If you want to travel to America, make lifelong memories, gain valuable experience, and bolster your skillset as a leader this summer, becoming a camp counsellor at Camp Marimeta may be the perfect move for you!
The United States is home to more than 12,000 summer camps, so narrowing down your options and finding the right summer camp can be a daunting task. Camp Marimeta is one of the 900 camps that AmeriCamp UK partners with in the United States, and we want to share a bit more about what your summer could look like if you decide to work there.
Our summer exchange program places young adults in the United Kingdom in camp counsellor positions across the country. Our goal is to help find the best American summer camp jobs for UK students, which is why we work with so many unique types of camps.
The camp we’ll be talking about here is an all-girls camp in Wisconsin where young girls can grow into confident and compassionate people. Camp Marimeta has been dedicated to creating an environment where girls can develop life skills, forge friendships, and discover their true potential.
If that sounds like something you want to be a part of, stick around to learn a bit more about the experience. In this article, we’ll be talking about:
- The history of Camp Marimeta
- Empowering girls and building leaders at Camp Marimeta
- How to work at Camp Marimeta with AmeriCamp
- A day in the life as a summer camp counsellor at Camp Marimeta
The History of Camp Marimeta
Camp Marimeta is located in Eagle River, Wisconsin—approximately 330 miles north of the city of Chicago. The camp opened on Meta Lake in 1947 and has since become a beautiful campground that houses 250+ campers and counsellors every summer.
Since the camp's inception, three families have operated it over the years. The camp started with Edna and Nate Wasserman when they bought a small three-cabin resort. From 1984 to 2021, third-generation directors, Sandy and Terry Cohen, have kept things running at Camp Marimeta, turning it into the blossoming success that it is now.
More recently, the camp has shifted ownership to Nick and Jami Kasle, both of whom grew up going to summer camps themselves and actually met at one. They are continuing the camp’s mission of giving young girls a chance to spend the summer in a safe and empowering space that is made just for them!
Empowering Girls and Building Leaders at Camp Marimeta
Camp Marimeta provides a safe and empowering space for girls to learn important life skills, find new friends, and create a sense of belonging for themselves in the world. Campers range from age 7-15 years old and come from all over the United States and abroad, with a majority from the Chicagoland area.
That said, campers and staff alike come from all over the place, giving girls the opportunity to meet new people from diverse backgrounds and connect with different cultures. All of this fosters a great environment to teach girls how to be confident and capable, so they, too, can be leaders and create more strong communities in the future.
The Camp Marimeta Philosophy
The goal at Camp Marimeta is to create a supportive and nurturing community to help young girls grow into independent and confident leaders that will continue to empower the girls that come after them! At Marimeta, campers can put the technology down and connect with peers face to face.
It’s important to teach campers to be responsible and self-sufficient, but it's equally important to teach them to be silly, creative, and true to themselves.
The Marimeta Morals
Everyone who steps foot on the Camp Marimeta campground has to follow the Marimeta Morals, but don’t worry—they’re pretty straightforward! At its core, Camp Marimeta is all about fostering a safe and healthy environment where young girls can explore their interests and become the strongest versions of themselves.
The Marimeta Morals provide a little more structure to ensure everyone has a positive experience at camp. These morals are as follows:
- Always finish what you start.
- Cheer on your friends.
- Do the right thing even when no one else is watching.
- Leave a place neater than you found it.
- Stand for what's right even if you are standing alone.
- Tell the truth in spite of the consequences.
- Thank everyone who helps you.
- We are all the same because we are all unique.
Why You Should Work at Camp Marimeta This Summer
Camp Marimeta is proud to have an over 90% return rate of campers year over year, so we’re confident they’re doing something right over there! By working at Marimeta over the summer, you can be a part of their amazing mission to empower young girls. Plus, you’ll probably learn a few things about yourself along the way, too!
This is what campers and their parents say about Camp Marimeta—you can be a part of this experience that has helped with countless young girls’ growth and development.
How to Work at Camp Marimeta with AmeriCamp
Applying to be a camp counsellor at Camp Marimeta is simple and straightforward through our summer exchange program. Our team at AmeriCamp is committed to making sure you get the most out of the experience, so you can rest assured you’re in for the summer of a lifetime. We offer countless resources on how to polish your camp counsellor resume and answer common camp counsellor interview questions to help you through the process.
Speaking of the process, let’s go through the six steps you must take to secure your spot as a camp counsellor this summer:
- Send in interest form & application
- Go live to camps
- Complete background check
- Fill out health history forms
- Navigate the visa process
- Attend AmeriCamp orientation
Interest Form and AmeriCamp Application
The process starts with submitting a free application that expresses your interest in learning more about the program. After you connect with one of our dedicated team members, you’ll be prompted to start your official AmeriCamp application to be a camp counsellor.
In your application, you’ll be able to tell us more about your unique skills, past experience, and your motivations for becoming a summer camp counsellor. On this application, you will also be able to indicate your preference for a specific camp. It’s important to note that your final placement isn’t guaranteed to be your first choice, but it will be taken into consideration along with your skills and interests.
In addition to submitting your official application, you will participate in a virtual interview with one of our brand ambassadors, so we can learn more about each other before everything gets set into motion.
Going Live to Camps on Our Site
After your application is accepted, your profile will go live on our site, so you can begin matching with viable summer camps in America. Even if you’ve listed your preferences for specific camps, it’s smart to explore all your options! AmeriCamp works with 900 different camps across the United States, and you may not even know your dream camp exists yet!
Background Check
From here, you’ll have to complete a background check through our DBS website. Our team must countersign this document, so it’s important that you complete this check through our website. You can expect to receive an official certificate within two to four weeks of submitting your background check, but you should allow yourself extra time for potential delays.
Health History Forms
Before you can travel abroad, you also must submit a health history form. Once you receive the form, your registered GP for Health & Safety must complete it. Some places may charge a small fee for doing this, but it will depend on their specific policies.
Visa Process
To travel abroad to the United States, you have to apply for a J-1 visa. In addition to helping you find the perfect camp for the summer, AmeriCamp acts as a J-1 visa sponsor and will help guide you through the process of traveling abroad for the summer.
To get you started, our team will issue you your DS-2019 form confirming your sponsorship through our program. With that form, you’ll be eligible to apply at your local US embassy. At your appointment, you’ll go through a quick interview process and leave your passport with the embassy office, so they can add the visa to it.
You can expect to have it returned to you within five to ten days, and then you’re one step closer to becoming a J-1 camp counsellor in the summer!
AmeriCamp Orientation
Before we send you on your way to your dream summer job, you must attend an AmeriCamp orientation. During this meeting, we’ll go over everything you need to know about your upcoming summer in America and answer any of your last minute questions.
After orientation and once you have your visa in hand, you can book your flights and get ready to go. Your camp will share all the necessary travel information with you, so you know when you need to be there and where to go.
If you’re thinking about being a summer camp counsellor with AmeriCamp, come check us out at one of our summer camp job fairs to learn more about the experience!
Preparing for Your Summer Camp Counsellor Job Abroad
Once you’ve completed all the official requirements for being a camp counsellor in America, it’s time for the fun stuff! There’s a seemingly never-ending list of things to bring to camp as a counsellor to ensure you’re comfortable and prepared for everything camp life has to offer.
For starters, you shouldn’t leave for camp without:
- Comfortable clothes and shoes
- First aid kit
- Hat and sunglasses
- Insect repellent and sunscreen
- Laundry bag
- Rain gear
- Swimwear
- Toiletries
- And the list goes on!
Summers in Wisconsin are typically sunny and hot, but the Midwest weather can be fickle. It’s in your best interest to be prepared for anything by bringing some warmer clothes, rain gear, and plenty of changes of clothes.
Check out our AmeriCamp packing list before you go to make sure you didn’t miss any camp counsellor essentials!
Finally, there are some things you should not bring: your devices! Camp Marimeta is a chance for you to disconnect from the busy and overstimulating world, so you can reconnect with the more important aspects of life without any distractions.
We spend so much time on our phones or absorbed in other devices. Sometimes, being required to leave it all behind is the best way to learn to live without them again. Without the distraction of these devices, our campers and counsellors can forge deeper connections with one another.
A Day in the Life as a Summer Camp Counsellor at Camp Marimeta
Before you commit to Camp Marimeta for the summer, you probably want to learn a bit more about what the experience is like on a day-to-day basis. The fun part about camp is every day is different, and you can expect fun and exciting new experiences every day! That said, here’s a bit more about your typical schedule as well as all the activities the camp offers.
A Normal Day at Camp
Attending Camp Marimeta is much like attending any summer camp in many ways. You’ll wake up, eat breakfast, enjoy a day packed with dynamic, creative activities, break for lunch, enjoy more activities, and come together for dinner and an evening program. The infographic below can give you a better idea of what your average day looks like at camp.
Camp Marimeta Facilities
Camp Marimeta sits on a private 200-acre lake that is reserved just for the campers. The camp itself features thirteen comfortable cabins complete with electricity and running water (hot and cold!). The rest of the camp’s staff live in the main lodge, which has common spaces open to all the campers.
Additionally, Camp Marimeta has:
- Accessible health center complete with two nurses and a weekly physician.
- Archery fields and a 31-foot climbing wall.
- Athletic fields, volleyball courts, and golfing cages.
- Four fully lit tennis courts and one fully lit basketball court.
- Private waterfront for all kinds of water-related activities.
- Recreation hall complete with a beautifully lit stage.
- Sprawling mess hall where campers can enjoy delicious food from our chefs on staff.
- Tennis complex for lessons led by two professional tennis players.
And as if you needed any extra convincing that Camp Marimeta is the place to be, they also have some of the best food for camping. They offer an endless variety of options for every meal—and the snacks in between, too! Some of the delicious options you can expect include:
- Bacon
- Chicken fingers
- Danishes
- Eggs
- French toast
- Fresh fruit
- Grilled cheese
- Lasagna
- Lemon chicken
- Pancakes
- Salads
- Steak
- Turkey & gravy
- Your favorite cereals
- And so much more!
Plus, you can drop by the lodge for fresh fruit all day long and get candy, soda, and a nighttime snack from the canteen. Campers and counsellors will be able to satisfy their cravings and catch up with each other each day over meals and snacks.
Types of Activities at Camp Marimeta
There’s endless fun to have at Camp Marimeta all day and all night. There are so many exciting activities available, allowing campers and counsellors to learn new skills and bond over shared experiences together.
No matter your hobbies or skills, we guarantee you can find something fun to do each and every day at camp. Plus, you’ll have opportunities to learn brand-new skills that you may have never even dreamed of trying.
Some of the activities offered at Camp Marimeta include (but are not limited to):
- Archery
- Arts and crafts
- Camping skills
- Climbing
- Cooking
- Dance
- Drama
- Fishing
- Horseback riding
- Kayaking and canoeing
- Land and water sports
- Photography
- Sailing
- Yoga
- Waterskiing
- And so much more!
As a summer camp counsellor, it’s your job to connect with the campers and ensure everyone is having a good time. Between Camp Marimeta’s facilities and amazing activities, you won’t be hard pressed to do that! In addition to all the planned activities in store at camp, you have the opportunity to go above and beyond to create special memories for your campers every day. Check out these camp counsellor activity ideas to go above and beyond with your campers!
Get Ready to Spend Your Summer at Camp Marimeta
By the time this summer comes around, you can be preparing to embark on your journey to work as a summer camp counsellor in the states. All you have to do is contact the AmeriCamp team to fill out the initial interest application, and we’ll guide you through the rest of the process.
Our team is made up of experienced, driven individuals who have all spent multiple summers away at camp, so they understand how best to place new counsellors in the best camps across the country. Reach out or come see us in our office in Manchester to learn more about the process, and in the meantime, check out our blog for tips, stories, and more about the AmeriCamp experience!
