Church camps

  Each summer as school lets out for summer vacation, many high school and college students are employed with various summer jobs, ranging from working at a fast food restaurant to working for a landscaping business. There are also a large number of students that devote their entire summer to traveling away from home and working at summer church camps.

  The jobs entitled to working at a summer church camp and range from being a camp counselor to simply being a part of the kitchen staff. Over the past several years, working at a church camp has become a popular form of summer employment amongst teenagers and young adults. The history of church camps in the United States dates all the way back to the late 19th century. 

  During the late 1880s, summer camps were established in the United States to help reconnect boys living in large cities (such as New York and Chicago) with nature. These summer camps lasted during the months children were not in school during the summer, and included activities such as swimming, hunting and playing Indian. Although these camps were primarily based around reconnection with nature, there were evening church services held outdoors on Sundays to connect the boys with God.

  The original summer camp that began to stress spirituality in relationship with nature and the outdoor life was the establishment of the first YMCA camp in 1885, started by Sumner Dudley in Wesport, New York.

  Beginning in 1892, girl's summer camp developed when girls were allowed to attend boy's summer camp for strictly one month out of the summer. It wasn't until ten years later that the first all girls camp debuted at Camp Wyonegonic in Bridgton, Maine.

  Following the creation of the Bennett Spring Church Camp in Lindenlure, Missouri in 1936, church camps began to create momentum and camps were quickly being established for every denomination during the 1940s and 1950s.

  Since then, church camps become more organized and recognized. The consistent theme represented in all church camps, of any denomination, is creating an impact in children's lives with spirituality and holiness.

  As each summer vacation arrives, there are many Muskingum University students that briefly spend time at home before leaving on a four month endeavor of strengthening campers' faith in guidance and direction. Three of those students include junior Tino Estose and seniors Michael Besl and Katie McCarrell.

  Estose chose to work at Camp Presmont this past summer, which is a non-profit Christian summer camp located on Piedmont Lake in Belmont County, Ohio. Estose decided to spend his first summer ever working at a church camp because he wanted to take advantage of the opportunity of developing relationships and teach the campers they are loved by the Holy Spirit.

  "[For me, working at a church camp] was an opportunity to meet new people and develop relationships as well as an opportunity show these youth that they have a heavenly father that loves them," said Estose.

  Camp Presmont's focus is to provide youth "with the opportunity to experience spiritual growth through a highly concentrated ministry of God's word." The camp's mission statement is "Helping all know, love and share the Lord!" This mission statement is accomplished through devoted counselors and a natural environment preaching God's word.

  Estose's work position at Camp Presmont had no concrete definition as he was the camp handyman.

  "I did not have a task specific position," said Estose. "However, I was responsible for working in the kitchen on a daily basis, mowing lawns, occasional pontoon driving, playing guitar at campfires, and overall being available to help in any fashion."

  Besl captured his interest in working at summer camps early on as a kid after being a camper and seeing the amount of fun his older brother had as a camp counselor. Besl works at YMCA Camp Ernst, which is located in Burlington, Ky. and is part of the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati.

  Besl chose Camp Ernst because it offers its campers a pleasing expericne.

  "I like working at a YMCA camp because I think it provides a well-rounded experience to its campers," said Besl.

  The YMCA is known for its equilateral triangle of spirit, mind and body.