Monday, March 29, 2021

The Life-Changing Benefits of Being a Camp Counselor

 


At William Lawrence Camp, the bedrock of every summer is our staff. Every summer, were 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. Its 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 dont 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 its 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, youre not just grabbing coffee - youre 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 isnt 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. Its 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 dont 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, youll 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 weve alluded to, being a camp counselor involves wearing a lot of hats. Its 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 youve 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 its no surprise that growth doesnt 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, its 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, were happy to report that its fun, as well.

 

John Swanson said, You think being a camper is fun? Try being staff. Theres some work involved for sure, but my best memories of camp come from my years as staff, and the longer youre 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 its 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

Tuesday, March 2, 2021

The "Secret Sauce" of the WLC Experience

If I asked my boys what they love about Camp, they would mention many things: the food, making new friends, overnight hikes and canoe trips, the food, Olympic Day, Goldrush, the food, riflery, archery, and the FOOD! However, most certainly, the first answer they would give is the counselors and staff.  These relationships are what keep the boys coming back and what makes each year’s camp experience so very special, memorable, and unique.  What is it like to be a Leader in Training (LIT) or staff member at William Lawrence Camp?  We asked some two seasoned counselors to let us in on what it’s like to be the “secret sauce” of the WLC experience.

 

One is eligible to become an LIT as long as he is in 10th grade or, if International, is age 17.  The LIT Internship is often a natural progression for campers who have come up through the ranks and have completed their Senior camper years. Adam Muhith, who was a camper for five years before becoming an LIT and remains a valued staff member to this day, says the choice to become a counselor was easy. “My last year as a camper I knew that I wanted to keep coming back, and that I wanted both to see what it was like as a counselor and to ensure that future generations of campers had just as good an experience as I did.” LITs and staff hail from not only the U.S., but also all over the world. Says Kyle Schophaus about his decision to become a WLC counselor, “I have worked in the camping industry in South Africa and always wanted to know what it would be like to work at a proper summer camp.” 


In addition to receiving a world of experience in managing and molding the lives of younger campers, there are many practical benefits to the Internship, including trip leader, belay and American Red Cross lifeguard certifications, and even writing opportunities in the form of drafting your college essay and publishing a blog post on the WLC website. LITs gain all of this training while continuing to enjoy the traditions of camp and sharing them and making memories with experienced and new campers alike. To this point, Schophaus adds, “You are free to be your own person and you are encouraged to be that person all the time.” In fact, Muhith explains, some of the greatest lessons are less tangible. “Being an LIT taught me that it’s okay to say that I don’t know how to do something and how to ask for help on a project. Knowing when to stop and acknowledge that you don’t know, or when to ask for help, or when to bring in a second set of eyes for a project is a simple skill that really goes a long way. It was something that I had to do almost daily as an LIT. The entire program is a learning experience like no other, and its value can’t be overstated.”


Being a WLC staff member not only trains young men to be leaders in the camp environment, but it teaches them skills that can be applied much later on and throughout their lives. Says Muhith, “Most of all though, working at WLC has helped me further my love for the outdoors – in the off-season, I work as both a camping trip guide and at a climbing wall. I never would’ve learned the necessary skills to do these, the two things I love best, had it not been for the bounty of knowledge passed on to me from so many different leaders and co-counselors.”  Schophaus adds, “It has helped me to be more confident and think way more out of the box then I normally do.”