Job Opportunities
So You Want to Be a Counselor
Camp Talooli is a day and resident camp facility that has been in operation for over 70 years. The successes of our programs are, in large part, due to the successes of our staff members. Camp Talooli has a very high return rate each summer, and many of our counselors were once in the CIT program at camp. Many of our other staff members are college students who return each summer to work at Camp Talooli. This unique feature makes our staff more like family and provides a more comfortable atmosphere for our campers.
Staff at Camp Talooli attends our pre-camp training before the camp season starts. During the training week, staff stays overnight at camp from Monday through Friday covering topics such as communication, team building, risk management, child development, camper behavior, and programming.
A typical week for day camp staff begins on Monday morning when the buses arrive at camp and the campers prepare for flag raising. After flag raising, staff accompany their campers to five different activities throughout the day which include swimming, boating, challenge course, nature, arts and crafts, campfire cooking and archery.
A typical week for resident camp staff begins on Sunday evening when the resident campers arrive. Staff sleeps in the cabins with their campers and typically has five to seven campers in each cabin. Each day the staff accompanies their campers to three meals held in our dining hall, five activities throughout the day, and evening activities which range from campfires with skits and songs, to choice activities like ride the wild gator and panning for gold. Resident campers and staff leave on Friday afternoon and staff returns Sunday for a brand new group of campers.
How to Apply
Camp Talooli is always looking for new staff to bring new ideas and enthusiasm to our camp family. To apply for a position, complete the online application HERE and have your references mailed to our office. Returning staff click HERE for an application. Someone from our office will contact you as soon as possible. If you have any questions about the status of your application, please contact us. We're looking forward to hearing from you!
What to Expect
- To have an experience you will never forget
- To laugh more than you have in a long time
- To work closely with others and become a "family"
- To feel like you have done your job but are still expected to do more
- To be the most important person in your campers' camp life
- To wear your staff whistle as a badge of honor
- To be doing things you wouldn't normally do in public
- To put the needs of your campers before your own
- To make some mistakes
- To learn from your campers
- To wonder WHY you wanted to be a counselor in the first place
- To cry at the very last campfire
- For your parents to ask you when you're ever going to get a "real" summer job
What Not to Expect
- To have a lot of privacy or alone time
- To work a 9 to 5 job
- To want to do anything else with your summers ever again
- To be on vacation
- To be able to socialize with your friends
- To work as an individual instead of a team
- To have an "easy" summer job
- To make a lot of money
- To not feel a surge a pride the first time you teach a camper to do something new
- To not experience multiple life changing moments for your campers
- To ever forget the summer(s) you spent working at summer camp
