wateradventure.jpeg

Work at Tekoa

Summer Employment at Camp Tekoa

We know you have many summer opportunities from which to choose: internships, travel, school, work; but Tekoa's summer employment opportunities are unlike any other. Our mission here at Tekoa is "Touching hearts, changing lives, sharing the light of Christ."

Through fun programming and outdoor ministry, our staff are able to meet the mission of Camp Tekoa and help make a difference in many camper's lives. We offer summer employment opportunities for high school and college students from all over the United States and the world. Each summer we employ approximately 100 staff members to serve our 2000+ campers.

As a staff member at Tekoa, you will gain a tremendous amount of leadership experience, explore and share your faith with campers of all ages, and make friendships that will last a lifetime.

2026 Season Applications

Staff Positions

LIT (Leader in Training): Current Juniors in High School

SA FGL (Staff Assistant Family Group Leader): Current Seniors in High School

Senior Staff FGL: 18+ years old

Support Staff: Coordinators, Resources, Specialists, Directors and full-time Support Staff roles

Apply Now

Volunteer Positions

Barnabas Team, Pastors of the Week, Nurses of the Week, Drivers, Kitchen Team, FGLs, and more

2026 Volunteer Application: Coming Soon

Reference Forms

Please have references fill out the form below. Returners only need 1 reference, everyone else will need 3 references.

2026 Reference Form

All reference letters and applications are submitted online. Interviews are conducted following the receipt of your application and references.

Feel free to call the office if you have any questions at all. Thank you!

Read Job Descriptions Staff Interest Form

Available Positions

Support Staff

Support staff positions are a variety of positions available in order to best support our Family Group Leaders throughout the summer. These roles include coordinators, specialists, directors and resource staff.

View Support Staff Jobs

Senior Staff Family Group Leader (Counselor)

Family Group Leaders make up the majority of our staff. They are paired up with a different Family Group Leader each week and together they are in charge of facilitating weekly camp activities for their assigned group of 14 boy/girl campers.

Family Group Leaders work with our Day Camp, Overnight Camp, Adventure Camp and Special Needs Camps. Family Group Leaders live in the cabins with their assigned campers. Age group assignments rotate weekly. The FGL role has the most variety week to week.

View Senior Staff FGL Job Description
Senior Staff Family Group Leader

Staff Assistant Family Group Leaders (SA FGL)

Must be a high school graduate, starting first year of college and a minimum age of 17 years old

The SA FGL program is described as the backbone of our staff, because our SA FGL's are used in many capacities here at Tekoa. Staff Assistants are used flexibly throughout the camp, filling support staff positions as well as Family Group Leader positions alongside Senior Staff members.

Tekoa's SA FGL program is designed to allow recent high school graduates the opportunity to:

  • Share the light of Christ with children and youth in an outdoor Christian camp atmosphere
  • Gain experience, leading all camp programs and activities for elementary and middle school, day and overnight campers
  • Work alongside and learn from a community of highly trained senior staff
  • Explore and grow Christian faith
  • Engage in Christian fellowship with fellow Tekoa staff and volunteers

Day Camp Family Group Leader (DC Counselor)

Day Camp Family Group Leaders are a smaller team of camp counselors. They are typically paired up with a different Senior Staff Family Group Leader each week and together they are in charge of facilitating weekly camp activities for their assigned group of 12-14 boy/girl campers.

Led and mentored by a Day Camp Director and Day Camp Assistant Director, Day Camp FGLs work with our Younger Elementary School Day Camp, Older Elementary School Adventure Day Camp, and sometimes Middle School Day Camp. Day Camp Family Group Leaders live at their homes off site away from camp and come to camp property each morning and leave each evening. Age group assignments rotate weekly.

JOB DESCRIPTION COMING SOON

Leaders in Training (LITs)

Must be a rising high school senior and a minimum age of 16 years old

The LIT program is fully experiential (learning by doing, experiencing, and living it out). The design of the LIT program is very intentional about leadership experience. Each aspect of the program is designed to meet our goals. After serving as a LIT volunteer, many of our LITs continue on to become leaders with their home youth groups, children ministries, schools, scout groups, etc.

Because the LIT program is a multi-week volunteer opportunity, participants are able to log hundreds of volunteer hours for college applications. The LIT program is also a great way to prepare for future summers on staff at Tekoa. The LIT program at Camp Tekoa is free for participants. It is a volunteer professional development, experiential learning program. The LIT position is not a paid role, however it directly sets up the LIT to be ready for paid staff roles at Camp Tekoa the next summer.

Tekoa's LIT program is designed to provide rising high school seniors the opportunity to:

  • Share the light of Christ with children and youth in an outdoor Christian camp atmosphere
  • Gain experience, leading games and activities for campers
  • Work alongside and learn from a community of highly trained senior staff
  • Explore and grow in Christian faith
  • Provide support for campers and staff throughout the summer
  • Engage in Christian fellowship with fellow LITs and Tekoa staff

LIT Commitment: LITs are asked to make a commitment to serve 1 of the 2 training weeks plus multiple of the serving weeks during the summer. LITs can sign up for between 1 and 7 serving weeks after their training week. The schedule is designed to be accommodating to LITs' potentially busy summer schedule.

LIT Serving Weeks rotate through these options: Discovery Week, 3rd in a Group Week, Day Camp Week, Adventure Week

Application Process

Tekoa has a hiring process that examines a number of personal qualities that each applicant must possess and requires them to complete a thorough application process.

Senior Staff (FGLs & Support Staff)

  • Complete an online application
  • Have 3 personal references submit online reference forms
  • Complete a personal interview (in-person or online)
  • Pass a national history background check

Returning Senior Staff

  • Complete an online application
  • Have 1 reference submit an online reference
  • Complete a personal interview (in-person or online)
  • Pass a national history background check

Staff Assistant FGLs & LITs

  • Complete an online application
  • Have 3 personal references submit online reference forms
  • Complete a personal interview (in-person or online)
  • Pass a national history background check (SA FGLs only)

What We Look For

The personal qualities and criteria we look for in our applicants:

  • A Christian, high school or college age student excited about Tekoa's mission of "Touching hearts, changing lives, sharing the light of Christ"
  • Evidence that they enjoy interacting with children
  • Excitement for working in the outdoors
  • Signs of being a good listener
  • Able to think quickly and react positively to pressure situations
  • Good attitude and good character
  • Evidence of working well with others
  • Ready to laugh, cry and smile alongside their campers

Staff Training

Senior Staff Training

All Senior Staff are required to complete a two-week training course prior to the summer season. We understand that our staff relies on each other throughout the summer as their encouragement and support. Because of this, we find it important to pack our staff training with lots of time for fellowship and building staff relations.

Staff training consists of six main components:

  • Program/activity facilitation
  • Camper education, including management and camper/parent relations
  • Camp policies and procedures
  • Worship and devotions
  • Staff fellowship
  • Specialized training (CPR/AED/First Aid, etc.)

Additional Certifications Available: Senior Staff are given the opportunity to be certified as a Lifeguard by the American Red Cross and/or as a Ropes Course Facilitator. Lifeguard training dates are the week before Senior Staff training. Ropes Course Facilitator training dates are also the week before Senior Staff training. Adventure Resource training dates are mixed into Senior Staff training and potentially during some weekends prior to the start of Senior Staff training.

Staff Assistant Family Group Leader (SA FGL) Training

SA FGL training is a shortened version of the Senior Staff training. The SA FGL training is broad in scope, as we use our SA FGL's to fill many positions at Tekoa.

SA FGL's will gain knowledge in five training component areas (these training components will focus on elementary and middle school age camp programs):

  • Program/activity facilitation
  • Camper education, including management and camper/parent relations
  • Camp policies and procedures
  • Worship and devotions
  • Staff fellowship
  • Specialized training (CPR/AED/First Aid, etc.)

Leader In Training (LIT)

Our LIT program is intended for learning and leading and is geared towards preparing our volunteers for working with children and youth in a Christian camp atmosphere. We focus on training our LITs in small and large group activities, nature programs, leading campfires, spiritual growth, and personal growth.

The first week of the LIT experience is training. Our LITs then may have subsequent weeks with experiences serving with day camp, being a 3rd in a group role, serving as support to FGLs, facilitating interest groups, leading a "Fun With LITs" activity for campers, rotating through program responsibilities, or assisting an Adventure Resource on off site adventure trips.

Summer Internships

All internships at Camp Tekoa are paid internships unless the intern specifically requests volunteer hours instead in order to meet specific requirements of their academic department.

Internships For Your College Classes

Some college students will have classes, professors, minors, or majors that require an internship for academic credit. Every summer Camp Tekoa is a host site for these types of internships. The Assistant Director and Executive Director meet with the intern regularly. They complete forms and other paperwork required by the college.

Examples of common Academic Internship functions that Camp Tekoa can provide:

  • Interview intern
  • Issue formal contract
  • Communicate with professor(s) or academic department head
  • Orientation
  • Fill out and sign a weekly hours log
  • Complete mid season review
  • Weekly check in meetings
  • Collaborate and advise on a project
  • Complete end of season review

Internships For Your Professional Development

Some college students are not required to complete an internship academically, but they are looking to grow, learn, improve themselves, gain professional skills, and build their resume. Sometimes professors, mentors, or other leaders in life encourage you to get an internship over the summer to prepare you for the working world. A summer job at Camp Tekoa meets all those needs.

Skills you'll develop:

  • Leadership
  • Risk Management
  • Group facilitation
  • Hospitality
  • Team dynamics
  • Collaboration skills
  • Scheduling
  • Task management
  • Project management
  • Managing equipment
  • Problem solving
  • Complex planning
  • Networking abilities
  • Public speaking
  • Teaching
  • Training others

Year-Round Employment

Year-round employment opportunities will be posted here as they become available.

For inquiries about year-round positions, please contact the camp office at (828) 692-6516.

Ready to Join the Tekoa Team?

We'd love to hear from you! Whether you're ready to apply or just want to learn more, get in touch with us today.

Apply Now Staff Interest Form

Questions? Call us at (828) 692-6516