More than a summer job: the transformative experience of camp counselors
Treasure Hardwick, Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of Gantas Vaičiulėnas on Unsplash
Becoming a counselor at Woodlands Camp is more than just a summer job. It’s an opportunity to make a lasting impact. It’s a chance to serve, grow and be shaped by the hardships and joys of camp life. It’s a job where the lessons learned go far beyond the activities of the day, and the friendships formed echo long after the summer ends.
Woodlands camp, nestled in the foothills of North Georgia, is a 31-acre property with rolling hills, evergreen forests and a sparkling lake overlooking the mountains. It’s a place where campers discover not just adventure, but also a deep connection with God in chapel services and devotion times.
Jon Estes, who usually goes by “Big Jon,” founded Woodland’s camp in 1997. He spent his college years working camp over the summer. During this time, the Lord planted seeds in Estes’ heart for ministry with children. This ultimately led him to establishing his own camp.
Over the past 26 years, Woodlands camp has grown exponentially, offering an unforgettable camp experience to thousands of campers every year.
Woodlands offers four summer programs. From traditional cabin experiences to extreme outdoor adventures and leadership training, each program is designed to create memories and spiritual growth.
Each of these programs aim to be fun-filled and unforgettable. However, according to Woodlands’ official website, the camp exists to inspire and equip this generation to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God.
Every morning and evening, campers go to chapel and hear the gospel. They also spend the morning reading the Bible and memorizing scripture.
With all these factors combined, the staff at Woodlands pray that campers experience God in a new way, and that ultimately many would come to know Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. In fact, in 2024, 565 children accepted Jesus into their hearts while at Woodlands.
Along with impacting camper’s lives, Woodlands also aims to create an unforgettable and life-changing experience for its summer staff by creating an environment where growth is inevitable.
During the summer, Woodlands hires college students to either be camp counselors, work in food service, operate media or run the retail environments.
Over a 12-week period, college students on staff step into their role, and begin to make an eternal impact in countless young lives. They guide campers through more than just camp activities. They walk with them through questions, doubts, sorrows and ultimately serve as a representation of Christ.
The full-time staff aims to help spiritually guide Woodlands’ summer staffers, so that the summer staff can then spiritually guide the campers.
The counselors have their own head counselor whose goal is to equip, mentor and pray for the counselors. They meet weekly with the head-counselor to discuss anything they need or any questions they have.
Woodlands hires over 200 staffers a summer, and among this number is around a dozen college students from North Greenville University.
Sarah Dixon, junior interdisciplinary major at NGU, worked as a counselor at Woodlands in 2023. She counseled elementary age girls, as well as middle school and high school girls.
Before the summer, Dixon had only been to Woodlands once. She said that walking into camp was daunting, but when she walked out three months later, she was not the same person.
She explained that in the weeks leading up to camp, she almost dropped her contract out of fear that she was not qualified to be a summer camp counselor. But in her moments of doubt and anxiety, the Lord reminded her that He will provide in every area that she needs.
“God kept saying ‘I will provide for you to be obedient to me. I don’t just call the equipped. I equip those I call.’ And so, I was like, ‘Okay. Yeah Lord, I will accept it.’ And it was hard, but like, it was so good,” Dixon said.
Her favorite part of counseling was walking alongside so many different girls who each had a unique story. She explained that every week was challenging because
she had to insert herself into camper’s lives, but she loved seeing the work that God was already doing.
“The campers have a lot of different stories. They have individual lives. You are literally just inserted into wherever they’re at. So, it’s really cool to see how God is already working in their lives, and he just allowed me to come alongside and get some insight into that,” she said.
Dixon described a camper who initially refused to go to camp, but her parents practically forced her to go. Over the week, however, Dixon saw a change as the camper’s heart softened. By the end of the week, the camper had memorized scripture and actively participated in the bible studies.
The biggest lesson Dixon learned over the summer was compassion. She explained that counseling campers taught her to empathize with their struggles, suffer with them and meet them exactly where they were.
She explained that there were many nights when she stayed up late and listen to the campers’ concerns. At first, Dixon found this challenging because it felt like sleep was being wasted. But over time, she learned to love these midnight conversations because it reminded her that God is always available, no matter the time of night. She aimed to be the same way.
Although counseling came with its fair share of challenges, Dixon also highlighted the fun aspects of working camp. Her favorite memory from the summer was when her campers asked her to play mermaids with them. In this moment, Dixon realized the simplicity and fun that comes with being a camp counselor.
Dixon’s best advice for those preparing to work as a camp counselor is to pray.
“My best advice, well, it’s to pray. Pray, pray, pray. Just pray for God to work, pray hard and uncomfortable and scary prayers…,” said Dixon.
Maddy Koon, senior interdisciplinary major at NGU, worked at Woodlands for two summers in the Extreme program.
Over these two summers, Koon found lifelong friend, but also encountered trials such as doubt that ultimately compelled her closer to God.
During her first summer, she learned how to let go of fear and trust God. She explained that she is terrified of heights, but she had to learn to face her fears and
look to the possibility of a positive outcome in each situation when she was scaling mountains with campers.
After working her first summer, Koon thought her time at camp had come to an end. But after wrestling through summer plans for the upcoming year, she decided that she was going to return to Woodlands.
During her second summer, she struggled to find purpose in her job because it felt routine, but this challenge grew her and taught her the importance of faithfulness in the mundane.
“I learned a lot about being faithful despite a lack of knowing. I had a lot of questions as to why the Lord led me back to camp my second summer.
But I decided to stay faithful and work hard even in the questions,” said Koon.
Even though working camp was challenging for Koon, she explained that some of her favorite memories come from camp. She told a story about a weekend when she and her friends played worship music through the speakers of her car and danced in the rain. This defining moment made her realize that these friendships would last long past the summer.
Koon also appreciated the intentionality of the full-time staff who went to great lengths to show her that they cared about her. To them, she was more than just an employee. She explained that the staff took the time to really get to know her and make her feel special.
“The full-time staff fight for their people, and they love their people deeply, and that’s just very special … The people that work there make you feel seen, and they make you feel loved,” she said.
For college students considering working at camp, Koon encouraged them to apply and be open to the possibility of unforgettable and challenging summer. She explained that working camp is beneficial to college students because it teaches so many lessons.
“Working camp shapes you so much, just in general, especially the way you look at things” she said. “You learn little sayings like ‘hard is not bad, it’s just hard,’ and it shows you that you can do things that you didn’t know you’d be able to do,” Koon said.
