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Counselor Stuff

"Goodnight. Goodnight little bunkies. Slumber on 'til the dawn breaks through..." 
      

The experience is great. Even if you have never been to Nakanawa before, fear not. The warm counselor staff is ready and willing to help you, several of which were campers themselves.

During your first week at Nakanawa, you will get to know the other staff members, familiarize yourself with the camp grounds, and learn how to handle any situation that may arise throughout the duration of camp.

The only real rule of being a good counselor is to give of yourself. Patience is a must, and of course lots of motivation and encouragement to boot.  Campers set goals for themselves at the beginning of camp and work hard to acheive them before the session is over. 

A successful camping season depends on the counselor staff. Nakanawa recruits young women who enjoy  camping, have a skill to teach, like the out-of-doors, and, most importantly, give of themselves to the girls. Nakanawa is selective, and the counselors are carefully chosen after formal application and a personal interview.  They have successfully completed at least one year of college, and many are college graduates.  

The counselor serves, first, as a cabin counselor and, second, as an activity instructor. In Junior Camp a counselor will have approximately six girls in a cabin; in Senior Camp, approximately eight. Helping girls to live harmoniously as a unified cabin group is the counselor’s first and most important responsibility.

You will choose one or two activities to instruct, preferably ones in which you have had some experience.
For example, I decided Tennis and Archery would be great. The work is easy. You're outside most of the day, soaking up some sun while getting plenty of exercise.



 

Rewards

A counselor is there to listen to all the boyfriend stories, oversee cabin clean-up, remedy homesickness, make midnight trips to the infirmary, or cheer on her bunkies during competition. She is there to end the day with a devotion, discuss any problems or concerns, and share the joy and excitement of accomplishment.

Teaching campers new skills is easy. Just show them what you know, and they will follow. One day, all 7 of my bunkies shot a bulls eye in Archery Class. Seeing their excitement and hearing "Thank you for showing me how to do this!" was enough to make me want to burst! Campers and counselors develop a special bond over the summer. Although the girls will look to Tent Row as the leaders and examples of camp, they will look to you, their counselor, as mentor and teacher.

The girls are wonderful. In the first few days, you will have made several new friends, many to last a lifetime. Your impact on them is certainly one they will remember.


 

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