Position: Counselor: Nature Camps counselors are a very special combination of youthful spirit, mature insight, child-like wonderment, certified professional, and experiential educator. The counselor's responsibilities are to to take children into the woods, fields, and streams in a real and personal way. The counselor meets with his/her group each morning to take attendance, to determine which activities each camper wishes to participate it, to determine if those chosen activities are a good fit for that camper, and to help shy or apprehensive campers find the right niche in which to feel comfortable. Two NC counselors then leads 8-10 campers in the various activities of the day: canoeing, carving, all-day hike, half-day hike, nature crafts, swimming, biking, horseback riding, stream exploring, etc. NC Counselors gather their group for lunch, doing the first tick check of the day, nature journaling, and enjoying one another's company. At the end of the day, NC counselors gather their groups for Big Circle, and, after their campers have been picked up, perform a list of rotating chores, then joining in the staff meeting at the end of the day. Counselors rotate duty for the Extended Day program. Counselors attend weekly staff overnights and bi-weekly Family Overnights, again pitching in to carry out the various responsibilities these events entail, including preparing the famous Family Overnight Breakfast the following morning!
Position: TA Trip Leader: The role of the TA Trip Leader in addition to the Counselor responsibilities involves leading the teens (ages 13-16) on their two five-day away trips. The first of these trips includes biking to and working on the O'neill Family Farm in northern Baltimore County via the North Central Railroad Trail and back roads. This trip involves completing projects and chores on the farm, nature journaling, cooperative working, and, of course, Big Circle. One evening of this week, the Trip Leaders take the group of teens to the Lovely Lane Church in Baltimore for Contra Dancing and Folk Dancing. The second away week the leaders and teens are driven to Frederick where they backpack and hike the Appalachian Trail through western Maryland. The trip culminates in a white water rafting trip on the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers. Teens and leaders then return to Nature Camps for parents to pick them up. TA Staff and teens decide on what camp service project on which they want to work. This project, working with younger children, and the farm projects help teens accumulate their state required service learning hours. Responsibilities of the TA Trip Leader include the TA Overnight trip to Bunker Hill, a five mile hike from NC during the first week of each TA session. During the last week of each TA session, TA Leaders transport the teens to Ultimate Watersports for a day of kayaking and catamaran sailing. Additionally, TA Trip Leaders meet the Sunday before each Appalachian Trail trip for a Gear Check, in order to check the teens' gear, help them pack most efficiently, and discuss needed information with the teens and their parents.
Position: Medical Personnel: Nature Camps employs a staff member for the NC Health Corner. This Medical Personnel is not required by law to be a nurse, though at Nature Camps is often an RN or LPN. Since all NC staff are WFA, CPR, Life Guard, and Canoeing certified, many small bumps and bruises can be attended to by our highly trained Counselors. For more serious injuries, the medical personnel is on hand, and our camp physician is just a phone call away. The Medical Personnel is required to review all health forms prior to the start of camp, calls parents to discuss any questions or issues noted on those forms, and discusses any special needs with counselors. The Medical Personnel is responsible for making sure that medications, inhalers, epi-pens, etc. are signed out to the Counselors prior to the group leaving on an activity. They must also retrieve these items at the end of the activity. The Medical Personnel is also responsible for logging all injuries, illnesses, treatments in the medical log book, calling parents if needed for communication of any treatment or injury.
