The core of the Summer Camp Counselor’s job is caring for, managing, and leading their cabin of 10-12 kids with a co-Counselor. Counselors work to ensure the safety and well-being of their campers through constant communication with campers and staff, providing structure for their cabin, and creating a supportive and respectful atmosphere in the cabin. Counselors also help their Campers maintain a clean living environment and healthy personal habits.
Beyond the cabin, we ask Counselors to think and act as “lead learners.” Beam Camp is an opportunity for all of us to grow, Campers and Staff alike. By creating an atmosphere in which we are open to experimenting, learning, and making the occasional mistake, we provide the Campers with a safe space in which they can challenge themselves. In order to be open to
learning, we are not just watching Campers, but engaging in the activities with the Campers.
Counselors participate in most Program areas, either as leaders, collaborators, or in a supportive role. Program areas include Independent Work in our Guilds (self-directed projects by campers supported and guided by staff), Community Work (cooking, cleaning, and maintenance), the Big Project (our session-long ambitious undertaking), Domains (subject-specific workshops), Pulse (swimming, sports and active play), and After Dinner (a daily post-dinner event when campers perform, play/invent a game, have campfires, and more). While the Counselor can always expect to be actively participating, they needn't have preexisting skill in these areas but any relevant experience is a plus.
To highlight and support each individual staff members' talents, skills, and interests, Counselors will be designated to one of three programmatic "focuses" for the summer which
will dictate what they spend the majority of their time working on:
- Instruction (focusing on craft, problem solving, and teaching) - primarily based in the
shops supporting Independent Work, Domains, and occasionally building the Big Project.
- Programming (focusing on event planning, engagement, and theatrics) - primarily planning After Dinners, helping to plan Theme Days, coordinating skits and camp gags,
and occasionally building the Big Project.
- Community (focusing on the abilities and interests of how campers get involved in the
community)- Community counselors work with our Community Engagement Director to engage campers in 535 workshops, Pulse, camp documentation, community care and
occasionally building the Big Project.
Upon arrival at camp, staff will participate in a week-long staff training period, where we will work together to open and prepare the campus for Campers to arrive. The week is a
combination of technical and professional training alongside some manual labor. Staff will be trained on how to engage with all our shop spaces and their tools, as well as many group
activities and conversations centered around child growth and development. Beyond these conversations, reopening a camp can be hard physical work. This week will include a lot of
lifting heavy things, moving furniture, and cleaning.
Qualifications of strong candidates:
- 1+ years experience teaching and otherwise working with youth and young adults
- Strong interpersonal communication skills, and interest in working with youth
- Highly collaborative, able to ask questions, offer insight, professional opinions, and
celebrate teamwork
- Highly independent, able to set and manage personal goals, expectations, and schedule
- Detail oriented with experience managing multi-faceted projects while meeting
deadlines
- Imaginative, able to be flexible and resourceful, in the midst of change, uncertainty, and
growth
- Curious, life-long learner
About Us
Beam is a unique summer camp for the fine and manual arts where each summer campers ages 9-17 collaborate on a spectacular project. Our mission is to help kids explore what it means to make things with their own bodies and brains, and how that creativity is relevant and applicable to everything in
their lives. They transform ideas into artifacts, and personal achievement into community success. They also have a lot of fun! The centerpiece of the program is the Beam Project. Each summer Beam commissions a unique, large-scale collaborative endeavor that campers and staff produce and enjoy.
