When deciding if Augusta is the right place to spend the summer, it helps to have some signs point you in the right direction. See if one, two, or even all ten signs are predicting we are a match made in camp-heaven.
These reasons are not meant to be seen as a checklist, and most staff members won’t be a match for all 10. If you agree with some, but maybe not all, that certainly doesn’t mean you won’t have an incredible time at Augusta or won’t be a good fit, and we’d love to hear from you!
With summer camp comes summer campers! Not only does prior experience affirm that you love working with children but it also means your proverbial toolbelt is already bursting with ways to talk to, play with, engage and encourage children. Tell us about your favorite games and activities!
The summer is long (from mid-May through mid-August) and there is limited personal time. Staff who have the skills to rest and recharge amidst the hustle and bustle of the day can keep their energy up and enjoyment thriving. Everyone has limits and knowing how to manage those limits is a fantastic skill to have both in and out of camp life!
Looking for an internship? – We work hard to make sure our interns are getting what they need and offer customizable internships for degrees like educations, psychology, theatre/arts and more. Check out more on our internships!
Looking to build your skills? – A summer at Augusta yields not just tremendous personal growth, but is a rock-solid addition to any resume. We believe that camp is more than just a summer-fling and have a number of job positions and responsibilities with utility anywhere from a backcountry guiding company to the corporate sector.
The application and onboarding process is reported to be most enjoyed (yes really! enjoyed, not just ticked off the to-do list) when not under a supreme time crunch. Camp Augusta’s philosophies and program are some of the most unique in the camping world. We are excited to have our staff dig into the nooks and crannies of all-things-camp, and in turn, share with us their thoughts and ideas. Having a few hours a week dedicated to thoughtful reading, writing, or reflection is essential to summer prep.
Camp Augusta is a small, tight-knit community, which can be a rare commodity in today’s world. The joys (shared values/goals, mutual influence, belonging) and troubles (rumor mills, personality issues, being stuck with each other) that go along with a small community will be yours to treasure and endure. Experience in dorms, other camps, or even among large families can give you the taste of the not-perfect, but still pretty sweet life of community living.
Homesickness doesn’t just strike our campers, it can hit adults as well. Experience living away from home means you’ve developed some coping skills for adapting to new environments and how to self-soothe in the face discomfort. The struggles of striking out on your own are what make us into stronger adults.
In addition, if you currently have a partner (and only one of you is interested in #camplife, prior experience with long-distance is tremendously valuable).
Camp can be a challenging environment physically and emotionally and has a way of bringing some things to the surface. If you are in a place where you need to rest or heal, camp might not be the most conducive environment for that. On the flip side, if you feel pretty secure in your life right now and the idea of spending a few months away doesn’t bring up any panicked feelings or potential remorse, then you’re in the right place.
While you don’t need to step into the summer as a perfect communicator, being open to communicating in a way that is direct, honest, and intentional is an important part of our community culture. We understand that sometimes speaking your mind can be scary, which is why we have a handful of tools in place to help people say what they need to say; things like scheduled check-ins, communication training, and even a wellness counselor help us foster a culture of clean communication.
You are a step ahead of the game if Camp Augusta isn’t your first rodeo. Whether it was another camp or outdoor experience, experience with dirt and stink will help you lovingly embrace our rustic, open-air cabins with no electricity, the bathhouses with stalls for showers and toilets, and the critters (spiders, ticks, racoons, skunks, etc) who also make their home here.
When working with campers, you will be like a mix of an awesome older sibling, responsible parent, and compassionate friend. Non-camper work can range of data-tracking in the office to maintenance projects among the trees. All in all, a summer at Camp Augusta can be a summer of wearing many different hats. Believing in and an excitement to fulfill the vision of Camp Augusta makes swapping between and rocking these hats an enriching experience, as opposed to a draining one.
Only you can decide if you think Camp Augusta is a great fit for you. If you read this page and agree with some of these points, then we’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to talk more about these points to help you decide, please reach out and we’d be happy to go into more depth to help you decide!
