Earning Money
Q: Are there additional opportunities
to earn money at camp?
A: At Camp Sonshine, we try to
provide as many ways as possible to
keep your expenses to a minimum.
So in addition to taking care of
your basic needs, like housing,
transportation and food, we also
provide ways for you to earn
supplemental income –
in addition to your salary.
For instance: If you bring your own
car, you’ll not only have the
convenience of having your own
vehicle, but we’ll also give you
a $50 BONUS to help take care of
gas and maintenance costs while
you’re here. Plus, we’ll reimburse
your travel expenses up to $200.
Our C.A.M.P.(Committed Adult
Ministry Partner) program is another
way to supplement your salary.
Because Camp Sonshine is a non-
profit organization, people can
donate money to you for your
time here. For more information
on our C.A.M.P. program, see “
Our Staff” page –
Important Information.
Welcome Saturday
Q: Do I have to be there for
Welcome Saturday?
A: Welcome Saturday is June 9th. It is recommended (but not required) that you attend. With 250 staff members arriving from all over the globe, this day provides an excellent way to introduce yourself and get accustomed to the surroundings and people you’llbe working closely with over the summer. From games and skits, to meeting, greeting and feeding,
Welcome Saturday will undoubtedly
be one of your summer’s best experiences. June 10th, at 12 noon Staff Orientation officially begins. All staff are required to be at the camp by that time.
Housing
Q: What are Camp Sonshine’s
available housing arrangements?
A: There are three types of housing
available at camp:
Host Homes: Host homes are
provided by area families who have
offered to house staff members in
their homes for the summer. It is a
great opportunity for the family to be
able to give back to the counselor for
his or her hard work and dedication,
but it’s also a chance for the
counselor to minister to the family.
Dorms: Each summer, Camp
Sonshine rents dorm rooms from local
colleges and universities to house
some of our female staff members.
These are typical college dorm rooms.
Camp Houses: Camp Houses are
homes owned by our full-time staff
who allow between 8 to 10 counselors
to live in portions of their house.
Although we ask for housing
preferences beforehand, final
decisions for housing arrangements
are made when you arrive.
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Orientation
Q: What is Staff Orientation?
A: Staff Orientation is six
days of training that equip our staff
members with the procedures and
information they’ll need to make the
summer a success. From teambuilding
to safety exercises, you’ll be amazed
at how much can be accomplished in
six days! IMPORTANT: All Camp
Sonshine counselors are required to
attend Staff Orientation.
Full-time Vs Part-time
Q: Can I work part of the summer?
A: Although we will accommodate
staff members who need to be away
from camp for family emergencies
(a day or two), we require that you
remain with us for the entire nine
week period. It has proven detrimental,
to our campers as well as our
counselors, if a staff member is part
of the team for only a portion of the
summer. For any specific questions about summer schedule conflicts, please contact a recruiter at staff@campsonshine.org.
Your Position
Q: Will I know my position before the
summer?
A: During your interview, you will
tell us what position you feel you’d
be best at, as well as what areas you have experience in. Our staff will take into consideration your desires, your skill set, and our current staffing needs to place you into an age group or activity area.
When hired, you will be sent a
contract for a General Counselor
position. In some cases, you may
not be placed in the original position
you wanted or request, but please understand, we carefully consider
each candidate and place them in
the position we feel will best suit them
and our campers.
Camp Calendar
Q: What are the dates for camp
this summer?
A: Summer camp dates are
June 9th to August 11th, which includes one week of orientation and eight weeks of camp. Staff selected for some specialty areas will need to arrive before June 9th.
These staff members, who decide to accept specialty positions, will be selected well in advance of the summer and will have plenty of time to make arrangments for travel.
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Camp Location
Q: Where is your camp located?
A: Camp Sonshine is located in
the suburbs of the nation’s
capital, about halfway between
Washington D.C.and Baltimore, MD.
We have one large camp and two
satellite camps, each within one
half hour of the other.
Campers’ Ages
Q: What are the ages of the campers?
A: We work with children and youth
from ages 4-16.
Required Experience
Q: Do I need to have experience
with children?
A: Although it is beneficial to have
counselors who have had previous
childcare experience, prior experience
with children is not necessary.
Our extensive training process will equip
you with just about everything you’ll
need to know.
Campers’ Backgrounds
Q: Do you all work with inner
city kids?
A: Yes and no. During the summer,
we have kids from all different types
of backgrounds come to Camp
Sonshine: poor, middle class, and
rich. The Washington D.C. area is
very diverse with many different
nationalities and classes of people.
This diversity is evident here at
camp which makes it a very
interesting and rewarding place
to be. We also offer a scholarship
program where children who cannot
afford to come to camp are given
the opportunity.
Minimum Requirements
Q: What are the minimum
requirements to be a counselor?
A: You must be 18 (or a high school
graduate), be a professing Christian,
and have a desire to positively impact
the lives of children or youths.
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