by Sandy McClain, Senior Director of Human Resources, YMCA of Metro Denver
“My hope is that after years of summer camp at the YMCA, Ten can come back as a counselor someday,” said Giovanna, whose son Tennyson attends YMCA summer camp where he is “surrounded by awesome staff that make him feel special while having amazing experiences.”
More than 1,400 youth are in YMCA summer day camp this summer at locations across the Denver Metro area. After a difficult school year, with remote learning and isolation from friends, it’s an exciting summer for kids to get back to being kids.
Camp is the place where youth make friends and build character. They are part of a community, a safe place to learn how to be more independent but also how to contribute to a group as they engage in physical, emotional and educational activities.
Camp teaches self-reliance, a love of the outdoors and where kids foster leadership skills. Caleb J. attends YMCA Day Camp and his camp counselors can’t say enough about his leadership skills in welcoming in new kids while his adoptive mom says the skills he’s learned at camp extend to his responsibilities at home.
Those skills learned as a camper at the Y can be taken into any future job and career. The Y gives youth early work experience, employing 61,000 college-aged young adults at camps across the country each year. Further, a summer position at the Y can be a launching pad for a long-term career within the YMCA. YMCA of Metro Denver staff members Giovanni Forrest and Claudia Nunez-Medina were counselors at Camp Chief Ouray at YMCA of the Rockies and today serve in roles in our Solution Center and at our Downtown YMCA. Co-workers Abby Kenner and Darren Krische began their Y careers as day camp counselors together at the YMCA and today are leaders for the Youth Development team.
While summer is the busiest season, the YMCA of Metro Denver offers both seasonal and year-around career opportunities. If you want to make a difference in a child’s life and gain lifelong experience, join us. Visit denverymca.org/employment.