Summer Position

Heather Campbell Chaney Environmental Fellowship

The HCCF is granted in memory of Heather Campbell Chaney, a teacher and naturalist who passed away in 2001 while working with Catamount Institute and Palmer Land Trust. For each summer since her death, Heather’s family has awarded this fellowship to a summer staff member at Catamount Institute in memory of Heather as a way of letting her passion live on, for bringing a strong environmental ethic to our region’s youth.

The Heather Campbell Chaney Environmental Fellow works with Catamount Institute’s year-round Education Department staff to form the core teaching, leadership, and safety supervision team for all of our camps. This position demands a high level of experience as Fellows teach from existing lesson plans, write some lesson plans of their own, and are at times the lead educator in charge of camp planning, programming, or campers.

Responsibilities

Co-lead a comprehensive, age appropriate camp experience for children between the ages of 6 -15 at camps ranging from half-day to week long residential experiences
Prepare for and teach activities and lessons as assigned, including lesson review, learning background information, and supply acquisition
Generate original lesson plans to teach several times over the summer
Planning and attending staff meetings, planning sessions, and trainings
Update HCCEF social media pages
Maintain contact with the Campbell family throughout the summer
Maintain contact with the network of former HCCF fellows
Write a reflection letter at the end of the season for Catamount Institute and the Campbell Family

Know, follow, and enforce all safety guidelines associated with camp and all program areas. This includes but is not limited to being responsible for campers safety and knowing their whereabouts at all times
Identify and respond to campers behavioral issues or emotional needs. Notify camp director of concerns
Have flexibility in response to current and emergency situations and to shifts in camp responsibilities
Mentor Summer Guide Interns and Volunteers
Transport students as needed in CI supplied vehicles (15 passenger vans), must be eligible to be covered by CI driving insurance, clean driving record required.

Qualifications

College junior, senior, or bachelor’s degree preferred
Experience working with youth in the outdoors in a volunteer, staff, or professional capacity
Must be comfortable living and working in the outdoors including tent camping and hiking over rugged terrain
Preference given to applicants with advanced outdoor skills like backpacking, rock-climbing, map and compass navigation or similar abilities
Special skills (music, singing, storytelling, group dynamics, and games) helpful
Willing to ask questions and learn new things

Energetic, dedicated, & able to become involved in all aspects of the program
Science, History, or Recreation background helpful but NOT required
Current first aid and CPR certifications are required, preference given to candidates with higher certifications: WFA, WFR, Wilderness EMT, etc…
Insurable to drive our 15 passenger van, clean driving record required
Self-starter, ability to take initiative and without direct supervision, sometimes during stressful situations

Please note:

You must have housing in the Colorado Springs area.

You must be available to work Tuesday, May 28th – Tuesday, August 9th with weekends and a week off (July 3rd-7th) off.

What you should expect

Settings ranging from urban park to deep wilderness
Work, play, and sometimes live with students ages 6-15
Work-weeks at camp run Monday-Friday
Camps range from half-day programs in town to residential, overnight camps in wilderness cabins, backpacking, and tent camp outs
Mandatory staff training begins after Memorial Day and runs Tuesday-Friday. Thursday-Friday of the training week is an overnight camping trip
Camps typically end by the second week of August each summer as schools start up again

Benefits

Apply today

Click the button below to apply online. If you are a Colorado College Student please click here to apply through the Public Interest Fellowship program. All other applicants click below to apply online. Applications close March 20th.