3 Major Reasons to Apply for Staff at KODA Camp Midwest
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3 Major Reasons to Apply for Staff at KODA Camp Midwest
January 14, 2024
Written by: Clarice Rheault
Much of KODA Camp Midwest’s magic comes from its staff. Counselors and CITs are a huge part of making the camp atmosphere welcoming, fun, and memorable for KODA Campers and the kitchen staff are indispensable for nourishing campers and counselors alike with filling, nutritious meals each and every summer. Staff applications open on January 15th, 2024 and close on January 31st, 2024—if you need a push to apply, let this article be your encouragement!
#1: Counselors and CITs help foster KODA Camp Midwest culture
KODA Camp Midwest’s culture is immensely important to the camp community as a whole—it’s what keeps campers and staff alike coming back year after year and maintains camp as a glowing, unforgettable memory for so many.
The culture of KODA Camp Midwest can be described as inclusive, celebratory, and playful, where every camper feels appreciated for their own unique identity and characteristics. Counselors and CITs have a huge part behind maintaining this culture consistently throughout the years of camp!
Camp counselors are typically thought of as upbeat, energetic, and extraverted. While there are plenty of amazing staff at KODA Camp Midwest who fit this bill, there is also a wide array of staff who are more introverted and reserved while still maintaining that same passion for camp culture and campers’ experiences.
That means: KODA Camp Midwest welcomes staff with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and personalities, even if you don’t fit the stereotype! After all, KODA Campers are just as diverse in personalities and every camper deserves a member of staff that they can relate to and feel safe with.
As long as you’re passionate about fostering the camp culture, forming long-lasting bonds with other CODAs in the community, and bringing a wonderful experience to KODA Campers, KODA Camp Midwest wants you to apply!
#2: Counselors and CITs get to bring new activity ideas to life
Have you ever had an idea for a night activity that you’re convinced would be a super fun, super memorable experience for everyone at camp to play at once? How about a physical game or teambuilding activity that you’ve played at a different summer camp, with your friends, or at school that went over excellently? Or maybe a cool arts and crafts idea caught your eye on Pinterest?
Either way, counselors and CITs get the awesome opportunity to bring their inspirations and original ideas to KODA Camp Midwest and see them come to life as part of camp—their activities could possibly even become long-term traditions that are passed on for the years to come!
Don’t have a completely fleshed-out plan? That’s okay! If you become a counselor or CIT, your fellow staff members can help you brainstorm and workshop it until it’s developed enough to test it out.
If you’re excited by the prospect of leaving a legacy on the KODA Camp Midwest community for the years to come, applying to become a staff member is a great idea!
#3: Staff develop professional and interpersonal skills and bonds in a constructive environment
KODA Campers aren’t the only ones who do teambuilding activities, you know—staff do them, too! During training week, staff spend lots of time testing out and putting the final touches on developing new activities and adjusting classic ones. That includes some of the teambuilding activities that have become infamous over the years at KODA Camp Midwest… Did someone say Skin the Snake?
In addition to testing out activities that campers will do and practicing teambuilding exercises, staff participate in training week activities that helps each person develop confidence in their individual strengths and identities while identifying areas that they want to grow in.
All of these activities are combined with nightly staff meetings and open-ended, friendly meetings with supervising staff members where any concerns can be shared in a nonjudgmental environment—not just during training week, but for the entire duration of camp.
Altogether, the time staff members spend together both on- and off-duty during their time at camp leads to a cohesive, closely-knit team where staff learn skills such as collaboration, communication, problem-solving, and boundary- and goal-setting, all of which are excellent personal and professional skills for anyone to have under their belt.
A huge overarching reason to apply to work for KODA Camp Midwest is that, for most staff, it’s simply a super fun way to spend your summer! Many staff members who attended camp in the past say that working at KODA Camp Midwest is just as fun as—or maybe even more fun than—attending camp as a camper. After all, you get to spend more than twice the amount of time at KODA Camp than a camper does! Is there anything better than that?!
If you’re a CODA who’s eager to create the summer experience of a lifetime for other C/KODAs while having a great time yourself, be sure to submit your staff application on time! The application opens on January 15th and ends on January 31st. To learn more about the positions available, check out the position descriptions page on the KODA Camp Midwest website.
About the Author
Clarice is a volunteer for KODA Camp Midwest who focuses on social justice practices. They attended as a camper for three years, were a CIT in 2019, and still wholeheartedly love KODA Camp! Clarice lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota and studies psychology. In their free time, they love drawing, writing fanfiction, watching anime and video essays, hiking, and cooking new and challenging dishes.