Lead Camp Counselor

JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF DENVER•Denver, CO

23h•Onsite

About The Position

Camp Shai is the JCC in Denver’s premier Jewish Day Camp serving children entering Kindergarten through 6th grade, welcoming individuals of all backgrounds, faiths, and families. The camp offers a variety of engaging and fun activities, from sports to theater to engineering, designed to help campers build skills, bolster confidence, and create magical summer memories. Programming emphasizes universal values of kindness (chesed), respect (kavod), community (kehillah), courage (ometz lev), and good attitude (ruach). This is a seasonal position, with a start date of June 1, 2026, and a tentative end date of August 14, 2026. The role is crucial in supporting campers to improve their ability to make and maintain friendships, increase their confidence to try new activities, and create a safe space for everyone to be themselves. Staff members gain concrete, hands-on skills similar to an internship. We are seeking adaptable, goal-oriented individuals who are excited to work in a fast-paced, fun, and welcoming environment. Lead Counselors work directly with campers each day to guide them through summer activities, provide mentorship and support as campers develop their skills, and create a fun and supportive environment that encourages campers to return. The ideal candidate is passionate about working with kids, flexible, enjoys creative problem-solving, thrives in a dynamic environment, is a team player, exercises patience and empathy, exudes positivity, and is available to work a minimum of six consecutive weeks throughout the camp season.

Requirements

Must be at least 18 years of age
Must hold at least 1 year (460 hours) of verifiable experience working with children
Must obtain First Aid & CPR certifications before the start date of camp
Certifications must be conducted by a Division of Early Care and Learning approved training vendor
Staff must obtain the required certifications set by Colorado Early Childhood Care Licensing, including PDIS (Professional Development Information System) certifications, before their first day of work
Must be able to fulfill requirements for employment at the Staenberg-Loup JCC, including background screening, three professional references, documentation, and compliance with CDHS (Colorado Department of Human Services) law
Available to work a minimum of six consecutive weeks throughout the camp season

Nice To Haves

Previous experience working with school-aged children in either a school or camp environment
Completion of some relevant college coursework or a bachelor's degree in relevant field

Responsibilities

Support your co-counselors with camper care and supervision; prioritizing the physical, social, and emotional health, safety, and well-being of each individual camper
Contribute to and participate in all activities at camp including, but not limited to, swimming, specialist activities, camp-wide community rituals, traditions, and programs
Ensure that inclusive practices are being implemented to make camp accessible for all campers as prescribed by Camp Shai’s inclusion team
Complete documentation of camper notes as requested
Manage camper behaviors using positive behavior management techniques, enforcing appropriate safety policies, emergency procedures, and camp rules
Organize and facilitate age-appropriate activities for camper groups
Responsible for ensuring that health and safety guidelines and expectations around cleaning, sanitization, and risk mitigation as outlined by current JCC and Camp Shai policies are followed
Participate in weekly staff meetings either before or after camp hours as determined by Camp Director
Perform duties in before or after care at least twice during the summer, as assigned by the Camp Director
Perform other related duties as assigned by Camp Leadership