Counselor Job Description

Qualifications: Minimum age is 21. We like to encourage leadership skills in all people so junior counselors are welcome to attend as long
as the required counselor to camper ratio is maintained using counselors over 21.

Available to God; Willing Heart; Flexible; servant attitude; love for children (especially girls); superhuman inner strength (which can only
come from prayer, and lots of it); can smile even when you don’t feel like it; knows something about being a mom, friend, teacher, nurse,
custodian, and counselor; love for mission work; desire to see girls saved and discipled.

Salary: Eternal Rewards and Lots of Hugs

Daily Responsibilities:
1. Oversee the girls’ daily routine - make sure they get up in the morning and go to bed on time. Help them practice personal hygiene and
keep the dorm room neat and picked up. Some girls have more training than others and you should expect to have to help a few grow in
this area.

2. Help the girls follow their camp schedule and participate fully. Unless the camper is sick (in which case, she should be in the nurse’s
office), all activities must be attended. Sitting in the dorm on the bunk is not an option, for girls or counselors. Those who participate fully get
the most from their camp experience. This may the time when a girl hears the gospel and it finally “clicks”.

3. As a counselor, you are expected to participate with the girls. Your help is greatly appreciated, especially in controlling the noise level
and attentions in certain rotations like missionary and mission study. At least one counselor must be with each grade level during
swimming and fishing. Be aware of your campers at all times.

4. Help the girls make the most of Quiet Time and BOB time. Talk to your girls about the importance of daily Bible study, prayer, and just
being quiet before God. BOB time after lunch is a camp-wide rest time. This will greatly help with attitudes later in the day. A nap is
encouraged, especially for the younger girls.

5. Be aware of the location of your campers at all times. Remember that the encampment is an open campus. Although girls are not
allowed to leave the campus at any time, Palacios residents do walk along the seawall at all times of the day and night. Let us know
immediately if you see suspicious people on campus. A security guard is on duty and patrolling the camp grounds all night.

6. A nurse is on campus 24 hours a day to hand out medications and provide emergency care. Medication will be dispensed in the
cafeteria during meal times or at the nurse's office. Please understand that the nurse is here for emergencies only. Minor injuries, such as
scrapes and bruises, and other non-life threatening conditions, like stomach aches, etc., should be handled by counselors to the best of
their ability.

Other Suggestions:
1. Attend all activities with the girls, especially missionary and worship times. This will make camp special for you. We have been praying
that God will move among the counselors as well as the girls.

2. Carefully supervise snacks and mealtimes. The girls will feel better if they eat a balanced meal and don’t load up on too much junk food.
Encourage them to drink lots of water!

3. Keep aware of what is going on with your girls. Disagreements and problems left unresolved can ruin a camp experience. Walk with
them between activities, eat meals with them, be available to talk, and spend free time with them. You never know what God will reveal to
you and to them during these times.

4. Be prepared for rainy or stormy weather. Bring games, art materials, or books for something to do if we’re confined to the dorm. (Pray
for sunny days!!) We'll do our best to provide extra entertainment in these situations, but you should also be prepared to fill in the gap.

5. Be flexible and positive! Girls will pick up on your attitude and mirror those same thoughts. Most girls desperately seek approval from
the adults they are close to. If you don’t like an activity, the girls won’t like it either; but if you are excited about a new adventure and
opportunity, the girls will approach it with more anticipation.

6. Please limit the calls home to Free Time only. It is good to discourage this altogether due to homesickness. A good idea for those girls
who insist on calling home is to wait until right before their afternoon rotations begin. Let girls prepare for the afternoon by putting on their
swimsuits and then allow them to call home. When their minds are occupied with the thought of swimming, etc. they are less likely to
become homesick. Campers may not have cell phones in their possession! The only time a camper should be in possession of a cell
phone is when they are on the phone with a parent and a counselor is standing nearby.

6. Please let me know your suggestions and observations. I rely on you to let me know what’s working and what’s not. I can’t always
immediately solve the problem, but I will do my best to make camp a pleasant and fun experience for everyone.

Helpful Items for counselors to bring:
Flashlight
Band-aids
Needle, Thread, Scissors
Alarm Clock
Extra Sheets, Towels, Toiletries (One of your girls always forgets to pack these things)
Feminine Protection Items
Sunscreen
Mosquito Spray (we do live on the Gulf Coast after all!!)
Newly discovered: Meat Tenderizer (for jellyfish stings!)