Current Job dates:
Currently recruiting for the season that runs from June 8th, 2025 to August 9th, 2025.
- Be a constant advocate on behalf of your campers. Make sure they accomplish everything during their camp visit that you believe they want to. Read all parent forms to assure you know what parents want their campers to accomplish as well. This is very important.
- Build a team. In either the two weeks or four weeks that you have your cabin group spend time every day building them into a team that works and cooperates together. Work to integrate first year campers on day one!
- Reveille: You should be the first one up, helping your campers get ready for the day.
- Dining Hall: All meals at Skylake are very important. Be enthusiastic about the day. Get the campers sharing ideas and stories.
- Cabin Clean Up: Each morning the cabin must be cleaned for inspection. This is to set the tone for the entire day.
- Siesta and Shower Hour: These are relaxed times, staff are rotated on and off during this time, if you are on duty you are responsible for supervision.
- Campfire: Counselors are always there with their campers, sitting with cabin groups.
- Taps: Staff are to be in the cabins with their campers. Quiet talk is fun and perfectly o.k.
- Campers brush their teeth, bathe, change clothes, and perform proper personal hygiene on a daily basis.
- Campers drink enough fluids, put on sunscreen, take their medications, and get enough rest.
- Campers get their laundry out at the appropriate time.
- Campers write home at least once a week.
- Campers eat properly.
- Post Cards: You are responsible to write a postcard the day the campers arrive introducing yourself and announcing their camper has arrived safely. A second card must be mailed home on Thursday of week 1 and on Tuesday of each following week. More is even better!
- Camp paper work: At end of the session parents receive a report from you regarding how their camper did in camp. It is important that you keep track of these activities on a daily basis.
- Phone Calls: You will possibly be speaking to parents. You will definitely be speaking with parents if any of your campers are homesick or having problems.
- Lesson Plan: It is critical that you establish a written lesson plan for what you plan to accomplish and how you plan to accomplish it. The goal of all of our activities is that the campers learn skills and how to enjoy their new activities.
- Activity Preparation: During staff training and continuously during the camp sessions you are expected to properly maintain the equipment for your activity and to maintain the area of your activity.
- Timeliness: It may be fun to dawdle in the lodge over your morning coffee, but it is critical that you are on time to your activities.
- Campers being present: It is very important that the campers attend all of their activities. Campers have plenty of flex time to hang out. Activity time requires them to be at their activities.
- Lifeguarding: While lifeguarding for campers and while on duty supervising campers at the waterfront, counselors must be in appropriate Lifeguard swim attire. This requirement is both for safety and role modeling. Counselors must have two such swimsuits for the summer. Suits can be purchased online.
- Feeding and saddling horses for the day – Horses are used only Mon-Friday and are available for campers 9am-Noon and 2:30pm-4:30pm.
- Working alongside Head Wrangler to manage the Horse program at Skylake.
- Evaluating the horses and their compatibility to the campers.
- Evaluating the campers and their abilities to ride the different horses.
- Coaching and instructing the campers on proper horsemanship.
- Coaching and instructing the campers on being respectful for the animals and the environment.
- Managing the camper sign ups to make sure all campers are fairly accommodated.
- Daily feeding, watering and health maintenance of the horses. A daily log of all the horses condition shall also be maintained.
- Daily saddling of the horses.
- Daily maintenance of the corrals in a safe and sanitary condition.
- Proper storage and maintenance of all saddles and equipment.
- Leading of trail rides and instruction of campers.
- Monitoring health and fitness of horses at all times with daily log.
- Communication with Larry Knapp regarding care and health of horses if Lead Wrangler isn’t on site.
- Communication with Directors on how the activity is running.
- Organization of ACA Standards materials.
- Organizing Saddle Club Program for campers to assist with saddling/grooming/care for horses.
- The position also entails assignments to other areas of camp when horses are not in use. Including but not limited to; camper supervision, dining room supervision, camper onsite sleepouts for youngest campers, assist in special day planning, etc.
- General Supervision as assigned during times horses are not in use.
- Swim Call assistance, Twilight sports, Campfire
- Activity/Staff support where needed
- Supervision Team assignment
- Special projects in camp. (TBD based on camp need and staff expertise)
- Covering cabins on Counselor Night Off
- Chipmunk & Chickadee Expedition
- Make a campfire every night
- Support Special Day planning and execution.
- Shower house duty as needed after campfire
- CHA Standards as needed.
- Check duty roster daily for assignments
- Experience with children and young adults desirable
- Ability to provide basic first aid, maintain records, and implement the camp’s health care plan
- Current CPR and first aid certifications
- Ability to work well with others and adapt to possible changes
- Good character, integrity, and adaptability
- Enthusiasm, sense of humor, good judgment, patience, and self-control
- Seek guidance from the RN to evaluate all campers and staff who require more than basic first aid.
- Assist with regular health screenings and Covid mitigation protocols and tracking
- Schedule doctors visits when determined to be necessary by the RN
- Keep the infirmary stocked with all supplies and compile list of items needed - to be given to Camp Health Administrator for review.
- Keep accurate log of campers and staff needing care at the Health Hut.
- Prior to opening day of each session, review camper health histories and note any special problems, dietary concerns, allergies, bed wetting, etc. on the group list and incoming camper health evaluation form.
- With the RN, cross check the list of missing health forms provided by the office with the health form binder and make changes where necessary to ensure accuracy.
- Communicate with Trips Coordinator regarding campers attending out-of-camps or hikes, and provide list of those with special medical needs and medications. Compile special medications for out of camp trips.
- Assure that First Aid Kits are well supplied around camp.
- Maintain hand washing station daily.
- Keep campers and counselors informed of general health concerns, (ie. sunscreen, chapstick, lotion, bug spray) by making occasional announcements. The RN will also do this.
- Coverage of the infirmary when campers are present will be divided between the RN and the Camp Medic as appropriate.
- On opening day of each session, stay in the infirmary to screen all incoming campers. At this time the pre-camp screening will be completed and any medication will be turned in.
- The RN and Camp Medic will respond to all emergencies.
- Be accessible as a resource for general health and safety information for campers, staff, and directors.
Cabin and Activity Counselor
Cabin Counselor: There are 16 cabins in Boy's camp and 16 cabins in Girl's Camp. Each cabin will have two assigned counselors. There will be a primary counselor and a relief counselor for each cabin. This position normally rotates during the summer.
The two most important requirements of a cabin counselor are to:
Daily Routine
Endless Details
You are the surrogate parent for the time the campers are in your cabins. It is your job to be sure:
Administrative Responsibilities
In addition to be the surrogate parent, you must keep the actual parent and the administration informed of the progress of all campers.
2. Activity Counselor
Skylake offers approximately 20 different activities. Each staff member is assigned to an activity. There are a number of primary requirements as an activity counselor:
3. Camp Supervision
Skylake counselors are no longer bystanders when they see behavior, both positive and negative, that deserves input. You should be there to congratulate any camper you see do something positive and at the same time be ready to step in when you see behavior requiring "adult attention."
Ropes Course Counselor
Activity focus on the Ropes Course. Still all of the same requirements as a counselor with activity assignment on the ropes course and climbing tower. Looking for staff with backgrounds in climbing and ropes course management.
Trips Staff
The position of Trips Staff is primarily focused on taking our campers on out-of-camp trips, day trips to Yosemite, backpacking in the Ansel Adams Wilderness, or overnight camping trips in the Sierra National Forest. These staff must possess Wilderness First Aid in addition to Lifeguarding and CPR. Once on site you will also take your Leave No Trace and Food Handler certifications. This position is perfect for those with outdoor experience on the trail, in the wilderness, and for those who love to hike. The position also entails being a driver so a clean driving record is required. When not assigned to leading a trip, Trip Staff will be "on-call" in camp and assigned to running errands or helping out in our Health Hut.
Assistant Wrangler
The Assistant Wrangler shall assist the Wrangler in their responsibilities for the horseback riding activity at Skylake. The position also entails other Leadership Staff responsibilities when the horses are not in use.
The job includes:
Additional Roles in Camp:
Nurses Assistant
The health center assistant will be in direct contact with campers and staff needing medical assistance, under the supervision of our camp RN. The position this summer will also incorporate COVID compliance and mitigation protocols to keep our campers and staff safe. This is the perfect position for nursing students! Health Center Assistant has time off with counselors and lives in a staff cabin and thus also reaps many of the same magical peer building experiences that come along with working at a summer camp.
Skylake Yosemite Camp is located on Bass Lake, 30 minutes from the southern gate to Yosemite National Park. Skylake has provided a co-ed traditional summer camp experience since 1945, hires 60 counselors, 7 leadership staff, 6 trips staff, and 15 kitchen staff every summer. Each session, Skylake has roughly 210 campers, who stay for either 2 or 4 weeks. Activities range from a full lake offering on private docks of SUP to waterskiing and more to horses, mountain bikes, ropes course and arts focus on land.
Desired Qualifications for Camp Medic/Nurses Aid:
Specific Responsibilities:
How to Apply
Staff should apply using the link on the staff page of our website via the link below. Applications are reviewed weekly and Zoom interviews are then arranged based on a perceived mutual fit.
Contact Info
- Adrienne Portnoy-Durgin
- adrienne@skylake.com
- (559) 642-3720
- www.skylake.com
