Music Program Area/Songleader Lead

Job Description

The JCC Ranch Camp is not just the Denver JCC’s overnight summer camp, it’s also one of the best places to work during the summer. As a staff member, Ranch Camp will become your home away from home as you work to create a community where people can thrive. You’re a hero to your campers; you have the chance to do something you really care about and have a whole lot of fun doing it. Your experience as a staff member is just as important to us as our campers’ experience. That being said: We’re here to serve kids and make sure they are in the safest environment possible while having the time of their lives.

First and foremost, all our staff are madrichim or counselors.

Madrichim/Counselor Responsibilities

Take care of your campers by prioritizing the physical, social, emotional health, safety, and well-being.

Work as a team with your co-staff to make sure every day runs the way it’s supposed to and complete daily camper notes.

Create a community that you want to be a part of and that you want campers to be a part of.

Include everyone and make sure everyone is included.

Jump into the camp life: ride horses, swim, camp, play games, sing songs, roast s’mores, be ready to do everything the campers do!

Know where your campers are and what they are doing all the time.

Manage camper behaviors using the tools you learn in Staff Orientation week (We’ll go over positive behavior management techniques, enforcing appropriate safety policies, emergency procedures, camp rules, and more.)

Be flexible and adaptable because things change quickly at camp. You have to be able to roll with it.

Live in a bunk with your co-staff and your campers.

And other duties and responsibilities as assigned: you might need to make your campers’ dreams of a beach themed ice-cream campfire song session come true or become your favorite legendary Pokémon for an evening program.

But our staff aren’t just counselors. We want you to do what matters to you while you’re at camp.

Want to spend your summer outside, exploring the back country of Colorado and climbing mountains? We have a job for you. Does spending the morning playing soccer and the afternoon creating art make your heart happy? We have a job for you. Want to design a rocket that can make grilled cheese, but also land on Mars? We probably have a job for you, let’s talk. Our program staff work together in teams, get cross trained to run multiple activity areas, and provide top quality programming to all campers.

Program Staff Responsibilities

Create and run multiple music programs each day for campers of all ages and assist in infusing music in other program areas.

Prepare and lead Shabbat services throughout week (Friday Night, Saturday Morning, and Saturday Night) in coordination with the Camp Director, Assistant Director of Programming, Jewish Life Program Area Lead, and campers

Lead musical moments at camp including morning and evening circle, camp fires, and other song sessions

Document the programming you create for other staff members to use in the future.

Work with the program team to create and run programming for staff to do during off time that is also safe, fun, and memorable.

As the Traditional Program Area Lead, you’re responsible for overseeing and supporting all aspects of traditional camp programming including arts and crafts, music, theatre, dance, tie dye, farm and garden, and STEM activities and act as a resource and support for the traditional staff team.

Finally, all staff must be able to attend Staff Orientations from 5/27/2024 – 6/9/2024 and be available to live at camp for the summer season from 6/10/2024 – 8/6/2024 or 8/13/2024. While we prefer staff to work for the entire summer, we understand if you can’t and encourage you to apply if you can work at least 5 – 6 weeks of our summer season.