Camp Kesem Berkeley New Counselor Supplement

Dear Applicant,

It’s that time of year—counselor application time! We’re thrilled that you are interested in applying to be a counselor for Camp Kesem 2015! We hope you are as excited as we are about the coming months as we prepare for camp. As always, we appreciate your abounding enthusiasm and continued involvement in Kesem!

Attached is your counselor supplement – please take the time to thoughtfully answer the provided questions. REMEMBER TO ALSO FILL OUT THE ONLINE FORM ON ACTIVE THAT WILL BE EMAILED TO YOU SEPARATELY.

Before the application, we would like to remind you of the guidelines established at the beginning of the year to be considered an active Camp Kesem member (with counselor eligibility). You must:

  1. Turn in your ten letters for letter-writing fundraising.
  2. Attend general meetings whenever possible (and fill out an absence form/let us know about any time conflicts), and be an active committee member.
  3. Participate (whenever possible) in Sproul flyering and fundraisers, as well as other events (i.e. Calapalooza, reunions).

Please fill out this application electronically and email it back to us () by FRIDAY, JANUARY 23RD at 5PM.

Group interviews will be scheduled at the beginning of the semester.If you are invited to interview, please be as flexible as possible once available time slots are released! If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at

We look forward to reading your application!

Kesem Love,

Kayla “Flipper” Mason, Evan “Hobbes” Winger, Charlotte “Sequoia” Hoerber

Volunteer Coordinators ’14-’15

First Name: / Last Name: / Camp Name:
Date of Birth: / Age: / Sex: M F / T-Shirt Size:

I am applying for:

Regular Program only

Teen Program only

Both Regular and Teen Programs, but if accepted, I would prefer: ______

Note: Teen Program counselors must have completed two years of college and be 20 years old by the start of camp.

TWO Weeks of camp!

Both sessions will be almost identical, but each will serve different campers. Please let us know your availability/preference below by marking your week preferences as 1 (your first choice) or 2 (your second choice) or both as 1 if you do not have a preference. We would prefer if you are flexible and available for either week, but if you are unavailable for one session, please mark N/A next to that week.

Week One (August 9-14, Training Day August 8): ______

Week Two (August 16-21, Training Day August 15): ______

Would you be willing/interested in doing both weeks? Yes ______No ______

Please rank your unit preference (1 being your first choice and 5 being your last choice):

Green Unit (ages 6-8): ___

Yellow Unit (ages 8-10) ___

Orange Unit (ages 10-11) ___

Blue Unit (ages 11-12) ___

Teen Unit (ages 13-16): ___

  1. Please list experiences you have working with youth, at summer camps, and/or with youth with disabilities or special needs. List like you are writing a résumé with appropriate information, including name of program, relevant dates, duties/responsibilities, etc.

  1. Please elaborate on your experiences listed above—what skills have you learned or what qualifications do you have to enhance campers’ experiences at Camp Kesem?

  1. Considering the children and families that Camp Kesem serves, what is it about Camp Kesem specifically that speaks to you and makes you want to be a counselor?

  1. Discuss one challenge you have had working as part of a team and how you handled it.

  1. Tell us about a time when you felt most alive and free to be at your best.

  1. Please share any favorite memory from working with a child.

  1. What do you foresee being your biggest challenge this summer as a Camp Kesem counselor? What do you think would be your greatest strength as a counselor at Camp Kesem?

  1. Describe your involvement in Camp Kesem this semester. What does Camp Kesem mean to you? What have you enjoyed or disliked? Did you have a goal for involvement this year, and have you met it?

  1. Based on your experience in Camp Kesem so far this year, is there anything that you would like to see changed or added to Camp Kesem in the future?

This year, we will be conducting group interviews. Not all applicants will be selected for an interview. If you are selected to attend a group interview, please come to the interview with a short (2-3 minutes) presentation prepared to teach the rest of the group something. This is a totally open-ended activity, you can pick anything you like—a magic trick, a song, a game, a fun way to tie shoes, absolutely anything you can think of that would be fun and engaging for 2-3 minutes. Consider something that you would engage campers with at camp. Be creative! Have fun!

The following two questions are for Teen Program applicants only.

  1. What experience do you have working with teens?

  1. Why are you interested in the Teen Program?

Please attach a photograph to your application. As we are going through your applications, we would like to put a face to a name.

Counselor Position Responsibilities and Commitments

By signing here, I understand that upon acceptance of a Counselor position, I agree to:

1. Participate in the Camp Kesem Training and Meetings – (Wed. 7-8 PM training; Wed 8-9PM meeting), which is a mandatory part of Counselor training.

2. Attend the mandatory 3-day Counselor training retreat (dates TBD).

3. Obtain CPR certification either with Camp Kesem Berkeley or independently if required of your position.

4. Attend Camp and Camp-related events during your week of camp – including attending the full day of training the day before your session begins.

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Signature Date

The following FAQ is meant to clarify the difference between a cabin counselor, a unit leader, and a program counselor. Descriptions of each position’s responsibilities are on the following pages.

What is the difference between a program counselor and cabin counselor?

  • Both program counselors and cabin counselors are assigned to a unit and sleep in that unit’s cabin.
  • Cabin counselors stay with their unit throughout the entire day and all rotations.
  • Program counselors leave their unit to do their rotation for all units (~3-4 rotations per day).
  • Program counselors work with Operations during the semester to create their programs (3-4 different programs in each category for the duration of camp)
  • This is a significant added responsibility during the semester and summer.

What are the responsibilities of a unit leader and how are they different than cabin/program counselors?

  • Unit leaders, like program counselors and cabin counselors, are assigned to a specific unit and sleep in that unit’s cabin
  • Unit leaders must be CPR certified.
  • Unit leaders have the same responsibilities as all cabin counselors, plus:
  • Unit leaders oversee a group of ~10-20 campers and ~5-10 counselors in their unit
  • Provide cabin counselors with guidance and support
  • Act as liaison between cabin counselors and Admin Team
  • Administrative tasks (break schedules, incident reports, evaluations, etc.)
  • Handle challenging or extraordinary circumstances with Admin Team

The following descriptions are meant to provide basic guidelines for the responsibilities of each position and its place in the camp’s staffing structure. All counselors are volunteers.

Cabin Counselor

Qualifications:

  • Be physically and mentally able to assist in counseling, programming, and ensuring the physical care of a group of five to eight campers.
  • Suggested camp/leadership experience
  • Suggested First Aid & CPR certification.
  • Be an enrolled UC Berkeley student during the 2014-2015 school year.

Responsibilities:

  • Responsible to Unit Leader.
  • Live in a cabin with campers, serve as a group counselor, and help campers to have a positive experience.
  • Participate in the planning and implementation of cabin, group, and all-camp programming.
  • Oversee the following on a daily basis:
  • Facilitate daily cabin clean-up by campers.
  • Teach campers, through example, responsibility by making sure that your group attends all meals and camp activities on time.
  • Be with campers at all times. If a camper is left alone, he/she is considered lost.
  • Set a good example for campers through leadership and personal behavior. Foul language is not acceptable in the Camp Kesem setting.
  • Encourage respect for all camp equipment and facilities.
  • Report any incident involving “out of the ordinary” circumstances to the Unit Leader.
  • Create an environment where campers feel safe, loved, and respected at all times.
  • Fully participate in staff training and all staff meetings.
  • Know and adhere to the policies in the Camp Kesem Staff Manual

Program Counselor

Arts & Crafts, Drama, Sports, and Cooking & Science

Qualifications:

  • Be physically and mentally able to assist in counseling, programming, and ensuring the physical care of a group of five to eight campers.
  • Suggested camp/leadership experience.
  • First Aid & CPR certification.
  • Be an enrolled UC Berkeley student during the 2014-2015 school year.
  • Related experience in respective program area and proper certification where necessary.

Responsibilities:

  • Responsible to Admin Team and Unit Leader.
  • Plan and lead groups daily in safe and exciting activities within respective program area.
  • Promote positive self-esteem, creativity, leadership, teamwork and respect among campers in respective program area.
  • Live in a cabin with campers and help cabin counselors and unit leader with daily responsibilities when not involved in program area preparation or activities.
  • Participate in the planning and implementation of cabin, group, and all-camp programming when not involved in program area preparation or activities.
  • Create an environment in respective program area where campers feel safe, loved, and respected at all times.
  • Fully participate in staff training and all staff meetings.
  • Know and adhere to the policies in the Camp Kesem Staff Manual.

Unit Leader

Qualifications:

  • Preferably, but not limited to, juniors and seniors, OR experienced counselors.
  • Be physically and mentally able to assist in counseling, programming and ensuring the physical care of a group of 10-20 campers.
  • Camp/leadership experience.
  • First Aid & CPR certification.
  • Be an enrolled UC Berkeley student during the 2014-2015 school year.

Responsibilities:

  • Responsible to Admin Team.
  • Oversee a group of approximately 10-20 campers and 5-10 counselors (numbers vary based on camper enrollment).
  • Provide cabin counselors with support and guidance and evaluate cabin counselors at the end of camp.
  • Act as a liaison between the counselors and the Admin Team.
  • Complete specific administrative tasks, such as behavior incident reports when necessary.
  • Handle challenging behavior management situations and “out of the ordinary” circumstances.
  • Live in a cabin with campers and fulfill all cabin counselor responsibilities. (Please see: Cabin Counselor Responsibilities.)
  • Create an environment where campers feel safe, loved, and respected at all times.
  • Fully participate in staff training and all staff meetings.
  • Know and adhere to the policies in the Camp Kesem Staff Manual