Camp Birkett
Ann Arbor YMCA
For three summers, I was a camp counselor at Camp Birkett. Camp Birkett is a traditional outdoor summer camp where campers get to participate in activities like archery, canoeing, lake swimming, sports, arts and crafts, and even nature discovery. Campers range in age from 5-12, with my group being predominantly composed of 10-12 year olds.
Some of my responsibilities include:
SafetySafety, particularly at a summer camp with over 100 campers per week, is crucial. Parents are trusting that we are taking care of their camper(s) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Therefore, as a counselor, I am constantly making sure that my campers are aware of their expectations.
Instilling ValuesAt camp, we work to instill several values that we think are important to being a well-rounded camper and person. They are: respect, responsibility, caring, and honesty. We talk about each one of these characteristics every day and reward campers for showing actions and behaviors towards these values.
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Building RelationshipsOur campers' parents state their number one concern (after safety) is whether or not their child will make friends at camp. In order to create bonds, I encourage campers to talk about their interests. I also talk to them about inclusion of everyone, which we work on during Team Building activities.
Social ResponsibilityAs a staff, we focus on social responsibility and teamwork. While we each have our own assigned group with an average of eighteen campers, we make sure to communicate and volunteer our efforts if a staff member is struggling. This includes having conversations with campers, helping with transition times, and even just picking up trash. We must work as a team to make sure camp is a success for everyone.
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