There is something special about making a difference in the lives of children. There is something even more special about making this difference while working at a summer camp! As it becomes time to look for a summer job, we know that there are lots of choices to choose from. However, working at Elmwood offers a one of a kind experience. The benefits go far beyond any other way to spend a summer. Below are some of what our current and former staff say why you should work at Elmwood Day Camp.
At Elmwood, we are committed to giving each staff member the best possible experience. Working at Elmwood is much more than a summer job! Over the summer, you will meet people who care about you, value your individuality and foster your growth.
Sometimes you’ll learn just as much from your campers as they’ll learn from you! You’ll learn about how to interact with others, how to put others first and just how much of an impact you can make. You’ll learn how to be compassionate and empathetic while being energetic and enthusiastic. You’ll learn how to make a camper smile and laugh and learn how to be a big brother/sister to a group of children. You’ll be spending eight weeks in a brand-new environment, so whether its learning and/or teaching new activities, understanding others better, or communicating effectively, you’ll learn and grow throughout the entire summer.
Make your mark. At Elmwood Day Camp, you won’t just be a counselor or a specialist - You will become family. You will be an older brother, older sister, and role model to your campers. They will want to spend all of their time with you, talk to you about their day and express to you how they are feeling. They will ask you for advice and will look up to you more than anyone else. You will have the chance to become a camper’s biggest role model, and they will make you feel like the most important person in the world…because to them, you are.
When you begin working at Elmwood Day Camp, you will be assigned a Division Head or Program Head who is your mentor and coach. The goal is for them to partner with you so that you can learn how to make a difference in the lives of children. They will celebrate your successes, help you work through challenges, and guide you as you learn to develop leadership and training skills throughout the summer. The leadership and training skills you practice at camp are some of which can be brought with you throughout all walks of life. You are overseeing groups of children throughout the entire day, coping will all different types of personalities, working with different types of people and leading many activities/adventures, all of which translates into excellent management and personnel skills.
“A great place to be me!” is something that we truly believe here at Elmwood. Campers love coming home to Elmwood each summer because they feel comfortable, they feel a sense of belonging and they feel known. This is in large part due to the staff we hire. Our staff are caring role models who understand that Elmwood is a child’s world. They are committed to providing a safe and secure environment in which children flourish. Being a part of something as meaningful as camp is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
How can you truly enjoy the warm beautiful weather of summer if you are sitting inside at a desk all day?! Elmwood’s program is designed to spend the majority of the day outside, which means that as a camp staff member you will spend the majority of the day outside – playing games, swimming in the pool and being active. You will be healthy and feel great!
The unique job of working at Elmwood Day Camp allows you to meet people with interests, hobbies and talents that are different than your own. Those who work at Elmwood Day Camp are not just studying education in college. Some are science majors, English majors, math majors or studying art, drama or music. This summer, you will get to work with a diverse set of individuals who hail from all over the tristate and around the world.
Camp may only last for 8 short weeks, but those memories, those experiences, and those skills learned along the way will stay with you forever. You’ll never be able to forget the most amazing summer spent working at Elmwood.
We know staff work hard during the day, and we know staff want time to get to know one another and have fun. We created Staff Rec. to give our staff the social opportunities that their campers get every day. One or two nights per week you can choose to participate in after-camp staff activities including Olympics, open mic night, soccer tournament, softball tournament, paint night, picnic, banquet and trivia.
Hillari and Gregg, Elmwood’s directors, are available to you in the summer and throughout the year. They will meet with you to discuss new opportunities for yourself and camp, talk about your career goals, write letters of recommendation and provide job references. Camp relationships don’t just end when the summer ends. Relationships made at camp are forever relationships. Once you are a part of our Elmwood family, you are always family and always have a place here at your summer home.