Lauren “Lobo” McCleary

Where are you from?
My family hails originally from the Wolves Den of Camp Tecumseh was displaced to far off Memphis, Tennessee for several years. I am happy to return to have returned to my familial home on the Tippecanoe River.

What are you most excited about for this Spring season with Outdoor Education?
I am always excited to see our forests blossom and bloom in the Spring as our Spring flowers and school groups return.

What is one way you are hoping to grow while at Camp?
I am looking forward to building impactful relationships with our students, teachers, and the staff who are joining us this season.

Keith “Kilimanjaro” Kalish

Where are you from?
I grew up in Belleville, Illinois, close to the mighty Mississippi River and St. Louis.

What are you most excited about for this Spring season with Outdoor Education?
Seeing students, chaperones, parents, and teachers coming together here at Tecumseh, and experiencing a little glimpse of camp. Watching the seasonal staff guide, lead, and provide the best camp experience for all our students and guests.

What is one way you are hoping to grow while at Camp?
I hope to inspire and mentor the seasonal staff as they grow personally, professionally, and as good human beings in this natural environment and community at camp.

Kaleb “Kudu” Buchanan

Where are you from?
I am from Springfield, Illinois.

What are you most excited about for this Spring season with Outdoor Education?
I am most excited to be working with groups in nature at a time when new growth is happening and I can share the beauty of nature with them.

What is one way you are hoping to grow while at Camp?
I am hoping to grow antlers while here at camp. Every self-respecting Kudu should have some.

Sydney “Serengeti” Chaney

Where are you from?
Crawfordsville, Indiana

What are you most excited about for this Spring season with Outdoor Education?
To create more memorable experiences with our incredible school groups and the Outdoor Education staff!

What is one way you are hoping to grow while at Camp?
I hope to continue to grow in the same foundations we teach students in our Foundations for Success program: trust, self-confidence, communication, leadership, and problem solving!

Isaac “Iguana” DeMoss

Where are you from?
I am from the noble forests of northern Indiana.

What are you most excited about for this Spring season with Outdoor Education?
I am the most excited to be in the great outdoors exploring nature and helping others to learn about our wonderful world.

What is one way you are hoping to grow while at Camp?
I am hoping to grow in my communication skills so that I can better learn about all the cool people and critters that come to camp.

Taylor “Thunder” Moore

Where are you from?
I originally formed over the Barren Fork River in Middle Tennessee, but now you can catch me rolling through the troposphere over Camp Tecumseh.

What are you most excited about for this Spring season with Outdoor Education?
I am filled with electricity to bring April showers to help May flowers and the youth grow and flourish.

What is one way you are hoping to grow while at Camp?
I want to be a light in the storm and to become more grounded.

Rachel “Rock” Naylor

Where are you from?
I grew up in Fishers, Indiana but now spend my days rockin’ and rollin’ at camp!

What are you most excited about for this Spring season with Outdoor Education?
I love seeing camp come back to life, the flowers blooming, trees becoming green again, the oak forest smelling like wild onion, and camp being full of kids!

What is one way you are hoping to grow while at Camp?
I would personally love to grow into a big strong tall mountain. I would also like to grow more in my plant identification!

Graham “Glacier” Johnson

Where are you from?
Olympus Mons, Jupiter, fifth planet from the Sun.

What are you most excited about for this Spring season with Outdoor Education?
I am excited to be a leader for our younger generation, and allow them to interact with nature and learning in a way they are not normally able to in their daily life.

What is one way you are hoping to grow while at Camp?
I am hoping to grow in beard size, in my close connections with others, my connection with nature, and to grow in my knowledge and experience in camping.

Lauren “Leech” Hardebeck

Where are you from?
Under a rock in the shallow, dark waters of the Tippecanoe River.

What are you most excited about for this Spring season with Outdoor Education?
I am most excited for the people! The school communities that come to Camp are full of the most wonderful students, teachers, and chaperones who are here to learn and grow together. This, along with the Outdoor Education staff, is going to make for a wonderful season!

What is one way you are hoping to grow while at Camp?
I am hoping to grow in my outdoor knowledge, and use this to further my own understanding of the world and my teaching.

Sheila “Spring” Wilimitis

Where are you from?
Burlington, Indiana.

What are you most excited about for this Spring season with Outdoor Education?
I am most excited about seeing the energy and excitement of students and teachers and chaperones as they participate in fun and creative learning activities. I also love to watch students grow in character and confidence as they learn teamwork and take on new challenges.

What is one way you are hoping to grow while at Camp?
I am hoping to grow in my group facilitation skills, teaching techniques, and always improving my ability to help people feel loved and valued.

Camille “Creek” Jones

Where are you from?
I sprung from the waters of the Cal-say River near Orland Park, Illinois but now spend my time chilling by the Tippecanoe.

What are you most excited about for this Spring season with Outdoor Education?
I am excited to introduce more communities to what Camp Tecumseh has to offer and also for mushroom season!

What is one way you are hoping to grow while at Camp?
The mission of the YMCA is to grow in mind, body, and spirit which is what I wish to constantly develop within myself.

Josh “Jack Rabbit” Schrock

Where are you from?
Lebanon, Indiana.

What are you most excited about for this Spring season with Outdoor Education?
I’m most excited to be having fun outside, eating fresh greens, and welcoming in the warm weather!

What is one way you are hoping to grow while at Camp?
A goal of mine is to grow in my overall team working abilities, more specifically my communication and leadership.

Carolyn “Cobra” Oneal

Where are you from?
I hatched as a small little snake in West Lafayette, Indiana, before slithering down the Tippecanoe River to reside here at Camp Tecumseh!

What are you most excited about for this Spring season with Outdoor Education?
I am excited to bring my love for nature and adventure to the students that come visit! When we step outside the classroom, we give students an opportunity to learn something new about themselves, their peers, and even their teachers. I am very passionate about hands-on experiences with the outdoors in order to learn about the world around us, and camp is a great place to do that.

What is one way you are hoping to grow while at Camp?
I hope to grow in my teaching techniques and group facilitation, so I can take these skills with me in future careers. Although cobras tend to be solitary creatures, I am always looking to learn more about the world and the people that inhabit it, so I want to grow in my communication and listening skills to foster those relationships.

Thankfully, there is not a friendship deficit at camp. We have designed our programs for this very cause. That is why we have so many intentional spaces at camp. The fire pits in front of each cabin are situated so that a group of dads and daughters can talk, share stories, and laugh during a weekend campout. The opening campfire at River Village is round, so you can look across and see the other students in your class singing and laughing to Boom-chika-boom.

As I have been giving tours of the soon-to-be-complete Barbara F. Kampen Dining Hall, I emphasize the number of round tables that can fit in the dining space. Tables where kids, counselors, families, and groups will be able to gather around a meal and talk. For some of our campers, the only times when they sit down and talk over dinner, uninterrupted from a screen, is around Thanksgiving or Christmas, and in the dining halls of Camp Tecumseh.

And so, as you load up into the car, on your way to yet another gathering, whether you are excited about seeing more people, or secretly wishing you could just stay at home alone in your pajamas, remember the fourth line from the Sagamore Creed: My friends are important to me and I am important to them, therefore I will care for my friendships and help them to grow.

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With your support, we can change the world. We can be a place that builds community builders and leaders. Help us out at www.camptecumseh.org/give.

This is a weird time where you are trying to figure out what your next move is, while everyone in your life is telling you that you will “figure it out” and “whatever happens, happens.” You see it in movies about twenty-somethings or listen to how others have grown from it in podcasts, and I always thought I was above this period because I knew what I wanted to do next. I was going to move to a big city and be a teacher.

As it turns out, I realized that the plan that I had for post graduation was not super realistic for me at the moment. This is a tough reality to face. I have spent my entire adult life thus far preparing for a specific career. So when I was faced with the hard decision of what to do next, I turned to one of my favorite places. I found a soft spot to land among Camp Tecumseh’s Outdoor Education department. The position of Outdoor Education Instructor gave me the best of both worlds. Not only was I getting to teach and interact with school communities, but I got to work outside at a beautiful place with the most incredible people. It is exactly what I wanted, and what I would soon discover, I needed.

I would like to think of myself as someone who is cautiously eager, meaning I am so excited about trying and learning, but can be hesitant about all of the trying and learning. What if I fail? What if I disappoint the people around me? I had worked the last three summers at Camp in several different roles and felt really comfortable with what that day-to-day looked like. I was entering a new challenge and a new role. Little did I know the growth that was going to come from this position and the support that I would have along the way.

Starting OE gave me confidence about things that I had feared in the past. I have always known that I was a hard worker, but was afraid that I lacked the knowledge of basic skills on how to get the job done. For instance, I had never used an electric drill, vacuumed taxidermy, held snakes, or drove (let alone backed up) a pickup truck. All of which I can say I have learned about (and successfully completed!) during my time this fall. These may seem silly and small to some, but it made me feel so accomplished and proud of myself.

The best part about all of this is that I wasn’t alone. Not only was there an outstanding full-time team that was patient, skilled, and never hesitated to answer any questions (and I ask a LOT of questions), but I was working with a group of 10 fantastic souls out in the field. People like Spring, who always packed an extra Golden Oreo for me in her lunch because she knew that I liked them. Or Rock, who decorated my doorway for my birthday.

One of the special things about OE is that not only are you working, but you are living among the people that make your job so great. The memories I hold of laughing and adventures warm my soul everyday. It was bowling nights to celebrate a staff member before he headed back to Brazil, and exploring local state parks and museums (something I really had never done as a local). Or my favorite: Lunchtime Kombucha in which I made the girls who lived with me taste different flavors of Kombucha on our lunch break and rate it on a thumb-up, thumb-down, or thumb-in-the-middle spectrum. I would then post the reviews on my food Instagram for other Camp people and seasonal staff to interact with.

There were movie nights and pumpkin carving parties and nightly walks with beautiful sunsets. These are friends and memories that are so meaningful and full of joy that it is hard to transcribe their impact in words.

The fall 2022 season of Outdoor Education served around 50 schools and hundreds of students, teachers, and parents. A team of 14 spectacular, kind, and hard-working people banded together through late nights, schedule changes, and lifting pine logs in order to give students and chaperones a chance to be outside and learn from the three unique programs that Camp offers. (Though the pine logs are just my personal nemesis.)

There is a wood sign in the Outdoor Education office situated right above the door. Every time you leave, the sign is the last thing you see. It says: “It is a real job.” If I could add to the sign above the office door, I would change it to say “It is a real job. It is the best job. A job where you will make an impact and work with the most extraordinary people. A job where you will grow in teaching skills, life skills, and (most important of all) people skills. A real job that like any other will be hard sometimes, but where you will feel so much joy and guidance and friendship and love.”

But, I don’t know if we have a piece of wood long enough for that.

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Learn more about working in Outdoor Education at Camp Tecumseh.

Lauren “Lobo” McCleary

What were you up to before working at Camp?
I was a middle school teacher in Memphis, Tennessee.

What drew you to join the Outdoor Education team?
My favorite part of Outdoor Education is seeing the communities we serve grow and learn together while they are here. It’s a joy to see our parents, teachers, and students build relationships and have adventures together outside of a traditional school classroom.

Favorite Camp activity
Lobo enjoys playing with the mini-farm animals (not eating them of course!) and snacking on sour candy from the Trading Post.

Special Talent
Lobo’s special talent is being able to curl up and fall asleep under any circumstances. But don’t test it!

OE Name Origin Story
Lobo’s family hails originally from the Wolves Den of Camp Tecumseh, but was displaced to far off lands the last several years. She is happy to return to her familial home on the Tippecanoe.

Keith “Kiliminjaro” Kalish

What were you up to before working at Camp?
Before working at camp, I graduated college with a double major in Religious Studies and Psychology, and a minor in Social Work. I attended seminary and received an MA in Pastoral Care and Counseling. During college and graduate school, I worked for several church camps, working as a camp counselor.

What drew you to join the Outdoor Education team?
What drew me to Camp’s Outdoor Education is the opportunity to work with students, being outside, and teaching students to work as a successful group or team. Also, learning about nature and teaching hands-on learning from a historical perspective. The more I worked outdoors with students, I gained skills, confidence, and knowledge. This led to learning new skills of animal handling, teaching techniques, time management, children behavior, and working with a partner.

Favorite Camp activity
Walking/ hiking through the Oak Forest towards Ghost Creek, and seeing the smiles of students exploring the Nature Center.

Special Talent
As a mountain, the tallest in the African Continent, observing staff, students, chaperones, and guests at camp, and hearing the sounds of people climbing uphill. Being a free standing mountain, not part of an extended mountain range, teaching people the importance of this mountain or having students learn interesting things about nature that is unique.

OE Name Origin Story
I started as a young mount of dirt in the river valley in South Central Africa. I grew taller from the effects of a volcano forming a mighty single mountain range, with three summits. As a mountain, I enjoyed seeing the wildflowers blooming in the spring, hearing the water melting on top and flowing down the mountain to the rivers and lakes during summer, and hearing the birds migrating throughout the fall season. Winter is pleasant when snow falls on the top of the mountain.

Kaleb “Kudu” Buchanan

Sydney “Serengeti” Chaney

What were you up to before working at Camp?
Teaching 6th grade ELA in Crawfordsville, Indiana.

What drew you to join the Outdoor Education team?
I love education and the outdoors, so why not combine it?

Favorite Camp activity
The Black Hole and Campfires!

Special Talent
Pro speed walker

OE Name Origin Story
Serengeti rose from the plains of the African wildlife. She was interested in Indiana sunsets and migrated to Camp Tecumseh.

Camille “Creek” Jones

What were you up to before working at Camp?
I am taking a gap year and was doing seasonal work in the Rockies.

What drew you to join the Outdoor Education team?
As someone with a passion for Environmental Sciences, and as a camp counselor, I was drawn to Outdoor Education. As Hannah Montana once said, “You get the best of both worlds.” I am super excited to give students a fun, hands-on learning experience in nature’s classroom.

Favorite Camp activity
Finding deer in the woods and yelling, “Deer!”

Special Talent
Making snail candles.

OE Name Origin Story
Creek first sprung out of Lake Michigan and trickled into Illinois before traveling downstream to the Tippecanoe. After spending a summer at Tecumseh, she learned to go with the flow and is ready for the fall season.

Carolyn “Cobra” Oneal

What were you up to before working at Camp?
I finished studying English Education at Indiana University. While at school, I also participated in IU’s Dance Marathon for four years.

What drew you to join the Outdoor Education team?
Bringing together my love for camp, the outdoors, and making education fun for everyone. I’m so excited to explore nature and bring joy and love for the outdoors to students.

Favorite Camp activity
Visiting the Nature Center to see my friends Milkshake and Indy. Wandering through the woods and looking at all the flowers and plants.

Special Talent
Treading water for an extremely long period of time.

OE Name Origin Story
Cobra hatched not far from Camp Tecumseh in West Lafayette and traveled along the river to spend the season here! She spent many summers by the Tippecanoe River exploring camp, and is so excited for the fall season. Cobra slithers and slides and dances her way through all of camp’s adventures.

Graham “Glacier” Johnson

What were you up to before working at Camp?
I was at college and then some odd jobs here and there.

What drew you to join the Outdoor Education team?
It sounded like a great program surrounded by a lot of amazing people.

Favorite Camp activity
I love floating in the clouds above camp and playing 9-square with the fairies.

Special Talent
I can fly, but only if everyone in a mile radius is asleep.

OE Name Origin Story
I was so chill that I started to freeze and turn into a glacier.

Isaac “Iguana” DeMoss

What were you up to before working at Camp?
I was working at Camp Weaver in North Carolina.

What drew you to join the Outdoor Education team?
The opportunity to work outdoors with other people and help kids experience the outdoors.

Favorite Camp activity
The Black Hole.

Special Talent
I am ambidextrous.

OE Name Origin Story
I came from a large herd of Iguanas in Indiana – right here in the woods close to Camp Tecumseh. I’ve been around Camp my whole life and I like to show others how awesome it can be.

Josh “Jack Rabbit” Schrock

What were you up to before working at Camp?
Jack Rabbit has previously worked Outdoor Education at Tecumseh before this Fall season.

What drew you to join the Outdoor Education team?
The opportunity to work outdoors and teach kids about the world around them.

Favorite Camp activity
Little did you know, but rabbits actually have a natural talent at rock climbing. Jack Rabbit loves to climb when he gets the chance.

Special Talent
Ever so often, Jack Rabbit will find himself being pulled out of hats. He’s not sure why, or how.

OE Name Origin Story
Jack Rabbit comes from central Indiana, and made the move to Camp Tecumseh partially because of the abundance of garlic mustard – a favorite snack.

Lauren “Leech” Hardebeck

What were you up to before working at Camp?
I just graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Elementary Education. Prior to graduating, I completed my student teaching in New Mexico in Kindergarten and 1st grade.

What drew you to join the Outdoor Education team?
For so long, I have been focused on what education looks like within the classroom. Outdoor Education allows school communities to not only be outside, but to have interactive experiences that allow for further understanding of themselves, the world around them, and the people that came before them.

Favorite Camp activity
Leech’s favorite activity is walking around camp, making sure to take in the wildlife and nature.

Special Talent
Leech does a great goat impression.

OE Name Origin Story
Hidden in the shallow, dark waters of the Tippecanoe River, Leech was born with a thirst for knowledge about the world and people around her! She saw the light in Camp Tecumseh’s Outdoor Education where she is excited to help school communities learn more about the natural world!

Nik “Newt” Watson

What were you up to before working at Camp?
I helped run a before and after school program.

What drew you to join the Outdoor Education team?
I love teaching and I love camp, so a combination of the two sounds like a dream.

Favorite Camp activity
My favorite camp activity is the team course.

Special Talent
I can sing the ABCs in two seconds.

OE Name Origin Story
Newt was raised in the swamps of Europe and was crystalized and reborn a newt.

Rachel “Rock” Naylor

What were you up to before working at Camp?
Rock has been working at camp in many capacities, including previous Outdoor Education seasons, prior to this fall.

What drew you to join the Outdoor Education team?
I grew up coming to camp, fell in love with camp, ended up going to IU and got a degree in recreation, and haven’t looked back. I believe every kid needs camp!

Favorite Camp activity
Watching camp sunsets, and stargazing.

Special Talent
Getting stung by bees, and balancing water bottles on my head.

OE Name Origin Story
Rock hails from the mountains of Camp Tecumseh where she likes to spend time in the pine forest. You can usually find Rock rockin’ and rollin’ around camp looking for the coolest rock.

Sheila “Spring” Wilimitis

What were you up to before working at Camp?
20 years of church ministry (Director of Youth Ministry, Adult Discipleship & Outreach). Three years as an Elderly Caregiver.

What drew you to join the Outdoor Education team?
I have a degree in Secondary Education (Social Studies) from Ball State. Hands-on education in the great outdoors can be transformational. It can give young people a deeper appreciation for the world (and ecosystems) around them and their unique and special and necessary place in it.

Favorite Camp activity
Walking in the pine and oak forests. Enjoying the view of the Tippecanoe River from the River Village Dining Hall porch.

Special Talent
Capturing the beauty and brilliance of nature’s designs through photography.

OE Name Origin Story
Spring first sprang into Camp Tecumseh in the Spring of 1995. Many seasons passed until it was time for her return. She enjoys watching new life spring up in the form of colorful flowers, green plants, tall trees, playful animals, and exciting discoveries made by young people as they engage with nature, their peers, and caring adults.

Zayner “Zebra” Silva de Olivira

What were you up to before working at Camp?
College, with a major in psychology.

What drew you to join the Outdoor Education team?
The chance to keep practicing my english and doing a new challenge – something that I’ve never done before.

Favorite Camp activity
My favorite camp activity would be blobbing summer campers, trying to make them reach the sun.

Special Talent
I can wiggle my ring finger, and can communicate with birds.

OE Name Origin Story
Zebra ate too much rice as a child which changed his body composition. One day, he woke up being able to speak english and decided to put it to the test by coming to the US from Brazil.

According to studies, teenagers who have a close friend are less likely to experience anxiety and depression later in life. By modeling and leading with God’s Love, we aren’t ignoring our differences, but rather we’re saying that Loving our Neighbor is more important than any difference we might have.

Our world is increasingly challenging and divisive and while Camp Tecumseh is not immune to that, we also know that small steps can help to make our communities a better place. By helping kids (and adults) make friends and by modeling God’s Love, we believe we are equipping folks to navigate the difficult world around them. 

As I walk around camp and hear the conversations happening and watch the friendships forming, I can’t help but be optimistic and thankful for Camp Tecumseh!

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In her mind, making the leap to compete on this show, across the country from her family and her job, was done because of a similar decision back in high school when she decided to work at Camp Tecumseh. More on that later.

Working at camp was a natural fit for Kelsey. She was a leader in her youth group. She grew up going to summer camp in Wisconsin. When she started working at Tecumseh, she felt like it made sense.

“I felt like I was able to blossom into a more independent person.”

Kelsey seems to gravitate towards some intense challenges. She grew up as a gymnast. When she went to college at Indiana University, she walked on to the rowing team where she eventually earned a scholarship. And cooking is not that different. It’s intense and fast, especially when you’re competing on television.

Working at camp can feel similar, minus the TV.

“If I’m going to do something, I love to immerse myself in it, and really dive into the culture and atmosphere.”

“I was able to blossom into a more independent person.” 

Working at camp is incredibly immersive. Rather than working shifts and then going home like a standard job, a day camp or overnight camp counselor lives at Camp. It’s that immersion that creates lifelong friendships and such meaningful memories. Plus, while you’re immersed in the camp world, you are building the most essential skills for any future career.

“So many people are focused on internships or a resume builder. But there’s no better resume builder than having good social skills, good experiences, good things that make you a mature human being – there would be no better life skill job than working at camp.”

Fresh off the heels of winning MasterChef, Kelsey looks back on her time on staff at Tecumseh and sees a common thread.

“There’s one connection that links those two things perfectly. I have always been a do-what-you’re-supposed-to-do person.”

As a high level gymnast from childhood through high school, her time was spent focused on that singular thing. But when the opportunity came to work at Camp Tecumseh, she knew she wanted that experience.

“I grew up going to camp. I wanted to be part of that again. I felt very controlled by the expectations around me. I feel like a lot of high schoolers feel that.”

Working at camp in her late high school years gave her the opportunity to learn a little more about herself, and about her own goals.

“Tecumseh gave me that release of, ‘Hey, here’s me again.’ I found myself again. I found my confidence. I found my individuality, my own maturity and responsibility, away from the adults in my life who were telling me what I should be doing.”

Then after working at camp, Kelsey accomplished the traditional route: college, degree, husband, great job, kids. All wonderful things. But when the opportunity came to be part of MasterChef, an opportunity that could definitely throw a wrench into their family’s normal life plans, she had the similar feeling from high school when she knew she wanted the Day Camp staff experience.

“Those two experiences are so closely linked. They are pillars in my life who brought me back to me.”

And speaking of things being linked, I asked her about her memory of camp food.

“Honestly, it was actually pretty good. I have fond memories of camp food. There was so much joy that went along with it. It was so much fun.”

“Food isn’t about the food. It’s about sitting around the table with the people you love and care about.”

My final question is a big question, and one that I ask everyone I talk to: why does camp matter?

She paused, thought about it, and said, “Well, when I think about camp I just smile and laugh. Camp to me is joy. Everything is so serious and scheduled and regimented. At camp, you’re away from technology and in the outdoors. People are craving that.”

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If you’re in the Indy area, visit Kelsey’s restaurant, Inspo, at the Sun King Fishers Test Kitchen.

As the Groups & Conferences Director, I get to help facilitate the experiences of over 17,500 guests that come out to camp throughout the year. When I share about what my job entails, many people are amazed to hear that not only does Camp Tecumseh operate 12 months of the year, but we also serve a wide variety of groups. The amazing thing about our department is that we get to work with so many different organizations.

In one week we can serve a group of ladies coming together to fellowship over their sewing machines at a Quilt Camp, to leading team building activities for local leadership initiatives that promote leadership and professionally develop members in their own communities, to running program areas on the weekend for over 500 guests made up of Girl Scout Troops, church youth groups, and other parent-child programs.

My department exists to help groups meet their organization’s mission while experiencing the beauty and amenities that camp has to offer. And in order to do that, there are a lot of things that come up under the “other duties as assigned” category.

Of course many times my “other duties” tasks include plunging a toilet, replacing toilet paper, mopping up spills, re-lighting hot water heaters, resetting porch light timers, splitting firewood, setting up tables and chairs and endless other things that pop up.  

But the list also includes many other things that I wouldn’t have thought about prior to working here. I have gotten to fill up the back of a pickup truck with jack o’lanterns when cleaning up from Halloween weekend. I have taken a minibus and trailer to collect beautiful pieces of donated taxidermy. I have gotten to send staff down the zipline with huge sparklers to kick off a Fourth of July fireworks show. I’ve made numerous town runs to pick up snacks, ammunition, and wooden crates. And of course anytime an IKEA trip is called for I am the first to volunteer! I have left a Summer Camp banquet in my high heels and dress to light campfires for other groups out at camp. And there are many other things I could list and things that I don’t even know that will be required in the future.

Camp and this job have taught me so much about what it looks like to serve others in a non-traditional way. Everyone has heard the quote, “A jack of all trades is a master of none.” But the full quote is, “A jack of all trades is master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” 

That’s me, I am a jack of all trades! I love that I have learned so many different ways to be of use. It has helped me to quickly discover my strengths and my weaknesses. I have learned where I can best lead and where I need to set boundaries. It allows me to be flexible and fit in where needed best. It helps me to have empathy and a better understanding of what other departments here at camp do so that we can work together in better harmony. I have become so much better at time management and learning what tasks are essential for getting things done.

The ins and outs of my day look just as different as the groups that we serve. The best thing about the Camp Tecumseh experience is that we don’t have to give a one-size-fits all approach to our groups because that doesn’t describe the groups we serve. Many groups might use the archery range, but the way the experience serves the group is different. While a Girl Scout Troop is using the range to complete requirements to earn their next badge, a father is getting to create memories with their child who is trying something new for the first time and members of a college organization get to take a break from their busy schedules. We strive to create an environment with opportunities for each organization to fulfill their mission. 

I hear all the time that Camp Tecumseh is such an amazing place because guests feel like they can be the best version of themselves.  The incredible thing about that for me is that it is also true for our staff. I literally get paid to sing songs, build fires, and go canoeing. But I do those things because of the relationships and memories that they create for our guests. I have trouble believing that it can get any better than that. But I have to run now…I need to see if the parking lot is big enough to double as a landing zone for a helicopter that will come to visit for one of our specialty camps!

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Learn more about Groups & Conferences, and reach out to Joy with any questions.

When did you first begin working at Tecumseh?

I first started working at Tecumseh in the summer of 2017. I’d just finished my freshman year of college and was so excited about working at camp. I was a camper for 6 years and honestly walking into staff training I remember feeling so lucky that I’d be the one in the blue polo that summer.

Why did you want to work at camp?

Well, first of all, it sounded like the most fun way to spend a summer.  All my friends applied for jobs in offices or waiting tables, but that wasn’t my vibe. I wanted a job where I could truly enjoy my time off from school, while still gaining experience I could use when applying for jobs post graduation. 

I think during my first interview back in 2016, Joel asked me this same question and my answer from then still holds true. The counselors I had at Camp Tecumseh completely changed my life. I know it sounds dramatic, but seriously, they did!! Their care, support, and dedication to being the best counselors they could, shaped me into the person I am today, and I wanted to be that for my campers.

What were some of the skills you immediately gained while working at Tecumseh?

Problem solving and conflict management were two of the first skills I gained at Tecumseh. 

Working with kids, there is no doubt you’ll run into some conflict and by the end of staff training, I was ready to solve whatever problem might come my way. 

Flexibility is another huge one. From unpredictable weather to swift changes in activities, I learned how to roll with the punches and think on my feet. You truly do need to be able to pivot to a new plan in a matter of minutes, and that’s something I learned early on for sure. 

I think patience is a big one too. You’re not only working with children, but also with a lot of different counselors with differing personalities and ideas about everything. Without patience, I don’t think I would’ve lasted one summer. It’s a huge skill that helped me stay level headed and allowed me to continue finding the joy in my job, even when things were a little frustrating.

What were some skills that came a little later while working at Tecumseh?

Leadership was one of those that came with time. As I got more comfortable with the daily schedules of camp, it became easier to guide the other counselors and take charge in large group situations. I also learned how to be a “silent” leader, which I think is one of the biggest and most important skills I’ll take away from my time at camp. I learned that to lead, you don’t always have to be the loudest one in the room. Sometimes, a group needs the leader to sit back, lead by example, and solve problems through collaboration.

You have a college degree. You’re looking at full time jobs. Why continue to work at Camp?

There’re so many reasons. At the end of every summer I’m always like “no for real! this is the last summer!!” and then the applications go live in the fall, and I just feel I can’t let go of it quite yet. The opportunity to work at a camp doesn’t have a super large time frame, unless you’re pursuing a full time position, which is another way I tend to justify my decision. 

I actually had to make a huge decision between coming back to camp this summer and applying for an internship I have to complete to secure a job in my field. I thought about it for so many months, but in the end, I decided I still have more to give to camp. Tecumseh has given me role models, best friends, second chances, inspirational campers, opportunities for growth, and the list goes on. I just hope I can give camp half as much as they gave me.

You just touched on this some, but what is it about Camp that brings you back, as opposed to just working at a restaurant in between internships?

I think one of the coolest things about working at camp versus a restaurant or a coffee shop, is that at camp, the mission is built on core values that most, if not all, staff members share. We are all unique individuals with different beliefs, perspectives, and life stories — but these core values tie us together. 

The people, in general, are another reason I come back. Campers, counselors, full time staff – they are all so wonderful. It’s also cool that at camp (if you’re there long enough), you’ll see campers who have been going to camp for 10 years go through each unit, and eventually become counselors. That kind of dedication and passion to a single organization doesn’t usually show up in other summer jobs.

This will be my 5th summer on staff, and this year one of my past campers (now coworker?!?) is on support staff, another is a unit coordinator, and a few will be coming back as day camp and overnight camp staff. Getting to see my campers grow into staff is one of the coolest things and makes me so proud. 

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Learn more about working at camp.

KUDU

Once upon a time, during a cold Nova Scotian winter, Kudu emerged from the snow. The cold winters were a bit much for young Kudu so he ventured to Indiana for the warmth of a summer camp called Camp Tecumseh. Kudu’s favorite camp activity is grazing in Main Field alongside the many local Whitetail deer that have accepted him as one of their own. Kudu has the magical talent of being able to translate what all things in nature are saying to us humans.

IGUANA

Iguana hails from the magical forests of Indiana where he grew up enjoying hot summers, snowy winters and dreaming of his ancestral home in the Caribbean. Iguana is super excited to spend his fourth season at Camp Tecumseh meeting new friends and learning about this magical world we live in. Iguana’s favorite camp activity is learning about nature in the nature center where he can hang out with all his animal friends, especially his cousins, the Bearded Dragons. Iguana’s magical talent is fox spotting. If there is a fox around, Iguana can sense it and point it out.

ROCK

Rock hails from the mountains of Camp Tecumseh from which she broke apart after seeing all the fun people were having at camp and had to join in! Rock’s favorite activity at camp is rockin’ and rollin’ around in nature giving names to all her rock relatives. Rock has the magical talent of balancing her water bottle on her head while moving.

LOBO

Lobo’s family hails originally from the Wolves Den of Camp Tecumseh but was displaced to far off West Lafayette where she was born. She is happy to return to her familial home on the beautiful Tippecanoe. Lobo enjoys playing with the mini-farm animals (not eating them, of course!) and snacking on sour candy from the Trading Post. Her magical talent is being able to curl up and fall asleep under any circumstances. But don’t test it!

KILIMANJARO

As a single ranging tall mountain, Kilimanjaro began his journey as a mountain overlooking the mighty Mississippi River in southern Illinois. This mountain slowly moved through the tectonic plates towards Indiana in 2006. This mountain base has been here since then. Kilimanjaro’s favorite camp activity during the winter is collecting some snow on its peak, and in spring, it’s watching wildflowers and the grasses blooming. He does enjoy the honey bees pollinating the flowers too. During the summer he enjoys looking over camp and watching nature – especially turtles, lizards, and snakes interacting with campers. In the fall, he enjoys the night sky and the smell of campfires. Kilimanjaro’s magical talent is being the tallest mountain with glaciers and a rainforest, and emerging from the savannahs of central Africa.

JACK RABBIT

Jack Rabbit is from Central Indiana, born originally in Chicago. The majority of his life has been spent outdoors munching on his neighbors green peppers, onions, and other assorted garden veggies. Jack Rabbit’s favorite camp activity is high ropes and rock climbing. Jack Rabbit does acknowledge that his affinity for climbing may seem weird for rabbits, but a little known fact is that all rabbits have an affinity for high ropes courses. Jack Rabbit’s magical talent is something that he can’t actually control. Jack Rabbit finds himself randomly teleported into hats, which often leaves him very confused.

Interested in joining this team, or learning more about Outdoor Education?

Contact Outdoor Education Director, Lauren McCleary.

I was not a camper at Tecumseh. I went to a small church camp in southern Indiana for about four summers during my preteen years, but it wasn’t much like this place.

At the church camp I attended, we went as our youth group, stayed in cabins with our youth group, and did activities – for the most part – with our youth group. We met other kids, of course, but really just in large group settings. I had an intimate, growth-inducing camp experience, but really with a few kids who were already my friends back home.

When I first worked for Camp Tecumseh in the summer of 2014 as the videographer, I really just had that previous experience as a barometer of what to expect. 

It didn’t take more than check-in of Week 1 that summer to notice a gaping difference between the camp I attended as a kid, and Camp Tecumseh.

The check-in process is one of the most logistical parts of the camp experience. There are forms, and lines, and maps. There are very brief, informational interactions with full-time staff. Then campers are zig zagging their way through River and Lake Villages to their cabins.

Then, some of the most important moments of the whole week happen in rapid succession: Campers meet their counselors, they make themselves at home in their cabins, and they meet their cabin mates.

At the surface, this is still logistical. Kids need a place to sleep when they’re at camp, and we provide that for them in cabins. But of course, these moments at the beginning of the week are so important and go way beyond the logistics of check-in.

Our Director of Development, Stacey Seeger, still remembers the check-in when she met her good friend, Carolyn Ostafinski.

“We were fast friends, making so many memories that week which grew into a friendship that has lasted well over a decade.”

Stacey, who had been attending Camp for years, always came with a friend. But for her Torchbearer year, she wanted to try one week without a cabin mate request. Sixteen years later, it’s paid off with lifelong friendships.

When we started really planning for Summer 2021, we knew there would be many changes as we prepared for a camp season in the midst of a pandemic. The constant dilemma was always: will these changes affect the value of the program?

Every change that was made, we did so with the intent of holding true to all those key moments of camp. Check-in was a great example of that.

We moved from a weaving, in-person line in the Creative Arts Center to a weaving, drive-through process that streamlined the check-in process in a unique way. But the beauty of camp is that through those changes, the magic and importance of the experience remained intact. Kids still had those three major moments when walking into their cabins.

Check-in itself is a great microcosm of the larger camp experience. It takes lots of moving parts to run check-in and camp. Yet Camp is about so much more than the logistical pieces that make a program run. It’s about being inspired by counselors and meeting new friends.

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Are you registered for overnight camp in 2022? There is plenty of availability for Equestrian Camp, and limited availability in the traditional overnight camp program. See dates and availability now.

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Sam Hirt is Tecumseh’s Director of Marketing and enjoys seeing the check-in process through the lens of a camera with the media team.

It is increasingly difficult to hire staff. This has been true for years, but compounded by a pandemic that, among other things, broke up some of the continuity of returning staff that drives our hiring season each year. The staff we would have expected to return in 2020 have now found full time employment or have moved farther away from Camp.

The good news: we have staff. Many camps across the country are operating at a much lower capacity because they can’t find the necessary staff to operate their programs. We are fortunate to have hired the staff we need, and not just any staff, but good candidates that can carry on the important staff culture we’ve cultivated over many years.

I have been asking staff why they work at camp. When faced with a myriad of opportunities – internships, summer school, other employment – why are our summer staff choosing to work here?

Future teachers, mechanical engineers, choir directors, speech pathologists, and more have all decided to spend their summer at Tecumseh. Here’s why.

Andrea Garcia chose to work at Camp for a second summer and sees a way to develop the kinds of skills she needs for a career as a choir director. 

“I think initiative is one of the biggest things I’ve learned here at camp.” Andrea worked in the cabins as a counselor in 2019, and is now in a summer leadership role as assistant Lake Village director.

“Camp is so fast-paced, as I feel like a lot of jobs are, and camp has taught me to trust myself a lot more than I think I used to, and to make good, responsible decisions on the fly.”

Andrea wants peers to know that camp is as valuable of a job opportunity as internships and maybe reaches a level of skill development that goes beyond an average career-readiness tract.

“(Camp) teaches campers and counselors alike, not just how to coexist, but how to have empathy and to really love and respect people who are different from you.”

Andrea wears a lot of hats at camp with her current position.

“I’ve had to use so many different skills that I never imagined using while working at camp. You’re just expected to be so many different things. You do customer service. You do problem management. You are an emotional support figure for people. I think there are a lot of different niche skills that you can hone while at camp that I’m certain will serve people where they go.”

Oscar Garzon, a first year counselor from Colombia, wanted to experience something that is uniquely American. So he applied to be part of a camp exchange program in Colombia where American camps can find international staff. 

“I will say that, most of the time, engineers will have to have management skills. So, here, working with a group of people – in this case, kids – makes you step up and strengthen your leadership skills.”

When Oscar returns to Colombia after the summer, his diploma in mechanical engineering will be waiting there for him, and he knows that the leadership and management skills he’s developing at Tecumseh will serve him well in his career.

Oscar wants to convince others back home to work at camp, too, not just because of the skills you can develop but because of the overall experience.

“I know this is a job, but you have a lot of fun.”

Emily Polonus, a second year counselor who is working with our Campers in Leadership Training (CILT) program, felt like she checked off all the boxes for her future career before working at camp. She was in a sorority; she was active in various campus clubs at Marquette; she got into a good grad school for speech pathology. But in 2019, she wanted another experience that went further than checking off boxes for her next step.

“I have told my friends that I don’t think I could have moved to Boston for grad school without first working at camp. I just came out of it with so much more confidence and an ability to interact with people and make important connections.”

Camp helped Emily look at the bigger picture. Before, when working with a student and their speech needs, the focus was more on fixing a specific speech issue. But, camp helped her see the importance of fixing that specific issue because it will improve the overall quality of life of the person.

She’s now finished with her masters and I wondered why she decided to come back for another summer.

“I think I’m the best version of myself here. I like who I become when I work here.”

She sees the bigger picture when she’s working at camp. It becomes less about what her next step in life is, but more about how she can be part of a team and help her campers accomplish something during their time at Tecumseh.

Aaron Ludwig, a seasoned counselor who spent a few summers away, is back in a cabin for a summer in between school years. Aaron teaches sixth and seventh graders in northwestern Indiana, but he didn’t always know that’s what he wanted to do.

“I didn’t know how much I would enjoy working with kids, but I knew how passionate I was about Camp and how badly I wanted to be here.”

He worked on staff for day camp, and then a few summers with overnight camp, and realized he enjoyed working with kids so much that he switched majors at Purdue from engineering to education. And then there was all this built-in preparation for his future career as a teacher while he was working with kids at Tecumseh.

“Spending so much time getting comfortable with kids, and learning how to interact with them on a level that actually teaches them something instead of just helping them have fun all week long, is something I really learned at Camp.”

Camp has helped him go deeper and take teaching to a new level.

“We talk so much about level 1 and level 2 skills and looking deeper. It’s made teaching a lot easier. It makes communicating with kids in the classroom much easier. When you can get a kid who is apathetic to get excited about something weird, it’s awesome.”

Aaron stressed to me that something that is so beneficial about working at camp, and not just for future teachers, but for anyone, is determination.

“Finding the determination and the grit to keep going – because nine weeks is a long time. I’m exhausted and it’s week five. But I know that I have to give 100% for the rest of the summer, no matter what, because that’s what the kids deserve.”

After talking with these four, I found it incredible that they all spoke so well about why they work at Camp. I expected to maybe coax them into talking highly of this job, and its importance, but they already got it. No need for a nudge from me.

There’s something transformative that happens when you work here. These four know that. And now Camp Tecumseh will continue to work hard to find future staff who will have similar experiences in the coming summers.