Staff

Camp Phoenix is staffed by a combination of counselors from the Du Bois Center and volunteers from the Diocese of Missouri under the guidance of a director, an assistant director, and a chaplain appointed by the Diocese.

Paid Staff
The counselors from the Du Bois Center staff the waterfront, corral, archery range, and cycling activities. They are selected, trained, and paid by the Du Bois Center. Most of them are college-age and many of them are from outside the United States and come to the Du Bois Center through an international program that screens and selects qualified foreign students with English-language skills and links them to the camp. Through their interaction with the campers, the campers are introduced to different cultures and the counselors in turn learn more about the United States and its people.

The Du Bois Center also provides kitchen and maintenance staff and a registered nurse is always on duty and on site and holds regular office hours in the morning and evening to assist campers with minor ailments and administering medication.

Volunteers
Volunteers are drawn from around the Diocese. Last year's volunteers included youth group leaders, Scout leaders, three priests, and a seminarian. We are looking for more of the same this summer along with more college-age counselors and individuals or couples with youth work experience. It is an idea job for teachers on summer break, college students studying to be teachers or youth workers, and parish youth group leaders.

Volunteer counselors must be:

at least 18 years of age;
be willing to submit to a background check;
complete the Diocese's mandatory training in child sexual abuse prevention;
be available for a two-day, one-night training at the camp prior to the session (the dates for the training will be announced);
be physically able to undergo the rigors of a camp setting, including walking everywhere you go, sleeping on a cot in a cabin without air-conditioning, tolerating the Midwest's summer heat and humidity;
be able to relate to and work with children ages 6 to 16 with a wide variety of personalities, backgrounds, and abilities;
be willing to participate in religious activities;
and be able to work from the morning of July 30 to the afternoon of Aug. 5.

To apply for a position, email: k-dyer@juno.com. We provide you with training, curriculum materials, insurance, transportation to and from camp if necessary, all meals, a cool T-shirt and waterbottle, and all the sun block you desire.