Summer Camp as a Resume Builder
Does your child have a resume? Increasingly, students in high school and even middle school are discovering that their experience, accomplishments, and skills will open up exciting opportunities for them, from college admissions and competitive scholarships to part-time jobs and internships.
While good grades and after-school activities remain the go-to ways to gain experience, parents should consider sending their kids to a summer camp that will promote leadership skills and practical knowledge. The following are four ways that camp can enhance your child’s resume.
Skill Building
Over the past several years, the summer camp landscape has diversified to include specialized programs such as dance, sports, art, music, leadership, and more. While a general camp can introduce kids to a variety of fun new hobbies, students who already have a strong interest in a particular subject should think about attending a specialized camp.
Camps devoted to the fine arts typically hire top-notch instructors, whether professional actors, renowned choreographers, or college professors, allowing your student to advance well beyond his or her current ability. In addition, special interest camps provide a unique environment where kids can meet like-minded friends and feel safe to express themselves.
If your high school student hopes to land an athletic scholarship, a sports camp can give him or her the competitive edge he or she needs. Like art camps, programs devoted to a specific sport often have the best instruction and most rigorous training regimens.
Even general camps can provide excellent opportunities to develop life skills. Look for programs that emphasize leadership, cooperation, diversity, and volunteerism.
Academic Enrichment
Attendance at an academic camp looks great on a college application. A science camp, math Olympics, writing workshop, or history class can prepare your student for his or her college major. Academically-minded extracurricular camps, including chess tournaments, debate teams, astronomy clubs, and quiz bowls, can still keep campers' minds sharp during the summer months and improve their chances of getting into a choice school.
Camps likewise supply students with important material for admission essays. Many schools require applicants to write about topics such as leadership training, a time when they resolved a conflict, or an experience that made them a better person. The camp environment is a rich experience that fosters such personal growth.
Social Connections
The friendships that kids make at camp can one day turn into important social connections and networking opportunities. Many camps host an alumni network so that the campers, staff, and families can reconnect long after the summer ends. These relationships provide a great way to learn about new opportunities, potential jobs, and exciting programs.
Through social networking, parents of campers can share with one another what their kids have been doing. Your camper might leave a positive impression on the staff, who offer them a part-time job during the school year. Your kids might even meet their future college roommate at a summer camp.
Future Employment
Many camps institute counselor-in-training courses to raise up a new generation of staff members. Your camper can begin to develop crucial work skills while still having a blast. Often, high school students assist with the elementary school children, running games, planning events, coaching sports, or simply supervising. Sometimes, campers take initiative among their own peer group, leading a set of activities or helping a staff member with the day-to-day operations.
By applying to become a counselor-in-training, kids can get hands-on experience and pave the way toward future employment at the camp. Even if that particular camp does not hire them, the experience is a great item to include on a resume when applying to other jobs.
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