Camp Culture and Counselors – Why it Matters for Your Kids
In January of 2023, Joel and I gathered at a conference with camps from around the nation to discuss best practices, gather new ideas, and examine emerging needs in camping ministry. As camp staff discussed challenges they were facing, a common theme emerged: Repeatedly the biggest challenge for other camps was finding summer staff. Joel and I looked at each other surprised, because the truth was, we were already fully staffed for the summer of 2023. We quickly realized in the world of camping ministry we were an anomaly, especially post-COVID. Camps across the country were struggling to hire enough staff to run summer programming. We started getting asked how we did it - what was Horizon doing differently, and where were we recruiting?
Our answer was that we didn’t have to recruit. We were investing in a camp culture that helped us “grow our own” staff. We noted that 90% of the staff for the summer of 2023 grew up going to Horizon, and our camp counselors had an average of six years of camping history at Horizon. This stability extended beyond our counselors to year-round staff as well. Joel and I have a combined 28 years of doing camping ministry at Horizon. Our kitchen staff has over 30 years of Horizon history. We are working hard to create a culture that young adults want to be a part of. They know that we will invest in their faith development, nurture community, and encourage opportunities for authentic leadership. And these investments are speaking for themselves.
Today we are working to share this amazing piece of Horizon culture with our families. We recognize that we must do staffing well in order to offer a program worth attending. As a parent, I understand the importance of a solid staff that will care for my daughter for an entire week. And parent-to-parent, I can vouch for the counselors because we know them well and have been pouring into them for years! We want you to know that when you send your campers here, they are surrounded by adults that have been doing this their whole lives. The staff feel called to this ministry. The staff culture is something we are proud of. The leadership of the camp makes it a priority to know the young people that work for us. We know them as individuals, we connect with them year-round, and we love to stay in touch with them as they move into the adult lives that God has called them to. They are not just college kids that show up to work for the summer! Camp Horizon is a magical place for each of us in many ways. We know what it feels like to be campers, counselors, kitchen staff, and parents. Every part of the camp experience is being created with practiced wisdom and care. And this matters.
The reality is that creating this culture has taken time. We have worked for more than a decade to create the CIT (counselor in training) Program, LIT (Leaders in Training) Program for 9th and 10th graders, as well as a Junior Counselor Program for high school juniors and seniors. These programs are designed to provide leadership training and hands-on experience in the cabins and on the grounds. These Junior Counselors are now a staple part of our staff at Horizon. They are young people who love this ministry and are ready for the responsibility that we offer, while being mentored by older counselors. They get to write “leadership internship” on their college applications, and we get a stronger ministry bolstered by an ethos of servant leadership.
Over the past two decades Horizon has developed a staffing culture of longevity. This isn’t going anywhere. If anything, each year we get better at it. We have a summer staff that believes in the “product” of camping ministry at Horizon because they are the product. They have grown up here and are living breathing, testimonies to the work that God does in this place. When you send your child to Horizon, you are signing them up to be a part of this legacy. And who knows - you just might be signing up the next Camp Director!
Darci Utt
Camp Horizon Program Director and Mother of 2
And Camp Mom to many