Gwynn Valley Camp

“Mountainside” is Gwynn Valley’s program for middle school campers (grades 6-8; ages 12-14). We offer 4 Mountainside sessions each summer for 50 campers per session. The theme in Mountainside is outdoor adventure: backpacking, rock climbing, mountain biking, whitewater paddling, and expedition canoeing. Each Mountainside session culminates in a multi-day off-site trip that focuses on one of these five activities.
 

Specific positions we’re still hiring for:

• Expedition canoeing: paddling tandem canoes on flat water lakes expedition style (i.e. making camp along the lake's perimeter)
• Backpacking: three- and four-day backpacking trips covering 4 - 8 miles/day.
• Whitewater paddling: paddling class I and II rivers in an open canoe or kayak
• Mountain biking: biking roads, trails, and single-track at Gwynn Valley or Dupont State Forest
• Rock climbing: climbing at our tower and at Looking Glass, Linville Gorge, and Rumbling Bald
   

Qualifications

• Aptitude/interest in working with children ages 12 to 14
• 1 year of college or equivalent experience/training/maturity
• Skill/experience in the specified activity, and ability to manage risk, plan courses, and teach classes
• Solid backcountry camping skills and trip leading experience preferred

About the Position: Cabin Counselors live and work at the heart of camp - in the cabin! You and one other co-counselor will be responsible for a group of 8-10 campers. Cabin Counselors work in our Main Camp program with children between the ages of 5 and 13. During daily activity times, you will help teach in an assigned activity area, and during down-times and evenings you will supervise your cabin group. Specific responsibilities include: 

• Work with a co-counselor to create a safe, inclusive, and fun environment for your cabin group 
• Attend to the physical, psychological, and emotional safety of the children in your care
• Utilize appropriate and consistent behavior management strategies 
• Assist campers with daily routines such as wake-up, cabin chores, personal hygiene, and bedtime. 
• Supervise your campers while in the cabin, during transitional times, shower/changing times, rest hour, evenings, and cabin-specific activities 
• Plan and conduct a cabin campout night (in a shelter on camp property) and other cabin activities such as picnics, hikes, tubing trips, etc.
• Teach or assist in a designated activity area during daily activity times 
• Participate in camp-wide activities, traditions, and evening programs 
• Participate in the rotation of community chores to help keep camp running smoothly
   

About you: You might be a great fit for a cabin counselor role if… 

• You are at least 19 years old OR will have completed your first year of college by the summer 
• You are able to communicate appropriately and respectfully with children AND adults, and can adapt to various age-appropriate communication and instruction styles for campers. 
• You are adaptable  and excited to learn new skills 
• You have experience working with children between the ages of 6 and 13 OR  have a strong desire to do so 
• You enjoy spending time outside and are comfortable living in a rustic setting
• You are willing to put in hard work and take your job seriously
• You know when to be silly, playful, and fun! 

About the Position: Program Leaders oversee one of the following activities at camp :

• Pottery
• Arts and Crafts 
• Performing Arts 
• Blacksmithing 
• Mountain Biking 
• Kayaking
• Rock Climbing 
• Waterfront 
• Horseback Riding 
• Farm 
• Grist Mill 
• Camping Skills
• Nature 
• Sports 

Our Program Leaders are responsible for planning and teaching lessons that are safe, fun, creative, engaging, and educational for our campers. In addition, they train, supervise, and mentor the staff who assist them in teaching classes in their activity area. A typical day will involve at least 4 hours of teaching, while the rest of the day is spent planning lessons, managing equipment, preparing materials, etc. Though not responsible for a cabin group, Program Leaders are expected to participate in general camp events and programming during the evening and outside of teaching hours. Specific responsibilities include: 

• Manage overall organization and safety of your activity area, including inventory, risk management, equipment maintenance, and facility management
• Develop and teach lesson plans for your activity area that meet the program's learning outcomes. 
• Utilize age appropriate teaching techniques to engage multi-age groups of campers
• Train, mentor and supervise counselors who assist in your activity area  
• Participate in camp-wide activities, traditions, and evening programs 
• During mealtimes, supervise and engage campers at your assigned dining hall table
• Participate in the rotation of community chores, cabin sitting, and other responsibilities that help keep camp running smoothly 

About you: You might be a great fit for a program leader role if… 

• You have extensive personal or professional experience doing and/or teaching the activity you will lead
• You are at least 21 years old (preferred but not required)
• You are able to communicate appropriately and respectfully with children AND adults, and can adapt to various age-appropriate communication and instruction styles for campers. 
• You are adaptable  and excited to learn new skills 
• You have experience working with children between the ages of 6 and 13 OR  have a strong desire to do so 
• You are comfortable living in a rustic setting
• You are willing to put in hard work and take your job seriously
• You know when to be silly, playful, and fun! 

Other info

• Salary: $300 + per week DOE. Includes room, board, and laundry. Certifications such as WFA, WFR, LGT, AMGA will increase your weekly salary.
• Dates: June 2 - August 12, 2023 (or earlier, depending on role and availability)

The kitchen works closely with the Farm and Grist Mill program areas to use what is produced on camp to provide a healthy, well-balanced and more sustainable food program, which feeds 335 campers and staff each meal three times daily. Local and seasonal ingredients play a large role in menu planning and the intentions behind our food. Depending on seasonal harvests, approximately 60-70% of the food consumed at camp is raised on site.

Gwynn Valley Camp Kitchen Opportunities

• Cooks will execute menus for specific meals using a variety of cooking techniques while leading assistant cooks and coordinating with prep team.
• Assistant Cooks provide support to lead cooks by executing meal plans and carrying out basic cooking methods and specific prep duties.
• Special Foods Cooks prepare all vegetarian cuisine as well as any specific dietary needs including gluten-free and dairy-free.
• Prep Team carry out daily prep tasks such as salad prep, simple butchering, general vegetable and fruit prep using basic knife skills.
• Bakers are responsible for the production of all baked goods including quick breads, yeast breads, pastries, and basic cake work and decorating.
• Sanitation Manager is the leader on the dish line and is responsible for guiding dishwashers on the Hobart, pots and pans, kitchen sanitation and ensuring that all clean wares are stored properly.
• Sanitation duties include running the Hobart, working the dish line, pots and pans, kitchen sanitation, and storing clean wares.

About the Position: Say Cheese! As one of three GV photographers and videographers, your goal is to capture and document the excitement of camp throughout the day in creative and zany ways! Through a normal workflow, you'll be able to interact with campers and making them laugh while rotating through all the fun activities. Within each session, you and the team will also create a stunning highlight video and slideshow for the campers at the end of the session! 

Why is your job important?

• To provide direct communication with the parents of campers, providing them with quality images of their children at camp.

• Provide support to the marketing team taking needed photos and videos for the marketing goals of the summer. 

• Capturing stellar photos and videos for the sessions’ closing slide show and video.

• Edit any photos (as needed) and edit sessional and extended versions of videos for every session. 

• To create memories!

Who do we look for?

• Photographers and Videographers who have an understanding and or background/work experience/ or education in photography or videography. 

• A basic knowledge of technical skills with camera equipment such as how to operate a DSLR, change lenses, use tripods, and compose images.

• Strong organizational skills to keep up with the demand of all the content we curate in a single day. 

• Strongly preferred and recommended to have experience and understanding in Adobe Premiere Pro.

• Creative Minds eager to capture simple joys of summer camp!