At William Lawrence Camp, the bedrock of every summer is our staff. Every summer, we’re thankful that a large percentage of our staff and LITs return. We rely on these returning staff members to help carry the tradition of camp forward and bring their familiar faces to the Knoll each summer. It’s this continuity of community that we cherish here at WLC.
While we often focus on the benefits of being a camper, we think
that the continued staff experience can be extremely beneficial for many young
adults. As we discussed last month, the LIT program is a great way to start the
transition from camper to staff member. But the benefits of being a staff
member don’t
end at the LIT year. Some of the most important takeaways come from many years
on staff.
We talked with several former staff members, of varying ages, to
see how their experience has shaped and benefited them over the years. Here are
a few themes that have popped up.
Part of a Team
At WLC, we rely on our staff members to work as a strong team
all summer long. Learning to be part of a team is a crucial skill to develop.
Camp is a great place to acquire this skill, whether it’s being the leader of a
team or finding a way to contribute.
Being a staff member at WLC often puts you in a leadership
position well before many jobs. Unlike an internship, you’re not just grabbing
coffee - you’re
leading classes, wilderness trips, and even other staff members. Getting that
leadership experience early on has proven valuable to many former counselors.
John Swanson, a staff member from 2003-08, spoke to the
leadership experience. “Many of the more difficult challenges involved those leadership
roles at Camp which prepared me for a career where I am again in a leadership
position.”
While not all roles at Camp involve direct leadership, they all
allow you to contribute in meaningful ways early on. At Camp, there isn’t any "busy work” to be done -
every task brings tangible value and offers a chance to gain experience.
Ben Marston, a staff member from 2005-16, commented, “You get used to jumping
into jobs and tasks that you're likely unfamiliar with and so you develop a
humility with starting each task. And you learn in those situations to be a
team player. You may not always know what you're doing, but you can be an extra
hand to hold up a boat mast or help problem-solve a way to fix a broken fence.
And after a few summers, you're then the experienced member of the team helping
others start their own journeys.”
The WLC staff is an exceptional team every summer. We rely on
our staff to step into leadership roles, find new ways to contribute, and chip
in on all levels. Even our most senior staff help clean the waysides. It’s clear in talking with former
staff that their experiences engendered an all-hands-on-deck mentality that
they have used throughout the years.
Find Your Path
While many of our staff members don’t go on to be archery or
sailing instructors for their careers, being a camp counselor exposes people to
new paths they may not have considered.
Ross Fidler, staff member 2009-14, discovered a love for
teaching at camp. He said, “As a staff member I discovered that I had a passion for working
with kids. That passion has led to a career as a teacher that I love very much.”
Looking through our staff alumni, you’ll find many former
teachers and coaches. Our former staff often credit Camp as the place where
they got their first exposure to working with kids and teaching.
Develop Essential Soft Skills
The lessons that come from being a staff member at Camp extend
beyond their applications in a job or career. Some former staff members spoke
to how working at Camp helped them develop crucial personal skills.
Tom Cleary, staff member 2011-17, said, “The most useful skills
were around working with children, getting along with peers, and managing
people. Everyday parts of the job like fostering relationships in the cabin or
resolving conflicts between campers forced me to grow as a person and
especially expanded my social skills.”
One of the frequent skills that popped up over and over again
was problem-solving. As we’ve
alluded to, being a camp counselor involves wearing a lot of hats. It’s a challenging role that
requires our staff to think on their feet and build those crucial
problem-solving skills.
John Swanson noted, “Every new challenge overcome was an experience in dealing with a
new situation. At Camp, in general, you learn how to approach learning a new
skill or solving a new problem and how to handle yourself when faced with
something you’ve never experienced before, but as staff you have a daily
opportunity to teach, which forces you to learn and problem-solve twice as
much. I still draw on those lessons daily.”
Personal growth is one of our main goals for every camper, and
so it’s
no surprise that growth doesn’t
stop when one graduates to a staff member. Some of the strongest periods of
growth come from stepping into the leadership role of being a camp counselor. At
WLC, we love to see that our staff continues to grow with us year after year.
Disconnect and Have Fun
However, it’s
not all about developing skills and personal growth. For many, Camp provides a
space away from everyday life.
Ben Marston spoke to the benefits of spending a summer at Camp. “It's hard in our society
to get to spend long periods in nature. Camp provides a space to explore
nature, escape the constant barrage of notifications and social media, and
embrace a community-focused way of life.”
As we
often stress with campers, we think Camp is a great space to be your authentic
self, away from the pressures of society.
And while being a camp counselor is hard work, we’re happy to report that
it’s
fun, as well.
John Swanson said, “You think being a camper is fun? Try being staff. There’s some work involved for sure, but my best memories of camp come
from my years as staff, and the longer you’re staff, the more fun it
gets.”
Surprisingly, a common theme among many staff members is that
the staff experience often exceeded their experience as a camper.
…
For many former staff members, Camp was a formative part of
their lives. The friendships, experiences, and personal growth all stood out as
important parts of the opportunity. Those experiences are still having an
impact today - whether it’s
stepping up into a leadership position at work or just knowing how to fix an
old Sunfish sailboat.
Alex Camerino, staff 2010-19, summed it up this way: “I have learned how to be
a hard worker with multiple skill sets, and, above all else, I have learned how
to take responsibility for both the actions I am proud of and those that I am
not. Camp is essential and can be life-changing for counselors.”
Written by Alumni, Ben Marston
