|
Camp Laurel is ideally located in the Central Lakes Region of Maine, 17 miles west from the state capital of Augusta.
Our campers come from throughout the country, with a majority from the Northeastern United States. Many of the campers come from Jewish homes. The socioeconomic background of the campers is very high.
Camp Laurel employs about 250 counselors for the summer. The majority of our staff are considered Activity Counselors, while a smaller number of staff are hired to work as General Counselors, or Specialists, with our youngest campers (ages 7-10). These staff are known as Acadian or Apache Specialists, on Girls’ side and Boys’ side respectively. Activity Counselors and Acadian/Apache Specialists share many commonalities. All counselors live in a cabin with campers, eat meals with their campers, spend Rest Hour and Rec Time with them, supervise cabin clean-ups and participate in evening programs and special day events. Each age group is managed by a Campus Leader and Assistant Campus Leader who are wonderful resources on a day-to-day basis and throughout the summer. Many of them have been at camp for many years and are educators in the off-season.
For a more detailed description of
the Activity Counselor Position
please click here. |
|
For a more detailed description of
the Acadia/Apache Specialist Role,
please click here. |
Great. You can work with our younger campers who require a more visible presence as they "travel" through their day from program to program. If this fits your needs, let us know. This is a perfect job for those who simply love being and working with younger children, ages 7 to 10.
There are about 15 "waking hours" in a day. Five or six of those are spent instructing an activity. The rest of the time, you are with your own campers. Meal times, rec time, rest hour, evening programs, etc. are spent with the boys or girls in your own group.
It basically means that you will mostly see children in your activity who want to be there. It is quite different teaching a group of campers baseball who want to learn and play - as opposed to being scheduled for a group with varying ability and interest levels. This is one of the reasons counselors love working at Laurel. For younger campers, swimming, tennis and team sports are required.
We consider ourselves diverse. We have some children who compete on their high school varsity teams and others who are not athletic. Our job is to make everyone feel comfortable. Instruction is quite advanced for those campers requiring a bit more intensity and very beginner-based for children not as adept at sports. While we play to win, we emphasize participation and sportsmanship. We are charged with making sure each camper has an opportunity to shine... to find his or her "place" at camp.
We know for you to be an effective counselor, you need to take time for yourself. We want you to be fresh and invigorated. Specifically, you receive one period off or rest period each day. At that time, you may use any available facilities to recreate. Of course, you may opt to just read quietly or take a nap. About one night out of four, you are on duty and must stay with your group until they are asleep, then remain in camp "on duty" until 1:00 a.m. when the remainder of the counseling staff who are "off" return to camp. In addition, you receive five 30-hour days off during the season and two early evenings off. When you're on, be ready to work. But when you're off, use your time wisely.
Staff shirts must be worn each day until after dinner. Your personal appearance is important. We require athletic-type shorts if you are teaching sports (i.e. gym, tennis or sweat shorts are fine) and staff shirts. If you are teaching arts, for instance, you are certainly free to wear walking shorts or other types of shorts/pants as long as they are neat. Sneakers are the normal footwear. Sandals are not appropriate for teaching sports, but certainly fine "after the activity day." In a word - dress befitting your activity. We insist on a neat appearance for all counselors. Goatees, long sideburns or rings piercing any body part other than the ear are not permitted. Male counselors must be clean shaven. Counselors must not alter their hair color or style while at camp and counselors must be willing to cover any visible tattoos.
We are proud to say about 40 percent of our staff return annually. We are happy to tell you that about 90 percent of our campers return as well.
Each camp day is unique, but there is a good deal of regularity to the daily program. Campers select certain "electives" and, based on those selections, staff are assigned programs from the Program Director. It is safe to say, though, that if you are hired for a specific role such as tennis or soccer, you will be teaching those periods six hours each day. Below is a thumbnail portrait of a typical day:
- Following wake-up and breakfast, each camp group joins together for morning "Cove" or a primer for the day ahead.
- After a short cabin "clean up," the campers go to three morning activities. Using soccer as an example, you, as a soccer counselor, would report to your area where your department head would have the curriculum ready for the day. Each morning activity block - about one hour long - would see three separate camper groups until about 12:45.
- Following morning activity, there is a buffet lunch and "rest hour" or quiet time to relax, read and spend time with the campers with whom you live.
- Following rest hour, there are two additional activity periods similar to the morning as well as an all-camp 6th period, in which campers spontaneously choose what programs they wish for one hour. Your activity area is open during 6th period for extra practices, rehearsals, special events, etc.
- After 6th period, there is a brief wash-up, followed by dinner.
- After dinner and Evening Cove, you are with your group for evening program and until your cabin is in bed. Evening programs range from talent shows to sports leagues "under the lights," to campfires and so on. Camper bedtime is from 8:30 to 10:30, based upon age.
While this represents a brief portrait, there is far too much going on to describe on paper. Weekly trips, hikes, sight-seeing excursions, inter-camp competitions, theatre productions, football and volleyball leagues, etc. make up some of our special activities and events.
Many staff come from recommendations of former counselors. Students from more than 50 colleges and universities are represented at Laurel. In addition, we have coaches and instructors as well as young teachers from all parts of the country, and a few counselors from abroad.
Laurel is separated into six distinct campuses. On our boys campus - Apache, Sequoia and Kennebago - house different age groups. On our girls campus - Acadia, Baxter and Kennebec - house various age groups. Each campus is headed by a Campus Leader and Assistant Campus Leader who are in direct charge of a campus.
Boys and girls participate in the same activities, but generally at different times. Certain programs - arts and theatre for instance - are co-ed, while athletics are single-sex.
All staff (except operations staff) live with children in cabins. The cabins are comfortable, and all have electricity. Some cabins are bathroom-equipped while others are steps away from shower houses. Some cabins house six campers and one to two counselors while others house six to 18 campers and three or four staff.
Working and living at camp is an expense-free summer and staff may conceivably leave at the end of the season with their entire salary. In addition to salary and travel allowance, staff are provided free of charge with 8 staff shirts, a staff sweatshirt and room and board. Staff will receive laundry services at a charge of $70.00 that will be deducted from your final paycheck.
The demands of living with a group of children are great. On camp, there is a staff-only lounge with games, as well as a TV and email and phone accessibility. We have 5 computers in our staff lounge that are devoted exclusively to staff. There is also a well-planned staff recreation program for counselors "after hours." Your free time is just that - yours. We also provide transportation for you on your days off if you don’t have a car.
Good. Really. While we tell you up front that we cannot accommodate special diets, we have extensive salad bars, fruit available at lunch and dinner, potato or pasta bar at dinner and variety at most meals. Our chefs are experienced and are proud of their homemade soups, breads and cakes, as well as their appetizing main courses. Most campers and staff leave Laurel saying that the food is good.
The campers are predominately Jewish, but all religions, faiths and races are welcome. There are no services and the program is not geared toward any religion.
Camp is very structured and demanding. We like to say it is “the toughest job you will ever love.“ The campers are in camp all summer and our responsibility to them is 24 hours a day. If you are interested in joining our staff, please give all the information herein careful consideration and send us an email by clicking on the link above. We will contact you right away about the availability of a position and arrange a personal interview or telephone conference about the possibilities of being a counselor at Laurel.
If you love children and believe in their incredible potential, if you feel good about yourself and the talents you offer, if you thrive on healthy outdoor surroundings and believe in an active, enthusiastic approach to life, then Camp Laurel may be the perfect place to call your summer home. Apply online right now!
. |
