Writing and Blogging Jobs
Start Your ApplicationCamp Blogger/Scribe Description
Are you a journalist looking for a summer job filled with great stories to write about each day? At camp, no two days are the same, and you’ll be sharing the highlights with parents and alumni all summer through our daily blog!
While there is ample creative freedom for you to choose exactly what to write about in each brief blog post, previous topics have featured our wide range of activities, adventure trips, special events and holidays at camp, and accomplishments or projects that campers are working on. Memories are made at camp each day, and you get to be the one who documents and shares them!
What’s a Typical Day Like For This Position? -
Camp scribes/bloggers may have to walk up to a few miles a day to get to all the different areas of camp activities. You’ll be gathering stories or interviews around camp during some activity periods, and writing during some activity periods. You will be part of the Media Team, sharing space with the photographers and videographers in a “media building” that has three computer stations. You’ll share the computers for writing, photo uploading, and editing.
While it’s a demanding role, it’s also a great way to practice your writing skills, build your portfolio, and have the opportunity to get some of your work in print. We publish a magazine each year, which you can read online here to see some examples of our articles. Our blog gets emailed out to all camp families and anyone who has subscribed, as well as staying published here on our website.
See Examples of Our Blog
Typically, male staff live in a cabin with one other counselor and eight campers. In addition to their activity instruction or media role responsibilities, male counselors will have an assortment of responsibilities related to the management of their cabin. Female camp counselors also serve as activity staff, but don’t live in cabins with the campers, and are responsible instead for organizational tasks during the times that male staff are busy with their cabins.
Each day at camp begins with waking up and gathering as a community at Morning Watch. Next we enjoy a hearty breakfast and an exciting Morning Assembly on the porch. Then it’s off to the first three activities of the day, followed by a period of Free Choice before lunch. On a typical day, each counselor will be assigned a specific area to supervise during one Free Choice period, and have the other Free Choice period to themselves as their “Self-Care Time”. Rest Hour happens after lunch, before the three activity periods in the afternoon. Then there is the second Free Choice period, dinner, and a fun Evening Program! A typical day ends with Milk and Cookies, followed by Evening Embers, a discussion time with your cabin mates to talk about the day’s adventures. Everyone is tired and happy by the time it’s Lights Out. On weekends, we take a break from our regular activity instruction, sleep in an extra hour, and play games as a whole camp community.
Need internship credit?
Many of our counselors who need internship credit to graduate don’t realize that they can earn that credit while working at camp! We can coordinate with your department to tailor a unique learning experience, and have set up internship credit across a wide variety of disciplines. Read more about the value of an internship at camp or how to translate your camp experience to your resume.
Working at camp isn’t just fun and rewarding, it’s also a great way to jumpstart your professional development. The skills critical for success in today’s world are developed and practiced at camp, including communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and contribution. You’ll make connections with people from a variety of cultural backgrounds, across the country and around the world. Being a Falling Creek alumni also connects you to a network of former staff and parents who are business owners, entrepreneurs, outdoor industry professionals, and employers. We are frequently asked to refer our most talented staff members.
Career Development & Resources
Why Should You Be a Camp Scribe?
As a writer for the daily camp blog, you have the extremely important role of keeping parents updated and capturing the stories being made by their sons during the summer. Often, campers are having too much fun to write home, so parents and alumni treasure the stories you’ll about what is happening at camp!
If you’re majoring in journalism, english, or marketing, working at camp and authoring the daily blog will give you helpful skills and portfolio material for your future career path. Even if your college major is unrelated to journalism, you’ll still be gaining leadership skills and networking connections that will give you a competitive edge in the job market, no matter where you’re headed next.
What’s My Time-Off Like?
Each week you’ll receive a scheduled time-off period of 34 consecutive hours. In 2023 the time-off period began in the morning around breakfast on the first day, allowed you to be off throughout the reminder of that day and night, and required you to return the following day in late afternoon, around dinner. Staff are also able to take an hour of “self-care time” each day at camp, where you are free to read, workout, nap, or do anything you need to “recharge your batteries” daily. Everyone gets the same amount of time off; the schedule is based on your position and role at camp. Being well-rested and refreshed is a must! (During session changeover weeks, this schedule is altered slightly.)
What Benefits Do I Get?
We offer a competitive and progressive pay schedule that is determined based on your experience, age, education, certifications, and other factors. See the 2024 Estimated Pay Sheet here. Staff working the full summer (Orientation plus 4 sessions) will have a base pay of $4300, not including additional pay, experience, and bonuses.
In addition to housing, food, and pay, each day at camp brings adventure, physical recreation, and endless opportunities for personal and professional growth. You are welcome to use the camp facilities and participate in activities during your free time, so long as it does not take away from a class or camper.
Visit our “What You Get” page to read more about the value of an internship at camp, how to translate your camp experience to your resume, resources, networking, and certifications offered.
When Do I Need To Be Available?
While individual dates may differ based on your personal contract, our summer season is from mid May to mid August, and our preference is to hire for the full season. For the 2024 season, All-Staff Orientation begins on May 30th. Closing day is August 16th after the final session. Depending on your role at camp, you may need to arrive earlier in May for additional training (Lifeguard Training, the WFR Certification Course, Compass Horse Training, Adventure Staff Training, etc.) The WFR training for adventure staff will begin on May 18. You also have the option to extend your contract by joining us for Father/Son Weekends and/or Family Camp.
What Essential Skills Are Needed?
Completed At Least One Year of College and/or At Least 19 Years Old.
Our mission is existing to shepherd the journey of personal growth through love and adventure. Staff must be dedicated to live by the Falling Creek Code.
Patient. Flexible. Team Player. Genuinely Enthusiastic. Friendly. Eager to Grow. Open to Offer and Receive Feedback. Able to Think on Your Feet. Good Decision Maker. Hard Working. Get-It-Done Attitude.
See more on our staff FAQs page.