Job Description
Daily Responsibilities:
Programming/Planning Responsibilities:
Communication Responsibilities:
Requirements: be 18 years of age; have a high school diploma; be First Aid and CPR certified (can be trained by SDC); participate in Child Abuse Awareness training and pass exam; attend applicant orientation, staff retreat, and staff developments.
- be knowledgeable about and adhere to procedures and expectations set forth by the Department of Family Protective Services, the Summer Day Camp handbook, and the CSISD employee handbook.
- be committed, caring, and understanding; must be aware of being a positive role model for campers.
- carefully supervise and interact with children in a safe, fun, and responsible manner.
- have the ability to lead, support fellow counselors, and actively participate in large and small group activities.
- redirect campers appropriately.
- help with daily clean-up of the camp.
- assist the site supervisor in performing his/her responsibilities as deemed necessary.
Programming/Planning Responsibilities:
- plan, coordinate, and implement innovative activities, clubs, crafts, special events, etc.
- meet assigned deadlines.
Communication Responsibilities:
- communicate openly with parents in a friendly manner about the progress of their child.
- communicate openly and interact professionally with school personnel, parents, and camp staff/directors/office personnel.
- attend weekly staff meeting.
Requirements: be 18 years of age; have a high school diploma; be First Aid and CPR certified (can be trained by SDC); participate in Child Abuse Awareness training and pass exam; attend applicant orientation, staff retreat, and staff developments.
Benefits
The starting salary as a camp counselor at Summer Day Camp is $8/hour and this is increased every summer that a counselor chooses to return. Aside from pay, there are many other benefits to being a camp counselor which include recreational activities, travel opportunities when we go on field trips, and creating social connections with teachers, parents, and youth in the community.
By far, the greatest benefit to being a camp counselor is the wonderful relationships you build with the kids you work with. While working with them, you get the privilege to watch them grow as people and leave them with positive words and fun memories. Even though it is our job to make a positive influence on them, the kids are what makes being a counselor worth it because of the influence they will have on you!
By far, the greatest benefit to being a camp counselor is the wonderful relationships you build with the kids you work with. While working with them, you get the privilege to watch them grow as people and leave them with positive words and fun memories. Even though it is our job to make a positive influence on them, the kids are what makes being a counselor worth it because of the influence they will have on you!
Achievements
Through my internship with Summer Day Camp, I learned a lot about leadership, program planning, and delegating responsibilities.
At the start of the summer, we had a full staff, but only four of us were returning counselors while the rest were new to Summer Day Camp. While they spent the first couple of weeks trying to learn the kids' names and get used to the schedule of camp, the other returning counselors and myself had to step up and lead most activities and transitions. However, I did not want the entire summer to go that way, so I began suggesting leading to the new counselors and often guiding them in how to lead an activity or transition. Now that my internship is complete, I can look back and realize how valuable it was for me to learn how to step back and help others lead. Since I am comfortable speaking in front of a group, it would have been easy for me to continue taking charge throughout the summer, but I believe that learning to help others lead is an important step in evolving as a leader.
Additionally, I also learned a lot more about planning activities during my internship this summer. This summer, I was with a different age group than last summer and therefore had a new supervisor whose standards for club and activity plans was much higher. For the first time, I had plans sent back to me with a list of improvements or things to change. Even though this was discouraging at first, by learning what I was leaving out or should not have included, my plans began to improve throughout the summer and eventually stopped getting returned.
Lastly, I learned the importance of delegating responsibilities this summer. I have always been a take-charge and do-it-myself kind of person, so when completing tasks or setting up for activities and events at camp were given to me, I often turned down help and attempted to do it all myself. However, in a camp setting, things must get done quickly or you will be away from the kids too long, which hurts your fellow counselors. After many rushed attempts at setting up for a gym game or activity by myself, I eventually began asking for help and noticing how much easier my job was when I did. Delegating responsibilities has never been my strong suit, but I can definitely look back on this summer and see how much that flaw improved.
At the start of the summer, we had a full staff, but only four of us were returning counselors while the rest were new to Summer Day Camp. While they spent the first couple of weeks trying to learn the kids' names and get used to the schedule of camp, the other returning counselors and myself had to step up and lead most activities and transitions. However, I did not want the entire summer to go that way, so I began suggesting leading to the new counselors and often guiding them in how to lead an activity or transition. Now that my internship is complete, I can look back and realize how valuable it was for me to learn how to step back and help others lead. Since I am comfortable speaking in front of a group, it would have been easy for me to continue taking charge throughout the summer, but I believe that learning to help others lead is an important step in evolving as a leader.
Additionally, I also learned a lot more about planning activities during my internship this summer. This summer, I was with a different age group than last summer and therefore had a new supervisor whose standards for club and activity plans was much higher. For the first time, I had plans sent back to me with a list of improvements or things to change. Even though this was discouraging at first, by learning what I was leaving out or should not have included, my plans began to improve throughout the summer and eventually stopped getting returned.
Lastly, I learned the importance of delegating responsibilities this summer. I have always been a take-charge and do-it-myself kind of person, so when completing tasks or setting up for activities and events at camp were given to me, I often turned down help and attempted to do it all myself. However, in a camp setting, things must get done quickly or you will be away from the kids too long, which hurts your fellow counselors. After many rushed attempts at setting up for a gym game or activity by myself, I eventually began asking for help and noticing how much easier my job was when I did. Delegating responsibilities has never been my strong suit, but I can definitely look back on this summer and see how much that flaw improved.