1. December 29, 2014
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing to unreservedly and whole-heartedly endorse David Yarborough
for Camp Director at Teton Valley Ranch. I worked as a camp counselor at
Cheley Colorado Camps, where David served as our Unit Director, in 2004 and
2005.
I first met David when I was in high school. He was the director of the summer
camp at which I was spending my 5th straight summer. It was the first time our
camp unit—Girls’ Trials End, which housed 64 girls aged 12-18—had had a
male director, and most of us weren’t sure what to expect. Would he, a middle-
aged married father of two, know how to relate to a bunch of middle- and high-
school girls? From the very first moment, however, hose concerns were
allayed. I remember how he told us, on the first day, that he didn’t believe in
people “earning” the respect of their peers: Rather, everyone began with his
respect, he said, and the only thing we could do was lose it—or bolster it. He
explained that just as he respected all of us as equals, we were expected to
respect him as well. He also had us all close our eyes and listen to the sounds of
nature—the wind in the trees, the soft singing of the birds, the distant stomps of
the horses in the barn—and explained to us that this place was ours, for the
whole summer, and it was ours to take care of and make of it everything we
wanted it to be. It was our home, and it was sacred. There was no question that
David understood exactly what we girls loved about camp, and no question that
he was going to do everything in his power to foster that spirit for the whole
summer.
That summer’s experience made me thrilled to return as a counselor serving
under David’s direction, during the summers of 2004 and 2005. The 15 other
counselors, all young women, could not have hoped for a better leader. David is
a brilliant teacher, and takes every opportunity to share his wisdom. David’s
mantras—“Don’t sweat the small stuff, and it’s all small stuff”; “No one ever
has to earn my respect, but you can lose it”—became the mantras of the whole
camp, words to live by during the summer. He was our unit’s central guiding
soul.
David had a unique ability among the staff to connect with the most difficult
campers, the ones who were the most homesick or who struggled the most to
adopt the spirit of camp. His perfect blend of compassion, sarcasm, and honesty
would make these girls laugh, help them feel at home—and often make them
challenge themselves and push beyond their comfort zones. He established

2. “clear camp” days, when he made sure that every activity offered was a full-
day, out-of-camp excursion, for the express purpose of pushing the more
reluctant campers out of the crafts barn and onto a horse or a hiking trail. Those
girls who had complained the loudest about these clear camp days would
inevitably race over to David at the end of the day upon their return to camp to
boast about their achievements and tell him what an awesome day they had
had. No other counselor could connect with those campers the way David
could.
As a boss, David offered strong guidance and leadership. Perhaps most
importantly, he knew how to delegate. I always felt like I had full control over
my programming and David’s complete confidence in my abilities—and that if
I needed his support or advice, he was always there to offer it. In this way, he
empowered his staff just as he empowered the campers. We all were able to
take responsibility for our own activities and our own achievements, to make
decisions and take risks, all with David’s support. To that end, David
consistently acknowledged when counselors had made great decisions, and was
quick to give credit to the staff members associated with a successful program.
He inspired in all of us a desire both to make him proud and to make ourselves
proud in our own work.
David is a brilliant, compassionate, deeply funny person who is a joy to work
with. He has dedicated his life to educating kids and enriching their lives. He
approaches everything he does with deliberateness and integrity. Though his
wisdom is apparent and inspiring, he is also always open to the ideas of others.
He is passionate about children and teaching, and about living a life of
consideration and respect.
I am available by phone and would be happy to answer any additional
questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Ali Frick
555 W. 23 St. #N5K
New York, NY 10011
303-726-2181
ali.frick@gmail.com