Jr. Staff

CALLED to SERVE at SUMMER CAMP? Time to EXPLODE with exciting growth! Have you been a Camp Concordia camper before? Then you could be eligible to serve as a Jr. Staff alongside a college age Summer Ministry Staff.

As a Jr. Staff, you will spend 9-12 days (depending on session) volunteering as a Jr. Counselor, Jr. Kitchen, Jr. Lifeguard or Jr. Maintenance and support summer ministry staff in other aspects of camp life as well. These days will be some of the hardest and best days of your life. You will serve and laugh and lead and love.

Kids will think you are the coolest person in the world, and you'll get to share in their life and their faith. You'll be mentored by our summer ministry staff and encouraged in your walk with Jesus Christ. . .and you'll get to be part of an unforgettable community.

Jr. Counselor (JC): Serve primarily with the main cabin group counselor and some behind the scenes projects. Imagine leading campers through their week at camp as part of a team led by our summer staff
Jr. Kitchen (JK): Want to be a chef some day? Maybe you would like to learn how a crazy kitchen runs at a summer camp. Sweat with the best of them.
Jr. Lifeguard (JL): Have a Lifeguard certification? Spend time supporting the waterfront staff in keeping the waterfront safe and build your resume by assisting with swim lessons.
Jr. Maintenance (JM): Primarily help with hands-on projects during the day that help make camp safer and better for campers.

Housing depends on camp size, availability of bunks in camper's cabins, and your role. All Jr. Staff positions help in areas such as dish room and they also gather for Bible study and prayer each day. All Jr. Staff support cabin group counselors with campers at various times during the day and each evening.

You must currently be a freshman in high school or older to apply to be a Junior Staff (past campers are given preference). Two references are requested in the online application process, one from your pastor or youth leader and one from a teacher or coach.

Application Process
Step One: Look at Roles & Choose a Session - Look over the Session dates with your family and decide which dates you are available. You will be asked to mark the sessions you are available during the application process and the roles you are willing to take on during your time as a young volunteer. You may apply for more than one session and more than one role.

Step Two: Send for References - Contact a pastor/youth leader & a teacher/coach and ask if they will serve as your references. On your online application you will be asked to provide their emails and will be given the opportunity to send them a note requesting the reference. Let them know the reference is coming and to check their inbox.

Step Three: Fill out the 2025 Junior Staff Application.

You will be invited to contribute at the end of the application. We recommend $100 to help cover food and supplies. (You do not need to contribute in order to be considered.)

2025 Junior Staff Application

Application Timeline

The Junior Staff application for Summer 2025 will be available December 16, 2024.
Completed applications, including references, are due as soon as possible and prioritized on a first-come, first-serve basis and final decisions are made by March 1, 2025. It's never too late to apply. We may need additional Junior Staff depending on summer registrations.
If you have questions about applying to be a Junior Staff at Camp Concordia this summer, please contact us at this email.

Program Information
The session dates for 2025 are as follows:

Check-in at 1pm on the first day
Check-out at 2:30pm on the last day

Session 1: June 8-20
Session 2: June 22-30 (Ending on Monday)
Session 3: July 6-18
Session 4: July 20-August 1
Your time at Camp Concordia will primarily be spent serving. In addition, you will spend time training, growing as a community, building your faith, and helping serve Camp Concordia through a variety of different cleaning assignments, kitchen dish room support, and work projects.

Selection Information

Camp Concordia will select up to 32 Jr. Staff to serve this summer. Each JS session may be filled with about 5-7 Jr. Counselors, 2 Jr. Lifeguards, 2 Jr. Kitchen and 2 Jr. Maintenance.
After reviewing your application, you will hear from Camp Concordia Staff regarding your acceptance and session placement. Junior Staff selections are made based on a variety of different factors, including strength of your application and references; as well as summer availability. Initial placement decisions are made by March 1, 2025.
If you have served on Junior Staff a previous summer, you are still requested to go through the application process.

Frequently Asked Questions
How much time do I get off during my JS session?
You don't. You play, supervise and serve every day - all day. Serving as a Junior Staff is a marathon run. Once you have achieved it you will realize you have had a great success. On the weekends of Sessions 3 & 4, there will be a Family Explorer Camp (Grades 1-3) to help with.

If I've never been to Camp Concordia before can I still be a JS?
Absolutely! But note: It can be hard for some who do not know the Camp Concordia culture. We welcome any high school students looking to grow in their leadership and faith to apply for one or more of the roles of a JS. Be patient and jump in. Ask questions. Plus, the training we provide will get you up to speed, but most of our experience will depend on your initiative.

The session dates I'm available for have changed. How do I let you know?
PLEASE let us know immediately if there is a change to the available dates that you indicated on your application. You may call the camp office or email us at [email protected] with the changes.

May I do laundry while I'm at Camp Concordia?
You should make every attempt possible to bring clothes for your entire stay. If necessary, on the weekend of a 2-week session, there may be time for you to do laundry using camp's facilities (but remember, summer ministry staff will be trying to do their laundry also).

Am I allowed to have my phone during my JS session?
No. In order to encourage our Junior Staff to be intentional about community building and to remain focused on their campers, we do not allow Junior Counselors to have their phone with them during the week. There will be time set aside on the weekend for you to check your phone, touch base with family/friends, etc. However, we want to encourage you to be present during your experience here, and limiting technology use is a part of this. Should you need to call home, or if your family needs to get in touch with you, Camp Concordia staff will be the mediators of this process.

More questions? Email [email protected].

2025 Packing, Check-in, Check-out Information

Why do you hope to be a Junior Staff at Camp Concordia?
(What one Jr. Counselor has to say...)

"Summer camp has been a huge part of my life since I was in elementary school . . . It's been a great place for me especially to just kind of reset and refocus on what's important, something I realized as a Venture camper. Concordia has also played a huge part in discovering my passion for youth ministry. It's a place I feel comfortable being myself and I've found that it truly helps build faith and friendships. I loved being a camper and experiencing that 'summer camp magic', and the last couple years serving as a JC (Jr. Counselor) I got to help and watch others experience that same magic, which was just amazing and something I'd like to do a million times again."