Each year, Eagle’s Nest is fortunate to have a stellar team of staff who are passionate about sharing their love of the outdoors with youth. We take pride in the quality of our instructors and carefully assemble our team each summer with staff from varied backgrounds. Many of our staff are in college studying to become educators and many of them grew up in the Eagle’s Nest community, as campers, Hante Adventures participants, Junior Counselors, and students at The Outdoor Academy. We love to see our program participants excited to give back to their community as staff members. Regardless of the number of years each staff member has spent in the Eagle’s Nest community, each person is a unique, creative, mature, and loving individual who dedicates their summer to educating and empowering our campers.
Our hiring process meets or exceeds the American Camp Association’s national standards for staff screening. For every American staff member, we require them to complete a written application, video conference interview with our Camp Director, and to submit two written references and one phone reference. Eagle’s Nest completes a background check through National Background Investigations on every staff member. International staff members are pre-screened through J1 visa sponsors. These organizations conduct in-person interviews, background checks and reference checks. Eagle’s Nest reviews this information along with their written applications. International staff members also participate in a video conference interview with our Camp Director.
Every summer staff member participates in our orientation program at the beginning of the season. This time period provides a space for staff to receive in-person training on teaching skills, risk management, and supporting the growth and development of youth. In advance of their arrival at orientation, staff receive a manual containing Eagle’s Nest’s risk management policies and procedures and we review these policies and procedures extensively during training.
Orientation includes learning to address mental, emotional, and social health needs of the children. Staff are taught to recognize these needs and provide care to ensure participants are in a safe and inclusive environment at all times. This training also addresses the importance of recognizing signs of and reporting child abuse, ensuring staff members understand their role as mandatory reporters, and planning ahead to prevent situations in which a staff member is alone with a camper.
To ensure we are providing the best care for your camper, all staff members are at least 18 years old. Our cabin counselors and program leadership have completed at least one year of life experience beyond high school. All staff on campus are certified, at a minimum, in CPR and First Aid and many of our wilderness staff members hold higher wilderness medical training including Wilderness First Aid and Wilderness First Responder certifications.
Eagle’s Nest provides a nurturing and supportive environment for growth of our participants and our staff members. Counselors and instructors frequently receive feedback and evaluations from the administrative team to help them become stronger caregivers and educators. Stay tuned in the coming months to learn more about our 2019 Summer Staff. To read about the 2018 Summer Staff and our Full Time Administrative Team, visit our website.
By Sara Gerall