RECognition: Adrianna 'Ace' Hernandez, Youth Programs
Recreation's monthly series to celebrate our staff
By Shawn Cyr
Assistant Marketing Director
Her friends, family members, fellow students, colleagues — shoot, pretty much everyone over the legal driving age — know her as Adrianna Hernandez.
But to the scores of campers who cycle through UC San Diego Recreation’s Knock Around Camp each summer, she’s known by a simpler moniker.
They call her “Ace.”
See, the staff and counselors at the summer youth Knock Around Camp hide their “real” names, instead opting for fun nicknames such as Brick, Hobbes, Gidget, Biggie Cheese, and — of course — Ace.
“If the kids find out the counselors’ real names, they will never live it down,” says Katie Shaw-Bullock, Director of Recreation Classes and Youth Programs. “It's one of the big, fun camp secrets that we like to keep hidden — even after camp ends!”
Ever since joining Recreation and Knock Around as a camp counselor in the spring of 2023, Adrianna has truly lived up to her nickname, Shaw-Bullock says.
“Ace is always up for anything, whether it’s fencing with a group of 8-year-olds, making arts and crafts projects with the 5- or 6-year-olds, or playing Infectious Gorilla Tag with our pre-teen campers,” Shaw-Bullock says. “Ace leads by example and is an absolute rock star!
An incoming fourth-year in Earl Warren College, Adrianna is slated to graduate in the spring of 2026 with a degree in cognitive science with a specialization in behavioral neuroscience. When she’s not wrangling campers or evading Infectious Gorillas, she’s a member MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx por Activismo) and enjoys scrapbooking, journaling, visiting overlooks such as La Jolla Cove and Sunset Cliffs, and taking nature walks.
“It’s one of my favorite ways to unplug, move my body, and clear my mind,” she says. “Being outdoors helps me recharge and stay grounded, especially after a high-energy day at camp. It gives me a chance to slow down, breathe, and reconnect with myself and nature.”
Adrianna joined Knock Around, she says, to get out of her comfort zone, develop leadership skills, and grow socially. “I knew I would have to step up,” she says.
“But what made me want to come back each year was the family I saw grow every summer: new friends, new memories, new bonds,” she says. “The memories I created with my fellow counselors were unforgettable, but knowing that we were helping create lifelong memories for the kids was truly meaningful. Seeing their growth, laughter, and excitement made all the hard work worth it. That’s what made me want to be a part of REC.”
She points to “the energy and joy that fills the space every day” as her favorite part of working with REC. “It’s such a positive and uplifting environment to be a part of,” she says. And witnessing the growth in the campers, some of whom start the week timid and reserved, is a reward unto itself, she says.
“Seeing them laugh, make friends, and gain confidence reminded me why this job is so special,” Adrianna says. “Those are the moments you know you made a real impact, which are what stick with me the most.”
