What's It Like to Work at Greystone as a Former Camper?
There’s no doubt that working as a Greystone counselor is the most purposeful, fun, and growth-filled way to spend your summer (but don’t just take it from us!). No matter who you are, you will make friends, gain career skills, and end each day knowing that you made a difference in the Kingdom.
Still, each staff member’s journey to the job is as unique as she is (and yours will be too!). Last year, we heard from two counselors who had never been to Greystone before their first year on staff, and today we get to spend a little time with two more counselors who were long-time campers before their staff years. Meet Evie and Mary!
Read on to hear more about their staff experience, what made them apply, and what they would tell former campers who are considering turning the page to serve as counselors.
Do you know a former camper who would be perfect for this job? Share this post with her to give her a peek at the fun that could be in store for her in Tuxedo this summer!
What did your time as a camper look like?
“I was a camper for 9 years! I spent a few years at August, was a June camp “age-out,” and finished my time at Main Camp, where I was a Senior Senior.” - Evie
“I was a camper for 8 years. 2 sessions at August, 2 at June, and 4 at Main!” - Mary
What made you decide to apply to work on staff?
“For me, it was a no-brainer. I was so excited for the opportunity to give back to the place and people who gave me so much while I was growing up. Greystone was a formative experience of my childhood, and I wanted to be able to give that (in some small way) to more girls!” - Evie
“I feel like I always knew that I wanted to be a counselor at camp. I remember my own counselors just saying how awesome of an experience it was for them and they told me the friendships that come out of being on staff were like no other. I felt in so many ways the way my counselors loved me and I wanted to experience that myself with my own campers! I knew that I absolutely wanted to work the summer after my skip year because a ton of the girls I was a camper with were also going to be on staff, and it was better than I ever could have imagined. Watching some of my best friends turn into counselors and watching them love their girls was so amazing.” - Mary
Describe your summer on staff in a few words!
“Absolutely incredible. It is fun, engaging, silly, and just perfect. There is no way to describe the joy you get from rolling down hills and jumping in the lake with your clothes on with ten ten-year-olds. Being on the other side is even better because you get to facilitate the magic of camp!” - Evie
“My summer on staff was so impactful for so many different reasons. The biggest impact was my 32 girls who brought out the best in me and showed me so many different forms of love. The other staff members have also become some of my best friends!” - Mary
Being on staff is pretty different from being a camper! How did you approach it and how did this help make it a great summer for you?
“For me, it felt like a natural transition. Coming off of freshman year, I felt older and more mature than a camper, but also longed for the playfulness of camp. Getting to make the camp magic happen for others was a perfect fit for me at this point in my life. I really just approached it as serving others and getting to have fun while I was doing so, and I think that mindset really worked for me!”- Evie
“I knew going into the summer the shift from being a camper to a counselor was going to be super interesting, especially now to have both perspectives. I always kept in mind that it was my turn to give back to the people and place that gave me so much growing up. I never thought too much about it when my past counselors described the job as one of the most fulfilling things I will ever do, but they were so right! I learned so many new skills and saw strengths in myself I had never seen before!” - Mary
Was there anything that surprised you about working on staff for the first time?
“How FUN it is. I had a blast, and there was so much time to see my counselor friends while also prioritizing my girls. The girls are surprising too! They are perfect, loving, and so much fun. They taught me more about friendship and Jesus’s love than a Bible Study or college ever could. 10-year-olds are really wise if you get to know them (shoutout TU2)!” Evie
“Honestly, I was surprised by how fast the summer went! I was there for around 80 days but it did not feel that long at all. I have to say I was a little hesitant to be there for 11 whole weeks, but I feel like I blinked and I was already back home.” - Mary
What would you tell other previous campers who are thinking about applying to work on staff?
“Do it, do it, do it. It was the best possible way I could have ever spent my summer. It is the best kind of hard you’ll ever encounter, and you will miss it every day after you leave. I still text with my girls, and the relationships I built with them and other counselors will last a lifetime - some of them will be in my wedding!! Camp is just the best!” - Evie
“It is the best decision you will ever make! There is no other job where I have felt so validated and loved other than being a camp counselor. There was no greater experience than getting to play the camp game in a different way and getting to play into the magic that Greystone is. You will meet some of your best friends on staff and meet such a great support system that will cheer you on outside of camp with everything you do. You won’t regret working at Greystone, it takes a lot of hard work and resilience, but you feel a type of love that’s hard to experience anywhere else.” - Mary