From Bright Lights Camper to Director of Education: Welcome, Kasey!
Some Bright Lights stories begin with a camp registration. Others begin with a first day on the job. And every once in a while, a Bright Lights story comes full circle.
We are thrilled to welcome Kasey Dils as Bright Lights’ new Director of Education—a role that feels especially meaningful because his Bright Lights journey began nearly two decades ago, when he was a seventh-grade camper.
In 2008, Kasey attended Bright Lights’ International program and took two art camps led by Shelley Speidell. The following summer, he returned as her camp assistant. That experience of learning alongside peers while immersing himself in new cultures became one of his favorite Bright Lights memories—and helped inspire his own journey into education.
“I was connecting with peers my age, but I was also immersing myself in new cultures,” Kasey recalls. “Looking back, that experience played a pivotal role in inspiring my journey to become an educator.”
And what a journey it has been.
A career built around learning
Kasey earned his undergraduate degree in Elementary and Special Education from Doane University and began his teaching career in Special Education at Lincoln Northeast High School. He later moved to Pershing Elementary, where he taught second grade before discovering that fifth grade was his favorite age group to teach.
As a classroom teacher, Kasey eventually became a fifth-grade team lead while earning his master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction. Along the way, he discovered that he loved not only working with students, but also supporting the educators around him.
Encouraged by his principal, Jamie Cook, Kasey pursued a second master’s degree in Educational Leadership. He eventually became the Coordinator at Meadow Lane Elementary, where he oversaw Special Education and Early Childhood programs and worked alongside an incredible team of educators.
Now, he is bringing all of that experience back to the place where his love of education first began to take shape.
Nearly 20 years of Bright Lights
Kasey has been part of Bright Lights every summer since 2008. He became a Bright Lights teacher in 2017 and began serving as a summer administrator in 2021.
Over the years, he has experienced Bright Lights from nearly every perspective—as a camper, camp assistant, teacher, administrator and now Director of Education.
“It hardly seems possible that I have been part of Bright Lights every summer since 2008,” he says. “A true testament to where a Bright Lights camp can take you.”
One of his favorite memories is creating his own camp, Diggin’ Up Dinos, as a pre-service teacher. He designed and led the camp—and it has continued to be offered at Bright Lights every summer since.
“Developing that program allowed me to build foundational teaching skills while having an absolute blast in the classroom!” he says.
That combination of meaningful learning and pure fun is exactly what keeps Kasey coming back.
“This summer marks my 19th year with Bright Lights, yet it feels like my journey here is only getting started,” he says. “Bright Lights perfectly shares my vision of creating environments where learning is fun, engaging and memorable for everyone involved.”
Keeping the joy in learning
As an educator and administrator, Kasey has seen firsthand how easy it can be for the joy of learning to get buried beneath the demands of the traditional school year—standards, testing, data, grading, meetings and countless other responsibilities.
At Bright Lights, he wants to make sure that doesn’t happen.
“One of my core priorities at Bright Lights is ensuring we never lose sight of joy,” Kasey says. “I firmly believe that when adults genuinely enjoy their work, that positive energy directly inspires the children they teach.”
As Director of Education, one of his goals is to make things easier for Bright Lights teachers by providing strong resources and materials upfront. The idea is simple: when teachers have the support they need, they can spend more time doing what they do best—creating engaging, memorable experiences for campers.
And for Kasey, that matters because he believes every child deserves a summer learning environment where curiosity can flourish.
“Children need an environment where it is safe to ask questions, take risks and discover what genuinely brings them joy,” he says.
And a little more about Kasey…
Of course, there’s more to Kasey than degrees, classrooms and camp planning!
As a child, he was naturally curious and loved school. He spent many summers at his grandmother’s house, exploring her backyard and talking with her about the books he was reading.
That curiosity is still a big part of who he is today.
And if you’re looking for a fun fact to share about Kasey, here’s one: he has officiated two weddings and will be officiating a third this spring!
But perhaps the best way to get to know Kasey is to ask him what he thinks makes Bright Lights special.
“The passionate people who bring so much fun and energy into what they do.”
We couldn’t agree more.
We are so excited to have Kasey stepping into the role of Director of Education and to see where this next chapter of his Bright Lights journey takes him. After all, he has already shown us just how far a Bright Lights camp can take you.
Welcome home, Kasey!