A guide to Camp America: Picking your Camp

 

 Selecting the right camp during your application process is so important. This camp is where you will be spending 9 weeks everyday, excluding days off, and you want to make sure it is the right choice for you.

Camps from all over America will look at your application and decide whether or not you are the right fit for them based on the experience and skills on your application. If they pick you they will contact you congratulating you and schedule an interview, typically Skype or Zoom, to get to see you in person and discuss what your job at camp would be and ask you a few questions with a main focus on your background of working with kids. Working with kids is challenging and not everyone is built for this therefore having some experience isn’t crucial but always helps. At the end of the interview they will usually offer you the job which could be lifeguard, football coach, arts and crafts counselor and so on. 

During this process I would also ask the Camp Directors your own questions about what it would be like to work at their camp. Questions I believe are important to ask are; 

• What would my daily work hours be? 

• How many days off do I have? 

• What trips/cultural activities do you organize for staff? 

• A typical day at camp consists of what? 

After this it is up to you to decide whether or not you want to take it or think you would be a better fit elsewhere. If you accept the offer then you're all set, your dates just need to be sorted, visa has to be approved and of course when the time comes the dreaded packing. If you reject it then you will have to wait for another offer, it is likely another will come around if you don’t get the right feel about the camp and if when you research you're not too sure. Researching and being 100% is so important to ensure you have the best summer.