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How to Make “Camp Counselor” the Best Thing on Your Resume

By Lauren Eckstein Forman (Dorm 92) and the Social Media and Communications Director at Camp Towanda

I just got back from Staff Orientation and loved meeting the new group of 2012 counselors. We talked about social media responsibility and the role this amazing summer will play in their careers and futures. Following my session with the staff, some of them asked if they should put “Camp Counselor” on their resumes or Linked In profiles (you can imagine my answer!? YES!!!).  Our discussion was timely and one that is being debated in the press (read NYT Article: The Camp Counselor vs. The Intern). I shared with some of the staff my summer job experiences and gave them advice on how they can make “Camp Counselor” the best thing on their resume!

When I was 18, I spent the summer as a counselor at Camp Towanda and then at 19, was a counselor at a local day camp.  It was the perfect way for me to bridge my high school and college years and delay getting “a real job”.  What I didn’t realize then was that those would be the years that really helped shape my leadership skills.  I was in charge of 15 young girls that had different personalities, perspectives and needs.  This required personal experience, empathy, humor and persuasive skills to foster teamwork and to gain their respect and the respect of my fellow counselors.  These were all skills that I would later use in my career as an advertising executive.

When I was “tapped” to become Olympic General (Go Red Flintstones!), I continued to hone my leadership, creative and organizational skills. Orchestrating the apache relay, artfully assigning responsibilities for five days of Olympic activities, handling the high emotions and excitement of friendly competition among peers, and then writing and directing 200 campers for Olympic Sing all prepared me for the fast-paced business world.  It was that summer at Towanda that also gave me the confidence that would propel me throughout my career.

After my two summers as a counselor, I commuted to New York City for an internship at a prominent advertising agency. My internships gave me invaluable experience that ultimately helped me land a job at that same agency after graduation.  But my job as camp counselor primed me for success in the “real world” and was the most fun job I ever had (after all, you are only 20 once!).

Here are my top 5 tips for making “Camp Counselor” something to be proud of including in your Linked In profile:

  1. Become an Intern at camp. Think about your career goals and how you may be able to achieve them at camp. I know that Camp Towanda provides a diverse range of opportunities for not only campers, but counselors too.  You just need to think out of the box.  For example, if you want to go into marketing, I can offer hands-on experience in social media and communications. If you are interested in Hospitality, our Operations staff will take you under their wing.  If you are interested in Film or Graphic Design, inquire about interning for our very own “Erica Media” and help produce amazing content for our camp community. I could go on, but you get the idea.
  2. Camp is a place for networking. There is no better networking than with your camp family.  The bond you make with campers and fellow counselors lasts a lifetime.  I cannot tell you how often I have networked with former campers, counselors and alumni.  Any true former camper will also appreciate the value of “Camp Counselor” when they see it on your resume.  In fact, it is a huge icebreaker on interviews and allows you to convey the passion and energy you would also bring to the workplace.
  3. Take something away from the experience. I loved that the father in the NYT article encouraged his daughter to make a documentary of her experience as a Camp Counselor.  His daughter wanted to go into film, and this was the way he ‘allowed’ her to go away to camp. Having something like a documentary to parade around to interviews takes that “Camp Counselor” on your resume to the next level.
  4. Help employers understand what “Camp Counselor” means. Like the girl in the NYT article, understand the skills and experiences you gained from being a counselor at camp.  Think about which of those translates to the job you are applying for.  I promise you, there will be more skills and experiences from camp than your average internship.
  5. Learn more about yourself at camp. After camp you may understand things about you that you never realized before.  It may help re-focus or shift your career decisions in the future.  For example, before camp you may have wanted to go into PR (Public Relations), but after a summer of dealing with different personalities, sharing, developing, coaching and mentoring, you may decide to go into HR (Human Resources)!

Having rejoined Camp Towanda recently in my post-corporate-world years as Director of Social Media and Communications, I’m finding it every bit as challenging of an experience as when I worked for BBDO, Gillette or The Hershey Company.  By “thinking out of the box”, I was able to unite my career skills and my passions for camp in my most rewarding and fulfilling job yet!

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90th Reunion Recap

By Lauren Eckstein Forman (Dorm ’92, General ’95 and new Social Media Director at Camp Towanda)

It has been over 24 hrs since I left the Big 90th Reunion at Camp Towanda and I am still basking in the glow of my memories, photos and fully enjoying all the shared experiences flowing in on Facebook (click here for the official album).  For those of you that were lucky enough to participate in the Big 90th Reunion, I think the coolest thing was being able to share the same emotions and experiences with so many different generations.  I hope you enjoy my recap of this amazing weekend.  For those of you who couldn’t make it down the dirt road, I hope you can vicariously experience the fun through my nostalgic reflections.

On Saturday, I pulled up to camp with my friend-for-life, Tina Kunkin Schweid.  With a pit of excitement in our stomachs, we were warmly greeted by a new batch of alumni counselors that immediately felt like family even though we were meeting for the first time.  We walked up the hill and headed for the Office, passing the White Rock and people playing Taps on the main basketball court.

You could already feel this event was going to be momentous.  We signed the 90th Anniversary plaque, selected our bunk and bunkmates (Boys Bunk 1) and signed up for the Apache Relay!  We then headed towards the Girls’ Softball Field where a big game was already underway.  Crowds of alumni filled the bleachers and a familiar face (Eric Bolog) was on the mound.   Erica Gulliver and her media team were capturing testimonials on the sidelines as line drives and outs were being made with athletic prowess.  No matter who was being interviewed (including our famed alum Hank Azaria), the sentiments and emotions were so similar—Camp Towanda played such a significant role in all our lives and the bonds we already shared would bring us even closer over the next 24 hours.

We headed to lunch as the sounds of “American Pie” and smells of freshly grilled hamburgers filled the atmosphere.  We all convened at the grassy knoll to listen to Mitch’s Alumni Address.  Mitch and Stephanie set the tone for the weekend.  They were amazing hosts welcoming us back home with love and excitement.  They were genuinely thrilled to see each and every person and I don’t think I ever saw Mitch this relaxed!

Mitch handed out awards to some worthy recipients. Bobby Miller (yeah Bob!) is celebrating his 42ndyear at camp while Jonsey was given a letterman jacket for 15 years of freshly baked cookies.  Other award recipients included Michael Pelton (clap, clap, clap, clap, clap), Spiz and Matt Miller.  We took the big alumni photo and headed to the BBQ.

My favorite new addition to camp was the dining room porch.  We dined there for our next three meals, overlooking the apple tree, Stephanie’s bears made of branches and the lake in the distance.  A few watermelon slices later, we headed inside for the Big Apache Relay Draft.  Bobby Miller looks exactly the same, and handed out numbers at random (I was Blue #75).  FIRE BRIGADE!  I was especially curious to see who was going to be the volleyball sweeper and was excited to see Hani Cohen as the chosen one. Pam and Richard Brawn were randomly selected as 1 & 2 for the Red Team.  Pam got the honor of reciting the hamotzi in English and Hebrew.  Hands on heads.  SHE TOTALLY ROCKED IT!

Bobby Miller announced this was going to be a “walk don’t run” Apache Relay in honor of Jerry Maze. He also mentioned that every event was Phyllis Miller approved…if she couldn’t complete it, it didn’t make the cut. After an intense Fire Brigade (which is now on the soccer pitch), Bobby sounded the horn (loved hearing that sound), and BLUE WON! We couldn’t have done it without the incredible coaching of Joe Levine (father of Wendy and Brad Levine).

I got to spend time with Pamela Elizabeth Brawn to catch up about her sons (Jonathan, Thomas and of course Richard Jr.) and the past 20 years.  She even gave tips on how to make the perfect hospital corner using a classic Brown & Gold blanket.  Let me tell you, seeing Pam hold a broomstick to a hospital corner still makes me nervous.

Then it was GHOST with Mitch (cue the “Ghostbusters” music).  I wasn’t as intimately familiar with this game that younger alumni so deeply love.  But I was so impressed with the participation and physical intensity of both male and female alumni.  Dodgeball is my least favorite game on the planet, so how could this game be so awesome?  But in classic Camp Towanda style, the best thing is…NO ONE gets out!

After Ghost, Alumni dispersed for electives.  Two donkeys (yes—donkeys) grazed by the infirmary lawn as old friends and new reminisced by the fire pit and picnic tables.  Two more highlights for me were meeting the “3 Coopers”.  The first Cooper is the Facebook-Famous son of Robert Mandelbaum.  This kid definitely should have his own fan page as his Camp-Famous dad has proudly shared every single moment of his life.  And here he was in person.  AWESOME.  The second two Coopers were a camp miracle.  Camp couple from the mid-90s, Marnie Hunter Cooper and Craig Cooper brought their two delicious and beyond-outgoing young children, to prove to Mitch (and the rest of us) they were going strong after all of these years. AMAZING!

I headed down to the old Rec Hall (now dubbed “Alumni Hall”) for a real trip down the yellow bench road.  There was a CLUB and DORM bench ready for us to sign, perfectly commemorating this weekend back at camp.  The smell of the Rec Hall immediately brought back feelings of “sheer contenT” from Friday Night Services, plays and breakouts.  Displayed on the tables were lyrics to almost every single girls’ sing of years past, official Olympic rules books (complete with team line-ups), photo albums and memorabilia (do you remember when you got your Apache assignment on a paper plate?).  But the best thing was the stack of converted DVDs with videos from the 40s through the present.

We cried with laughter watching old Airbands, Friday Night Sermons and Olympic Skits.  It felt like yesterday and the jokes were still funny, but it definitely looked like we were in the 90’s.  There were also t-shirts hanging from all the girls’ sings of years ago (Dorm Delicacies? What were we thinking?).  I was overwhelmed by how Mitch and Stephanie have done such an INCREDIBLE job preserving the tradition that is Towanda. When my children go here they will experience these very same things, this very same spirit and bonds that run deeper than the tunnels under the White Rock.

When I headed back up the hill we witnessed Pam Brawn and Amy Miller reuniting for the first time in years!  It was like the passing of the Olympic Torch.  From one Camp Goddess to another.

Before I knew it, it was shower hour and hors d’oeuvres.  Time to recharge our batteries and our cellphones (there is literally NO service at camp, which made my job very challenging).

“5 minutes to line up” was the announcement over the PA before we met at the flagpole.  Mitch said, “feet together, hands by your side, salute”.  The sounds of the flagpole music came on and I immediately got that pit in my stomach again.  I remembered how I felt at line-up every night as a camper looking at boys’ camp and how cute they looked all cleaned up (or were those camp goggles?).  Lemon chicken, corn, rice, salad bar and Oreo cake were on the menu.  After free play we were called to report to the campfire for S’mores.

Singing, Sunset, and S’mores were the perfect way to end the day.  The new gymnastics pavilion shined in the distance and we had to check it out.  Is there anything better than seeing grown people doing cartwheels on the tumble trak and jumping in the foam pit?  If only this place was here when I was a camper.  SO JEALOUS!

As the fire burned, we headed back across girls’ camp and up to the Canteen for Jonsey’s famous cookies and the Heat/Celtics game.  For those who were really feeling the spirit, the dining room was converted into a dance club and they were blasting this song by Ashley Wolf (the younger alum went crazy for it!).  I was hoping for a something more along the lines of “Scenario” and “Paradise by the Dashboard Light”.  Before retiring to Boys Bunk 1, there was a kitchen raid with ice cream sundaes.

We got back up to B1 and some of us changed into our cool new “Towanda PJ Pants” before reminicing on the porch overlooking boys’ camp.  I loved being with my old camp friends.  People that know me better than anyone else I know.  Friends I lived with. Friends I grew up with.  Friends that knew the intimate details of my life that made me who I am. I just loved being back here with that spirit uniting us.

The night came to a close and Tina and I hopped into our Star Wars and Toy Story sleeping bags (can you tell we have boys of our own?).  Before saying ‘Good Night Camp Towanda’ at 2am, one of us was looking for something and a bunkmate pulled out the ‘iFlashlight’ app…times have really changed!

At 5:15am a flock of birds chirping was a lovely wake up call.  I mustered up all my strength to fall back to sleep.  Somehow I don’t remember there being no shades on those windows.  I also didn’t remember how loud those bathroom doors slam, but immediately I was UP! 7:45 reveille sounded just about as good as it used to, and my bunkmate asked if he could still stay in bed until “2 minutes before line up”.  Matt Miller got on the boys HC mic and announced all the sports scores from the night before (who knew they do that on boys camp?).  We brought down towels and sheets to the HC and made our way to line up.

Breakfast consisted of eggs made-to-order (I like this Jonsey guy), Fruit Loops, french toast sticks and COFFEE!!!! We all collected our care packages with enough Towanda paraphernalia to help lure the next generation of campers at home (my son really did bring his new collapsible Towanda cup to show and tell today). The icing on the cake were Brown & Gold trucker hats being handed out by the First Son, Jared Reiter (he also designed them).  Oh the memories of when Stephanie and Mitch made him scream his name over the PA system at age 3.  And now he’s 23 and a Group Leader.

Tina and I looked at each other in our new trucker hats and said, “let’s hit the dirt road”.  I think Alyssa Tomback posted the most true thing on Facebook Sunday night when she said, “Really jealous of all the kids who are packing their trunks as I unpack my bag :)” I couldn’t have said it better.  Can’t wait until the 100th Anniversary Reunion…what do you say Mitch?

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The Camp Foundation

Getting camp ready is very exciting; I often liken it to a funnel where all the ingredients come together to prepare for opening day when the busses crash on our shores like a tidal wave and then the campers swarm up the hill; and then the counselors wished they paid attention to what we were saying during orientation!

A couple of weeks ago, we briefly left the shores of camp to attend our son, Jared’s graduation, at Boston University; what a milestone; it really hit me.

Having this great opportunity to partner with parents and help nurture, impact, influence and guide their kids through their fundamental growth years, to be part of the foundation of who they will become by the time they finish college; this came to fruition for Stephanie and I.

A flood of emotions, pride, love and excitement overcame us. Every little thing over the years what we did and said reached its pinnacle as he walked across the stage to receive his diploma. Our little baby boy (he was 18 months old our 1st summer here at Camp Towanda) grew up; he accepted his diploma, turned to us, said thank you and I’m ready for camp!

So, I share this chapter in our life that has concluded and eagerly await the coming weeks as our team assembles here at camp to help do the same for our campers.

Stephanie and I take the responsibility seriously that is entrusted to us with and look forward to a wonderful summer.

“Milestone” Mitch

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Ahead of the times!

Perhaps we are ahead of the times! Check out this article about about fines for chewing gum!

$5 fine for chewing gum? Parents, students protest discipline policy
By Sylvia Wood, msnbc.com

A charter school network in Chicago praised by Mayor Rahm Emanuel for its academic performance is under fire from parents and advocates for charging students $5 for some disciplinary infractions, including chewing gum, violating the dress code or being more than three minutes late to class.
The Noble Network of Charter Schools, which operates 10 high schools in the city, said it collected nearly $200,000 in discipline fees last year as part of a policy that asks misbehaving high school students to share in the cost of addressing the misbehavior. The money is then used by the school to offset the costs of teachers or staff who stay after school to administer detention.

Read the rest HERE

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S’mores and More

We recently came across this article about how Summer Camp gives College students a distinct advantage! Our College aged alumni would definitely agree.

S’mores and More
What summer camp can teach us
by Steve Baskin

When I started my career as a camp director in 1993, my mother (the “Silver Fox”) shared the following thought with me: “summer camp is like college, but just a little bit early”.

Being a strong believer in my mother’s wisdom, I found myself thinking about this statement fairly often. Summer camp had been a huge part of my personal development as a young man, and had even found its way into my college and graduate school applications. Yet the idea that “camp was like college” did not seem to make sense to me at the time.

Over the past 16 years, I have found that this idea is actually a profound one.

Three years ago, we were talking with a friend whose daughter was in her first year at college. Both mother and daughter had struggled mightily with the separation. “During the first semester, we would talk everyday, sometimes 5 or 6 times. She was so sad and uncomfortable away from home. It really affected her grades and social life. She is better in her second semester, and she only calls once or twice a day. I still worry about her though.”

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

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Interesting Reading

As we come across interesting articles, we are happy to pass them on to our camp families; this appeared recently in The Wall Street Journal,discussing the challenges of the adolescent teenage years.

“What was he thinking?” It’s the familiar cry of bewildered parents trying to understand why their teenagers act the way they do.

How does the boy who can thoughtfully explain the reasons never to drink and drive end up in a drunken crash? Why does the girl who knows all about birth control find herself pregnant by a boy she doesn’t even like? What happened to the gifted, imaginative child who excelled through high school but then dropped out of college, drifted from job to job and now lives in his parents’ basement?

Adolescence has always been troubled, but for reasons that are somewhat mysterious, puberty is now kicking in at an earlier and earlier age. A leading theory points to changes in energy balance as children eat more and move less.

At the same time, first with the industrial revolution and then even more dramatically with the information revolution, children have come to take on adult roles later and later. Five hundred years ago, Shakespeare knew that the emotionally intense combination of teenage sexuality and peer-induced risk could be tragic—witness “Romeo and Juliet.” But, on the other hand, if not for fate, 13-year-old Juliet would have become a wife and mother within a year or two.

Our Juliets (as parents longing for grandchildren will recognize with a sigh) may experience the tumult of love for 20 years before they settle down into motherhood. And our Romeos may be poetic lunatics under the influence of Queen Mab until they are well into graduate school.

TO READ THE REST PLEASE CLICK HERE

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Summer Camps Make Kids Resilient

This article by Michael Ungar, Ph.D. underlines one of the benefits of the sleep-away camp experience.

I recently spoke to 300 camp directors about how to make children more resilient to life stress. Summer camps, we discovered, are perfect places to help children optimize their psychosocial development.

After all, summer camps are places where children get the experiences they need to bolster their range of coping strategies. There are the simple challenges of learning how to build a fire, going on a hike, or conquering a high ropes course. There are the much more complex challenges of getting along with a new group of peers, learning how to ask for help from others, or taking manageable amount of risks without a parent following after you.

The best camping experiences offer these opportunities for manageable amounts of risk and responsibility, what I term “the risk takers advantage” (see my book Too Safe for Their Own Good for more examples). The worst camps pander to children as if they are entitled little creatures whose parents are paying big sums of money. Children at camp can’t be treated like customers if they are going to get anything out of the experience. They need to be treated like students whose caregivers, the counselors, know what the kids need to grow.

TO KEEP READING CLICK THE LINK!
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/nurturing-resilience/201202/summer-camps-make-kids-resilient