“Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”
 – Lao Tzu

Dear Camp Staff:

Congratulations on your wise decision to invest this summer in working with young people at camp. You won’t regret it. 

I will always remember my summers working at camp as the hardest job I ever loved. In so many ways, camp was life. My fellow staff and I learned how to live the rest of our lives through camp’s crucial lessons. It is where many of us learned the real value of humanity, community, and ourselves.

Through your positive, empathetic leadership this summer your campers will learn so many wonderful skills and new habits that will benefit them going forward. By your example they will acquire new attitudes and become more curious about people and the world around them. Your encouragement will help them master persistence and determination as they work to accomplish hard things and conquer their fears. With your coaching and facilitation, your campers will learn to appreciate and respect each other’s opinions and differences. They’ll begin to reflect on their struggles and successes, their emotional highs and lows, and practice self-control. Because of the trust you build with your campers, you’ll have opportunities this summer to guide their choices, provide redemptive assistance when they make mistakes, and inspire them to strengthen their values and character. 

Every camper has a unique mix of individual interests, abilities, skills, and needs. Be unselfish with your time and discover their strengths and struggles — their hopes and dreams. Kindly embolden them to invest themselves in the group and all the activities camp has to offer. Teach them to embrace fun, be adventurous, and take positive risks. Encourage them to be themselves, make friends, and soak in the wonder and awe in daily camp life. 

As a parent myself, I know how important it was for my child to have a near-peer role model like you at camp. Just as it was for me in my time as a camper five decades before. Thanks to my counselors, I learned self-discipline and self-control in a safe space. They helped me to understand and appreciate the differences and diversity in our group by transforming heated debates into energizing dialogue. Most of all, they helped me become a person of integrity — to show up with my whole self, work hard, and be responsible.

You can inspire your campers to support and care for one another — to work together to accomplish goals while having the time of their lives. 

All of us want to be a part of something bigger and more important than ourselves. Working at camp this summer is one way you can. You will positively influence the young people you lead in countless ways. You can play an active role in setting your campers on the road to future success — and you, too, will learn many great lessons along the way. 
Lead on and have a wonderful summer!