Disney. Especially, Despicable Me because my nieces and nephews love it.
Bobbi
For Bobbi, books are a break from reality. Her passion for reading really started to flourish in high school, and she was drawn to fiction.
“Just escaping into a different world is nice,” Bobbi says.
When she was younger, Bobbi enjoyed the Harry Potter series. Usually, she prefers to read a book and then watch the movie. But she said it was the opposite with Harry Potter—and she didn’t mind at all.
“I feel like sometimes reading the book first, you’re disappointed by the movie because it’s not as detailed,” she says. “But (with Harry Potter), I watched the movies first, and I read the books, and I liked that. Since it’s a fantasy world, it was almost easier to see it and then read the book because it’s easier to picture those things.”
A mother now of a toddler, Bobbi says free time is hard to come by. So she enjoys the escape of reading, and she’s come to enjoy the author Colleen Hoover. She recently completed the books Verity and November 9.
“I feel like she has a writing style where it’s easy to read and smooth, but also the story is a little bit complex,” Bobbi says. “One book had a very big twist and turns, where you were not expecting the ending. And the other kind of ends on a question, so you don’t know whether you go one way or go the other way.”
Meanwhile, Bobbi is enjoying her work at Camp Smile, though there’s one unique challenge: Her name.
There’s another Bobbi in the office, and Dr. Augustyn’s birthday is just a day before hers.
More about Bobbi
What superpower do you wish you had? The ability to control time. I would pause time to get more sleep.
What is your actual superpower? Finding the positive in any situation. A lot of the time, finding the negative is so easy for people, whereas flipping it and making it a positive situation keeps me in a good mood, keeps me happy. I move on quickly, and I’m not one to hold grudges or dwell on things.
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? I would spend it hanging out with my husband, daughter, and two cats—either staying home and relaxing or going to the zoo.
What is your favorite snack? Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Puffs. They’re addicting.
Why do you love your job? I love seeing kids excited to start their ortho journey and seeing the changes that take place, and watching their confidence grow.
Favorite fluoride flavor? Mint
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? I love Megamind. Watching his character growth makes me warm and fuzzy.
Claire
To know Claire and her story is to know how central music is in her life.
“When I was growing up, I had a hard time reaching out to people and telling them how I was feeling,” Claire says. “So music was sort of a hand to hold, (a reminder) ‘You’re not alone.’ “
Her parents both played the guitar, so Claire picked up a ukulele — a stepping stone instrument — when she was eight years old.
That’s when her passion for music started to flourish.
Claire doesn’t remember the first song that she learned to play, but she’s sure it was a simple one. Then, after ukulele, Claire learned to play trumpet and piano.
Oh, and she also loves to sing, joining her church’s worship team and becoming an Honors Choir member.
But as much as she enjoys learning and playing music, Claire has always loved listening to music of many different genres, though she particularly likes worship songs, and pop and country.
“It was a way for me to listen to something and relate to it,” Claire says. “Music has guided me through the good times, and the bad times, and everything in between.”
Her favorite artist is Taylor Swift, and she’s been to two of her concerts.
Claire has other family members who also are musically-inclined; her grandfather, father and sister also played trumpet. And music is a big part of family gatherings.
But there’s other simple, music-related memories that stand out from her childhood.
“Some of my favorite times with my dad were in the car,” she says, “jamming out to music.”
More about Claire
What superpower do you wish you had? I wish I could heal the hurt, homeless, and hungry. I don’t like seeing people in pain.
What is one of your actual superpowers (something that makes you special and unique)? I can make most people smile and/ or laugh when sad. I know how to lighten the mood with an uplifting joke.
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? I would either hangout with friends and family, or take my dog hiking with me. I love hiking in Duluth, or up in Red Wing. I also love Alaska. I have been to 42 of the 50 states.
What is your favorite snack? I LOVE Goldfish!! I like the Mickey Mouse shaped Goldfish.
Why do you love your job? I love seeing kids excited for the dentist, and their smiles make it all worth it!
Favorite fluoride flavor? Mint.
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? Tom and Jerry! I grew up watching that with my younger brother.
Foziya
Foziya emigrated from Ethiopia to the United States about six years ago.
The transition was difficult, but Foziya also found her self often putting her feelings aside and focusing on making others happy.
“Being raised in Ethiopia is a lot different than here,” Foziya says. “In Ethiopia, I don’t think there’s girl power they call it here.”
Foziya said motivational speakers helped her transition to the U.S. When she was working at Target, Foziya was inspired by a customer who spoke positively about Hollis’ book and encouraged her to read one.
“Girl, Stop Apologizing: A Shame-Free Plan for Embracing and Achieving Your Goals” by Rachel Hollis was a book Foziya couldn’t put down.
“I would say I apologize a lot,” Foziya says. “(Hollis) is motivational. She encourages you to stop apologizing and being authentic. She motivated me to be better and to work harder. I started reading her books, and then I just got obsessed with it.”
Foziya says she was shy when she first arrived in the U.S. But she’s become more social and outgoing.
“I can say what I want to say, and work, and go after my dream,” she says.
Growing up in Ethiopia, Foziya didn’t particularly like to read. But she started to enjoy reading when she got to the U.S., and she was influenced by a younger cousin who would spend all of a free day reading a book.
“She loves to read book, and she reads one book a day,” Foziya says. “So I picked up that habit from her.”
Reading was calming for her cousin, and Foziya thought books might help calm her down, too. So the two started reading Harry Potter books together and discuss them over a meal or at a cafe.
More about Foziya
What superpower do you wish you had? Reading minds. It’s just interesting. I feel like you, if you have the ability to read minds, and see what people are thinking and what people are into, then you can relate to them more.
What is one of your actual superpowers (something that makes you special and unique)? I’m a great listener. I have the ability to pay attention to detail. I’ve been told I’m a compassionate person.
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? I’m a very big family person, so I would go to the beach with my family and have lunch and ice cream, and maybe a movie.
What is your favorite snack? Funyuns. The saltiness is my guilty pleasure.
Why do you love your job? I get to shape kids’ minds about what oral health is, and to teach them how important it is.
Favorite fluoride flavor? Strawberry.
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? Moana. She’s so strong, and her ability to bring people together.
Lainey
Growing up, Lainey didn’t particularly enjoy reading, especially the books “required” at school.
“If I found books I liked,” she says, “I had no problem reading them through.”
But that was a challenge in her youth, though Lainey really liked the Magic Treehouse books in elementary school.
“They were just fun and creative,” Lainey says of the popular series.
But toward the end of high school and the beginning of college, Lainey was captivated by “It Ends With Us,” a book written by Colleen Hoover. Lainey liked books and movies about love, including romantic comedies like “The Proposal,” starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. Picking out other specific romantic comedies she really enjoyed is hard because “I’ve seen so many,” she adds.
As for books, Lainey says she’s read at least 10 of Hoover’s. She likes Hoover’s writing style.
“They’re very easy to read,” Lainey says.
Lainey finds small pockets of time to read during the daytime. But her preferred time of day to read is in the evenings, while sitting outside at home.
More about Lainey
What superpower do you wish you had? Teleportation, so I could just travel whenever I want. Take trips and just get there really fast.
What is one of your actual superpowers (something that makes you special and unique)? Organization. I’m organized and can multitask.
If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? Beach and get some ice cream. I’d love to go back to Clearwater, Florida.
What is your favorite snack? Regular Oreos.
Why do you love your job? I just love that it’s fast-paced, and I love working with a bunch of people with different personalities.
Favorite fluoride flavor? Mint.
Favorite cartoon or animated movie? Scooby Doo. I liked it when I was younger, and I still like mysteries.