Lead Camp Counselor

Job description

Staenberg-Loup Jewish Community Center | Denver, CO Camp Shai | Seasonal Position: June 1 – August 14, 2026 Salary: $20.50–$23.00/hour Camp Shai is the JCC in Denver's premier Jewish Day Camp serving children entering Kindergarten through 6th grade. At Camp Shai, we offer a variety of engaging and fun activities — from sports to theater to engineering — helping campers build their skills, bolster their confidence, and create magical summer camp memories. Camp Shai emphasizes the universal values of kindness (chesed), respect (kavod), community (kehillah), courage (ometz lev), and good attitude (ruach). Our Ideal Candidate You are passionate about working with kids and creating a welcoming, creative, and fun environment that celebrates learning and growth. You are flexible and excited by challenges that require creative problem-solving and determination. You enjoy working in a dynamic environment and are ready to bring that camp energy this summer. You want to grow your skillset, and you are ready to both give and receive feedback. You are a team player that relishes opportunities to collaborate with your colleagues. You exercise patience and empathy when dealing with others and exude positivity. You are available to work a minimum of six consecutive weeks throughout the camp season. Role and 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 swimming, specialist activities, and camp-wide community rituals and programs Ensure inclusive practices are implemented to make camp accessible for all campers Complete documentation of camper notes as requested Manage camper behaviors using positive behavior management techniques, enforcing appropriate safety policies and emergency procedures Organize and facilitate age-appropriate activities for camper groups Participate in weekly staff meetings Perform duties in before or after care at least twice during the summer Basic Qualifications 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 Must obtain required PDIS certifications before first day of work Must be able to fulfill employment requirements including background screening and three professional references Preferred Qualifications 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 a relevant field Advantages of Working at Camp Shai Comprehensive one-week orientation before camp (June 1–5, 2026) Support and mentorship from camp leadership team Ongoing professional development and individualized performance feedback Fitness & aquatics membership during time of employment Involvement in a fun-loving community of camp professionals The Jewish Community Center values diversity and inclusiveness and is an equal opportunity employer.