Message from the Director
Even though it has been quite a while, I clearly remember my summers as a camp counselor. I first agreed to be a counselor because being a camper was so much fun and it seemed that being a counselor would be even more fun. I soon discovered that being a counselor was a little more work than I had imagined, but far more fun than the summers I spent as staff in a lawyer’s office, working as management in a retail job or (the worst one) delivering furniture. Those other jobs paid a bit more, but even though I may not have had household expenses, I remember being mostly broke at the end of those summers because I had so many more things to spend money on “having fun”.
I may have learned a few things in the law office (mostly that I did not want to be a lawyer), and gained some skill as a manager. While I may not have realized it then, what I gained in experience, education and skill at camp far outweighed what I was learning from any other experience, ever.
Over the years in leadership roles and Directing summer camps over the last 30 plus years I have learned the value of being a camp counselor that most young adults and especially their parents usually don’t appreciate.
Job Skills – According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the top skills employers look for include: Leadership, teamwork, communication, problem solving, work ethic, critical thinking among others before they get to the technical or job specific skills. I, and according to many others, learned more about those skills as a camp counselor than any other job or work experience. For me, these are skills I used as a camp director, and also as a Business Owner, Non-profit Executive, Tech Sales Rep and Convention & Event Coordinator.
People skills – No other experience builds friendships like camp. I have lost touch with the majority of friends from high school and college, but it is my camp friends that have endured for decades. The positive impact I have had on others is what has kept me involved in camping. Hearing from campers from as far back as 40 years how I helped change their lives for the better, or created amazing memories that have lasted just as long are the things that are most valuable to me.
Life Skills – being a camp counselor made me a better person, parent and grandparent. Learning about child development, group dynamics, conflict resolution and even just how to speak and interact with a child. Working with a co-counselor, someone that you live and work with 24 hours a day, taught me most everything I ever needed to know about dealing with people.
Money – yes, this is a tougher one, camps traditionally pay less, and the argument that sleepaway camp provides room and board, doesn’t mean much to the young person who lives and eats at home for free. But parents of growing teens can attest to the costs for feeding those young adults. Plus, most every person I know that spends summer at home ends up spending way more money than they do when they are away at camp. We have also been raising the salaries for counselors and supervisory staff to make it closer to most other at home jobs.
Being camp staff is a great way to spend a summer. Yes, for the fun of it, but also to build better people and to better yourself. For those of you who may know someone who is, or if you are available to work a summer as a counselor, supervisor or any other role, get in touch with us. We have jobs open that can change your life and the lives of others. Give us a call (847-763-3551) or send an email (info@campchi.com) or apply directly (https://campchi.jccchicago.org/work-at-chi/).