Head Counselor at Outdoor Summer Camp for Girls

Head Counselor at Outdoor Adventure and Mythology Summer Day Camp for Girls

Title: Head Counselor

Employment Status: Exempt/Seasonal

Company Summary:

Plato Learning operates outdoor mythology-based day camps for kids ages 6-15. We create a world where monsters, myth, and magic transport kids out of the mortal realm into one where they are empowered to develop new skills, take risks, solve problems, and ultimately become Heroes. With seventeen camp programs spanning from NYC to California, Plato Learning uses actors, live-action role-play, and physically and mentally engaging activities to bring myths to life.

Daring Girls: Adventures in Mythology is our all-female program where girls become their own heroes. Daring Girls explore nature, build confidence, and discover powerful historical women, and mythological goddesses. From the outside, Daring Girls are tumbling, sword-fighting, and building strange contraptions with wire and tubes (you know, girl stuff). But on the inside, our young women are learning to take risks, fail with grace, and never give up.

Discover the heroine within. We dare you to join us!

Job Summary:

We are hiring an energetic leader and adventure role model to serve as Head Counselor sat our Daring Girls NJ location. As the Ringleader of Fun, Head Counselors are the enthusiastic, flexible, camper-facing leader for all camp activities. They set the tone for each day at camp. They manage activities for campers of all ages and engagement styles that come to enjoy our brand of physical game, story-based adventures, and energetic outdoor experiences. Additionally, they assist Leadership and Counselors with daily operations to keep Camp running smoothly.

Our style of immersive storytelling weaves a mythology-inspired story throughout a camp week, culminating in an action-packed “Quest” adventure. Campers or “Demigoddesess” use critical thinking and problem-solving skills, while interacting with actors playing monsters and heroes in the park.

Job Responsibilities

Plan Story Adaptations (Pre-Season).

• Work with our HQ team to adapt our un-scripted, pre-written stories for the summer and adapt them to your camp.
• Build an immersive, memorable, and exciting active story-engagement experience. Align with our HQ Story Team to navigate changes while maintaining cohesion and narrative balance.
• Manage the creation and completion of Quest related props, design elements, and costumes with your ensemble.
• Repair (foam) weaponry when necessary.

Engage the Demigod Campers.

• Lead and engage campers in activities that grow to meet their development with an energetictone.
• Understand that every camper is different
• Schedules multi-modal programming that will immerse and uplift every kid.
• Encourage campers to take risks, participate, and explore their own personal limits, while celebrating the heroic strengths they already possess.
• Support demigods in meeting their victories and defeats with grace.

Organize the Hero’s Journey.

• Pre-season: Schedule and adapt camp activities for use at camp.
• In-season: Adapt activities to support the week’s adventure storyline and respond to the culture of camp.
• Keep the scheduled activities exciting and running on-time.

Be the “Call to Action” and Ring Leader of Fun.

• Provide the Call to Action–organize and lead large camp-wide activities, like the Olympics, or the Final Battle for 30 demigoddesses.
• Keep campers engaged and safe during large, high-energy activities.
• Lead activities with infectious enthusiasm and a flexible mindset.

Facilitate Magic with the Campers.

• While “Quest” is the main adventure, there are many story moments throughout the week: including scouting missions, small council discussions, oracle visits and recaps.
• Actively listen, improvise, and connect with the Demigoddesses to keep an eye out for magic moments that can be created on the fly. Through your positive attitude and personal conduct, exhibit heroic behaviors for young Demigoddesses to model.

Steward of Mythological Lore.

• Chronicle the demigod’s adventures and act as a mythological resource to both staff and campers.
• Help new Demigoddesses understand their mythological identity and support staff in creating activities that fit the week’s story by connecting them to the right legends.

Build an Ensemble.

• Tell a culturally responsible story with appropriate casting.
• Schedule training and rehearsals using improv and ensemble building techniques to empower performers to make bold, adaptable character choices that center the camper’s experience.
• Manage the ensemble, maintain healthy work relationships and respect each individual's time.

Train Heroes to Lead.

• Help facilitate camp training on leading activities with confidence and coming up with new ideas to keep programming running at its highest potential.
• Set the tone for staff by modeling enthusiastic engagement in programming while leading it

Steel your Resolve.

• Our Camp is an energetic all-outdoor environment that requires staff and campers to embrace exciting challenges.
• We are looking for courageous individuals excited by the discomfort of adventure, and who do not shy away from responsibility and physical exertion, even during the heat of summer or a rainfall.
• A Head Counselor will spend most of their day on their feet and walk anywhere from 15,000-18,000 steps/day on the job, across changes in elevation and varying terrain.

Rise to the Challenge.

• Resolve conflict and manage camper behavior in a constructive, uplifting, and non-punitive manner that redirects to engagement.
• Prove your efficacy through action: be prepared to handle challenging situations with kindness and readiness to help.
• Whether it is helping support a counselor whose group needs extra help, or helping staff do a final clean sweep of the grounds, the Leadership Team cares for the campers and their team through service-leadership.
• All Camp Leadership team members are ready and willing to cover a camper group when necessary

The Hours.

• Remote training from April-May
• Facilitate In-Person Training days prior to program start
• 40-45 hours/week in-person at your camp location for 7 weeks.
• Camp Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm; Monday-Friday (Campers present 8:45-4:10)

What abilities are we looking for?

• Experience working with children ages 7-11 in schools, after school programs or other structured capacities
• Leadership Experience – previous programming experience a plus
• Combines strong initiative, conflict resolution, and communication abilities with a team-player attitude
• Effective organizational and problem-solving skills
• Ability to physically and vocally command an outdoor space with positivity and engaging energy
• Ability to maintain stamina and endurance over the course of the Camp Season
• Full-time availability in Summer
• Excitement about working outdoors with kids in the summer
• Camp experience is a bonus, though not required

Benefits and Compensation:

Compensation . $17/hour for in-season work

• Pre-Season Work/Training (May-June): $15.13/hour
• During Camp and Staff Training Weeks: 40-45 hours/week for your program’s 6 weeks
• Any absences or sick days are unpaid
• Referral Bonus: $50 bonus for any referred applicants who are hired and work at least 3 in-season weeks.

Opportunity for Advancement.As Plato Learning grows, we look within our talented seasonal staff to fill full-time opportunities when they arise within the company..

Community. Containing hundreds of creative-minded heroes, the Plato Learning network carries authors, podcasters, performers, dungeon masters, and many others ready to chat and create.

Pay: $17.00 per hour

Work Location: In person