Tag: camp counselor

Unofficial Counselor Packing List

Posted on by PineForest

Welcome, new PFC counselors! We’re SO excited to have you on board and hope you’re getting excited for the best summer of your lives. Camp will be here before we know it (79 days until the campers arrive!), so it’s not too early to start thinking about packing! To supplement your regular packing list, we asked our returning counselors what they wish they had during their first summers as camp staff. It may seem like a lot, but many of these optional items can be purchased during our organized trip to Wal-Mart after you arrive in Greeley.

Egg crate/mattress pad
Crazy Creek chair or something similar to sit on
Patriotic clothes for July 4th – prepare to represent your country with pride!
Blue and gold/yellow shirts for Color Days!
Inexpensive waterproof watch
Extra bug spray and sunscreen
Flip flops for the shower
Raincoat
Extra socks
Books
Long sleeve shirts and long pants for nighttime – it can get very cold!
Crazy hats/fun dress-up clothes for theme days
Wellies or rain boots
Small clock
Jokes, songs and cheers to teach your campers
A fun playlist of songs for the bunk
And most importantly, a good sense of humor and a positive attitude!

If you’re a returning counselor and have anything to add, please comment below or post in our official staff Facebook group!

 

Camp Counselor: More Than an Internship

Posted on by PineForest

This guest blog post was written by all-star former counselor and year round Staff Coordinator, Elly Wallace.

Many people will tell you that the key to a successful future in the workplace is a solid internship related to your field of (potential) expertise.  While that may be true for a lot of people and a lot of careers, a job as a camp counselor can give you the skills to succeed in not only the workplace, but in all aspects of your life.  We’ve come up with three major things a summer camp job has the potential to provide, but like anything else, you get out what you put in.

Confidence

One of summer camp’s greatest qualities is its appreciation for individuality.  The most notable counselors are the ones who sing the loudest, dress the craziest, and are willing to participate in any and all activities that his or her campers come up with.  At camp, it’s hard to feel embarrassed.  It is surprisingly easy to step out of your comfort zone and into the uninhibited summer camp lifestyle.

Selflessness

While being a camp counselor can give you a great deal of self-understanding and important life skills, the most successful counselors are those who are not at camp for themselves, but for the campers.  Camp teaches you how to put the needs of your campers, or of any group, above your own.  In order to deal with confrontations, homesickness, shower hour, and anything else that comes your way in the bunk, you have to know how to prioritize.  As camp counselor, you are truly a surrogate parent for your campers and, while their problems may seem small to you, to them they are big and should be treated accordingly.

Leadership Ability

At camp, campers do not judge your ability to show them how to kick a soccer ball, make a friendship bracelet, or ride a zip line.  We find that campers instantly idolize a counselor’s ability to do anything, giving you a solid platform to develop and transform your leadership skills from the get-go.  You’ve been hired as a camp counselor and specialist in a specific activity; your accountability is already there.  This gives you the time to focus on building your character, integrity, commitment, enthusiasm, and open-mindedness.

Interested in working at PFC? Check out our staff page!

Packing Tips for New Counselors

Posted on by PineForest

You’ve just scored this AWESOME job at Pine Forest and you’ll be turning onto Pine Forest Camp Road before you know it. You can practically hear the campers singing and see the bright Greeley stars. Before you leave for the best summer of your life, we want to provide you with this “unofficial” packing list. These are items that past staff members have found to be “essentials,” and most can be purchased at a low cost near camp!

Gear: Your favorite hoodie (hooded sweatshirt), lots of socks (when you think you packed enough, pack more!), rain boots, comfortable athletic shorts, blue and gold gear (think Color War!), white T-shirt for tie-dye, sunglasses.

Bedding: Warm blanket or comforter in addition to a light one. We know, we know- it’s summer! But we are in the rural mountains and the nights and mornings are cool! If you’re coming from overseas, don’t worry. We’ve got you!

Equipment: What will you be doing at camp? Will you need something specific for your activity? (Think baseball mitt, tennis racket, etc.)

Everyday Stuff: Sunscreen, water bottle, laundry bag, casual watch (you won’t have your phone with you to tell you the time!), headphones, pen and paper (to actually write letters!).

Fun: Theme-night clothes or wacky gear, clothes for a day off out of camp, bunk games like Jacks or a deck of cards.

Random awesomeness: Guitar (if you play), Diablo, juggling balls, playlist of music for your bunk, flag from your country, college gear, photos of your family and friends.

And most importantly, bring a camp state of mind: a sense of humor, enthusiasm, a great attitude, openness to try new things, excitement to meet new people and the realization that you are about to embark on an incredible, rewarding adventure that is truly life-changing!

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Guest Blogger: PFC Division Leader

Posted on by PineForest

Tell us about yourself!
My name is Zach Gelb and I was the Senior Boys Division Leader in 2015 and will be the Hi-Senior Boys Division Leader in 2016. This will be my 14th summer at Pine Forest Camp. I was a camper for 8 summers and a staff member for 5, going on 6 summers.

What did you get out of your position as Senior Boys Division Leader?
My position was amazing. It was so much fun to interact with the kids and staff and watch them grow. The 7-8 weeks you spend at PFC will give you lifelong friends, a fantastic summer, and a bond you will always remember with the best people.

What makes a good counselor?
A great counselor can’t sweat the small stuff and has to be willing to try new things. Some of the best counselors I have seen always have great positive energy and are willing to help out in making the summer great for the kids.

What was one of the biggest challenges you faced in your Division Leader role?
I had a camper who was homesick. I paid extra attention to this boy and made sure he always had something to do. After the first week of camp, his homesickness improved. But for that week, it was challenging to make sure he was always distracted and having fun while also dealing with many other children at camp.

What was your favorite thing about your Division Leader role?
I like many things about camp such as: boys’ line-up, basketball leagues, banquet, evening activities, camp chants, campfires, A-Game, and color war. However, my favorite part is seeing kids upset on the last day. Yes, that may seem odd, but when campers and staff cry on the last day, you know you did your job since they don’t want to leave camp. Like I said, camp is a magical place and you will forever cherish the bonds you make. Each summer is different and it just gets better and better. To have a camper or staff member (yes, staff cry too) cry or say thank you on the final day shows how appreciative they were of their experience at camp.

What do you wish you knew before working at camp? Any advice for new counselors?
My advice would be to look at each day as a new day at camp. Try everything you can and break out of your comfort zone early. Being a camp counselor can be very rewarding and you need to take advantage of every opportunity, as the summer goes by very quickly. As far as supplies, make sure to bring an egg crate, a fan, bug spray, and some funny costumes. You can purchase most of that stuff near camp. I would also encourage you to try and meet other staff members, whether it be in person or online, before you come to camp, but this is not a necessity.

Gelb

MVP: Most Valuable Position

Posted on by PineForest

You have likely heard that the key to a successful future in the workplace is a solid internship related to your field of expertise. While this may be true for some, a job as camp counselor also gives you the skills you need to succeed in the workplace and in life! We’ve compiled a list of five major skills a camp job teaches (which, to us, is way more important than bringing some big-shot executive coffee all summer!):

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Leadership Skills
At camp, campers do not judge your ability to show them how to kick a soccer ball, make a friendship bracelet, or ride a zip line. Campers instantly idolize a counselor’s ability to do anything, giving you a solid platform to develop and transform your leadership skills from the get-go. You’ve been hired because we know you’re skilled. Now focus on building character, integrity, commitment, enthusiasm, and open-mindedness in your work!

Confidence
One of camp’s greatest qualities is its appreciation for individuality. The most notable counselors are the ones who sing the loudest, dress the craziest, and are willing to participate in any and all activities that his or her campers come up with. At camp, it’s hard to feel embarrassed. It is surprisingly easy to step out of your comfort zone and into the uninhibited summer camp lifestyle. And hey, you might learn some new things about yourself along the way.

Selflessness
While being a camp counselor can give you a great deal of self-understanding and important life skills, counselors quickly learn to put others, children, before themselves. As a camp counselor, you are truly a surrogate parent for your campers and, while their problems may seem small to you, they are big, real, and totally consuming! By taking on the role of counselor, you are making a difference in these campers’ lives. They will quickly become your whole world!

Concrete Interview Material
As you interview for jobs, you will likely be asked a question that begins with “tell me about a time when…”. At camp, you are living with children for almost two months. You will undoubtedly leave with examples of accomplishments, challenges, strengths, and weaknesses. You will also come home with many marketable skills for your resume that are applicable to almost every career path. These include communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to work well in a group setting. Another advantage of working at a residential summer camp is the expansion of your peer network. You are working with people from all over the world with a variety of different backgrounds and your peer network is a very useful resource when applying for jobs.

Perspective
Now, more than ever before, we need a reminder to put our electronics aside, take in a breath of fresh air, and be present in the moment. Camp gives you the unique opportunity to connect with yourself, with others, and with nature. You will find that the counselors benefit from unplugging just as much as the campers! Have you seen how bright the stars shine at camp? Become inspired!

Guest Blogger: PFC Counselor

Posted on by PineForest

My name is Adam Polikoff and I am a general bunk counselor at camp. This upcoming summer will be my tenth summer. I was a camper from 4th grade through 11th grade (8 years), and became a counselor for the first time last year!

What did you get out of your position?
My experience as a counselor showed me the integral role that I had in the summers of each of my campers. As the summer went on, I realized just how much what I did each and every day influenced the enjoyment of each camper under my supervision. During the last few days of camp, many of my campers and others in my division told me personally that I, along with many other counselors really made this past summer one of the best of their lives. Also, I learned how the job of being a camp counselor really brings many co-counselors together as friends. I have been going to camp for a long time, so naturally I did not expect to become good friends with anybody other than my original “camp friends,” but I quickly realized that I became close friends with many counselors who were experiencing PFC for the first time.

What makes a good counselor?
From my experiences as both a camper and a counselor, I have learned that a good counselor is one who actively keeps camp fun for his campers. In order to consistently do this, a good counselor genuinely enjoys the time he spends with his campers! Campers are happy when their counselor has a positive, upbeat attitude.

What was one of the biggest challenges you faced in your role?
One of the greatest challenges that I faced in my position was encouraging my campers to clean the bunk. Every day after breakfast, there is a period of time designated to cleaning the bunks for inspection. However, as would be expected, most of the campers showed no desire to actually clean the bunk during this time. Rather, they would choose to play games and sit around. One of the ways through which I attempted to remedy this problem was by providing certain small incentives to the person who cleaned the most or even to everybody upon receiving a certain inspection score. This turned out to be an effective strategy.

What’s your favorite thing about your role?
My favorite thing about my role at camp is that it allowed for the creation of many bonds. I am very happy that I was able to leave camp with new friends. As I left camp, I knew that the time that I spent with my campers contributed to their enjoyment of the summer in a big way, and that satisfying feeling is one of my favorite parts of being a counselor.

Any advice for new counselors?
Try to keep a positive attitude around your campers even when you are tired. If you are able to remain positive and sustain an energetic mood, then that positivity and uplifting attitude will translate unto the campers and help them enjoy each and every day as much as possible.

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A New Worldview

Posted on by PineForest

Sometimes, with all that is going on in our lives, it is too easy to feel like the world is made up of just our friends, family and the people we see (whether in person or on social media) on a regular basis. We might gravitate toward and spend time with people from the same places, same culture and similar backgrounds and can often forget that the world is so much bigger with so much more to offer than we realize.

The great thing about an experience at camp is that whether you are a camper or a staff member, being at camp will definitely make you view the world differently! We are so excited to hire extraordinary, skilled counselors from all around the world. We have staff recruiting trips to London, Manchester, Budapest, Czech Republic, as well as Oregon, Ohio and Kansas. We have campers that represent 15 states and 3 countries. Camp gives you the benefit of coming into contact with people from many different schools, communities, countries and cultures.

Diversity brings so much to the camp experience and helps us see the world differently, but we also come to realize that we’re not that different from one another. These relationships help us to grow and teach us about getting along with others, and not just the people we see as similar to us. It’s just one more thing that proves how much camp can teach you.

It’s amazing to realize that there is so much more out there, and spending a summer at camp, with people from all over, gives us a greater understanding of ourselves, other people, our country, and the world!

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Best. Job. Ever.

Posted on by PineForest

Whether 2016 is the first time you’re considering a summer camp job or this is your 14th year, now is a great time to start securing the “best job ever” for the summer. So much more than what you think, being a camp counselor is beyond fun but a lot of work. What other job allows you to “play” all day while also building valuable skills that will benefit you for the rest of your life?!  As you think about this upcoming season, consider these reasons why being a counselor is the best job ever.

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The people you meet, the friends you make: You will form lifelong friendships at camp. Although 8 weeks may not seem like a long time, when you are living and working in a group setting and in close proximity to others, you create bonds that normally could take years to form. Many of your co-workers will be from other parts of the country or other parts of the world. The takeaway is learning about different cultures, having new and exciting places to visit, and realizing we all have a lot to offer as our world becomes a lot smaller.

Expense-free living: Camp provides food and housing and for some, a travel allowance. As a camp counselor, you’ll find yourself spending most of your time walking around camp with smiling campers, doing the activity you love, or singing songs around a campfire thinking, “I’m getting paid to do this?!”

Being outdoors: While many of your friends are behind a desk or making copies, you are spending every day (and most evenings!) outside. You can jump right in and learn a new activity with your campers, or help teach a sport you are passionate about all in the fresh air and sunshine. Have a period off? Why not jump in the lake?

The kids: They are the reason why you are here in the first place. Having the rare opportunity to make a major impact on a group of kids is probably what you’ll love most about your job. Being a role model and being looked up to by your campers is one of the most rewarding experiences you will ever have and it will have a long lasting impact on both you and your campers – probably more of an impact than you’ll even realize.

It’s a resume builder: Camp is the perfect place to gain experience in a lot of areas and looks very impressive on your resume. Being a camp counselor requires a lot of multitasking, responsibility, flexibility, adaptability, teamwork and many other challenges and surprises. You learn to live and work with a variety of personalities and that is a skill that you can bring to any workplace.

Learn about yourself: The opportunity to learn and grow from a camp experience is limitless. At the end of the summer, you will realize things about yourself that you never knew before. You’ll reflect upon all of your new strengths, which you’ll find could be anything from social skills to caretaking, to coaching skills and multitasking. Pat yourself on the back! You deserve it.

Those who know and love camp and whose lives have been impacted by their summer days working at camp cannot think of a better way to spend their summers. Sound good to you? Apply here today!