Hiring Camp Counselors

January at Camp Horizon is hiring month! We spend the first week or two interviewing potential camp counselors then the remainder of the month is dedicated to officially hiring them, filling out paperwork and connecting them with each other. As parents and camp professionals we do not take this process lightly. Each counselor is hired to fill a specific piece of the master puzzle that is a summer staff at a Christian Camp. 

What are we looking for?

  • Would I be willing to let this person watch my children?

  • What is this person’s motivation for wanting to be at camp this summer?

  • What is this person’s history with camping ministry and Camp Horizon?

  • Does this person have first hand experience working with children?

  • Does this person have a faith life they are willing to share?

  • Does this person enjoy being outdoors?

Along with these questions we are looking for particular sets of skills to fill the needs of the camp. 

We need:

  • A ratio of 1 paid staff to 6/7 campers in the cabins.

  • We need a full praise band, a drummer, pianist, guitarist, bass guitarist and singers.

  • We need technology people to run the sound system and create the weekly slide shows.

  • We need 4-6 counselors willing to be High Ropes Facilitators with a flexible schedule to be able to attend training and the physical ability to maintain this certification.

  • We need 2-3 counselors in each age group willing to be lifeguards, with a flexible schedule to be able to attend the training and the physical ability to maintain and achieve the certification.

  • We need 1-2 counselors willing to become certified as an Archery Instructor.

  • We need each staff member to achieve a red cross certification in First Aide and CPR along with a Safe Gathering Certification and pass a background check.

  • We need all staff members to be available for our 2 weeks of staff training and our 8 weeks of summer camp. 

  • We need servant hearts willing to do whatever job it takes to make the summer run smoothly.

  • We need 4-6 counselors for each age group.

Our hiring process has gotten easier in the past few years with the Junior Counselor program. 90% or our applicants are people we already know from growing up at camp. Being a Junior Counselor doesn’t automatically mean you get to be a counselor but what it does mean is that we have an inside look at their abilities to be all the things a camp counselor needs to be. Between this program, the word of mouth, and an awesome return rate, we are excited to say we are fully staffed for the summer of 2024. We will be introducing them on our Social Media accounts on Mondays starting in February.


Darci Utt