An outstanding camp counselor is a person you remember your entire life. Somewhere in between teacher, babysitter, and confidante, this older individual is usually a former camper. This counselor is someone who has literally walked where your child is walking and slept where she is bunking, and is going to be a role model and guiding force for the entire summer and beyond.

We are incredibly proud of our counselors, young people who work hard all year long in their respective fields, who are dedicated to the principles of camp, and who carry on our traditions and pass along rituals. It is an incredibly important role they fill within the society of camp.

Because we are instilling self-reliance, we rely on counselors to model behavior. In a group environment campers respond to action and intention. Following the example of a counselor is a way for your child to learn how to behave when she is away from home and the usual family dynamic.

Counselors are often experts and students, well on their way to mastering skills with application in the real world. From among these talented individuals your camper may find a role model in a specific academic or extracurricular field. To find an older friend who shares a passion for, say, painting, cooking, anatomy, or dance is a huge boon to your child. She can see what it might look like to pursue a passion at the college or professional level.

Counselors are good citizens. Through their actions they will demonstrate the values we hope to instill: community spirit, friendship, camaraderie, independence, and interdependence. We love to see relationships develop between camper and counselor as the summer progresses. The counselors act as mentors. They are constantly making us better versions of ourselves.

You should not be surprised if your camper comes home gushing about one counselor or many. The camp environment fosters relationships that are special and in many cases enduring. The counselor may be someone your kid calls on when she is a freshman undergraduate, unsure in a new city; a reference for a first job; a partner in a business. As they grow up the age gap will close but the closeness remains. A role model for life is another one of the many gifts you are giving your child by sending her to camp in Maine.