Staff Training
Counselors undergo 10 days of training and orientation at the beginning of each summer. What is taught and learned during the staff training week is in alignment with the American Camp Association’s standards and expectations for counselor training. Mini Camp runs concurrently with our training week; the Mini Camp Counselors are a separate staff, thus the term camp counselors are afforded the time to gain experience teaching their activities to the mini-campers.
In addition to teaching activities during Mini Camp, the staff training week includes (but is not limited to):
- Instruction/training in the rules and procedures for being a tent counselor
- Instruction/training in the rules and procedures of the activity departments
- How to design lessons to suit each activity, along with basic child development knowledge, so that each lesson is age appropriate
- Basic first aid
- CPR certification
- Team building exercises
- Specific camp rules, schedules, and expectations
- NRA-certified Rifle School for those teaching Rifle
- bonding activities for the counselors to get to know each other better
- FUN!
All training materials are ACA approved, with specific material accredited to Michael Brandwein and Bob Ditter. Additionally, two of Alleghany’s directors have earned education degrees and will impart their experience, skills and knowledge of child behavior and development to the counselors when appropriate or necessary.
