A great camp experience is only possible with great camp staff! At Camp Lohikan, we pride ourselves on the quality of our camp staff. Our in-cabin counselors are college-enrolled staff members who return at a rate better than 50%. This allows us to assign an experienced staff member to every cabin.
Each cabin is under the direct supervision of 2 to 4 college-aged counselors who reside in the cabin with the campers. Trained and experienced child-care professionals (division directors) supervise our counselors and 4 to 6 cabin groups.
Counselors are at least 19 years of age and college sophomores. The average age of our in-cabin staff is greater than 21. Most staff members are education or child development majors who we personally recruit from colleges and universities from across the country. Over half of our counselors are returning staff members who are familiar with camp operations and our camper population. They are also experienced working with first-time campers.
Every candidate is personally interviewed by the staff coordinator and one of the camp directors. All staff members must complete a written application, provide excellent references, document their experience working with children, and must evidence a strong desire to make a positive impact upon the lives of young people. Every staff member receives a criminal background check conducted by an independent professional agency. We also obtain a criminal and sexual abuse check conducted by the State of Pennsylvania and a fingerprint check conducted by the FBI. We also check each staff member’s social media content for appropriateness.
Staff members attend a 7-9 day pre-camp staff training session which provides training in the camp’s safety procedures and camp operations. Instructor skills and the ability to work effectively with children is confirmed at this time.
Junior campers never leave the sight of their cabin counselor(s) – day or night. During the day intermediate and senior campers (11 and older) participate in the camp’s elective program and travel to activities according to their individualized schedule. As they travel from one activity site to another they are supervised by attendance supervisors, members of the senior staff and instructor staff members.
Campers are checked in and out of activity sites by instructors with the use of a computerized attendance roster. If a camper does not report to an activity as scheduled, the camper is located and the absence is investigated. The computerized elective program provides for the accountability of every camper participating in the program. Activity attendance is required.
