Camp Tawonga

Updates: Hiring for Summer 2024!

Hiring:

Dates of Employment: May 21, 2024 to August 10, 2024

Salary: $$6030 plus room and board 

Job Responsibilities 

Team Work and Leadership 

• Trains and supervises Prep Cooks 

• Role modeling, tone setting, time management, and working alongside other cooks to execute daily tasks and clean-up. 

• Creates positive relationships with wilderness team and staff picking up pack-outs. o Having a good attitude, it spreads to others. 

• Friendly and constant communication with your team, as well as other Kitchen Supervisors and Cooks on shift. 

Initiative and Responsibility 

• Responsible for all campers’ allergens: educating staff and assuring the safety of alternative eaters at every meal and with every pack-out. 

• Plan the weekly Alternative Foods menu and review with the Kitchen Manager. o Prepare, cook, and serve vegan and vegetarian options, and all allergen-free food options. 

• Supply all the food (“packouts”) that will be served or made outside of the Dining Hall and/or main camp meals. This includes packed food to be taken out of camp (e.g. for backpacking trips), packed food to be eaten outside of the Dining Hall (e.g. unit dance), and supplies for cooking activities. 

• Take regular inventory of pack-out and Alternative Foods specialty items and communicate with the Kitchen Manager. 

• Being on time and prepared: being on time means ready to go with a prep list written and organized before the scheduled shift begins. 

• Always doing your best, taking pride in a job well done, asking for clarification if you don’t understand what is expected or how to do it safely/correctly. 

Physical Work 

• You will be on your feet for 8 or more hours in a hot kitchen. 

• You must be able to lift up to 50 lbs. at a time. 

• You are removed from the campers. Find ways of making your work fit into the mission in a supporting role. 

Member of Kitchen Supervisor Team 

• Have regular check-ins with the Kitchen Manager and/or Assistant Kitchen Manager to ensure the smooth running of the kitchen; give input for the weekly menu. o Attend weekly all-staff meetings at 10:15p every Wednesday. Attend weekly kitchen supervisor meetings at 8:15p every Monday. Attend and participate in running weekly kitchen staff meetings at 1:45p every Tuesday. 

• Train and support Prep Cooks scheduled to work in the Alternative Foods kitchen and write evaluations of supervisees two times over the summer.

Day in the Life 

• Each Alternative Foods Cook is scheduled daily on one of two shifts o AM Shift: begins between 5:00a and 6:00a (depending on menu). Responsible for preparing, serving, and clearing Breakfast and Lunch. Prepare and deliver lunch for the Challenge Course. Prepare and distribute packouts. 

• PM Shift: begins at 1:45p. Responsible for preparing, serving, and clearing Dinner. Prepare and distribute packouts. 

• Experiment with new recipes for main Dining Hall meals throughout the summer. o Take notes on all recipes 

• Type notes and mastered recipes to be saved for future use/Kitchen Cookbook

Every program in the Wilderness Department is designed both to create stronger, well-bonded groups and to foster a respect, appreciation and stewardship of nature. Wilderness leaders rotate during the summer through a combination of the four roles, outlined below.

Dates of Employment: May 23, 2024 - August 10, 2024

Salary: $4940 per season plus $150 early commitment bonus if signed contract before Jan. 20, 2024, plus room and board

Up to $900 Reimbursement for WFR Certification and up to $300 reimbursement for LGT Certification

Job Responsibilities:

• Backpacking Trip Leader 

  • Solo lead groups of 12 campers and 2 counselors on 1-2 night backpacking trips in the Yosemite area and surrounding wilderness areas. You are the primary leader on these trips. o Get camper medical info, meds, and diet/allergy info. Stock and carry a first aid kit. o Transportation: Know departure and pick-up times and route, drive safely. 

  • Maintain safety throughout trips. 

  • Provide fun, experiential and educational outdoor programming. 

• Challenge Course Leader 

  • Lead each bunk through a full day of initiatives, low and high elements on the Camp Tawonga Challenge Course. 

  • Set up and take down the course daily and maintain equipment to ensure safety. o Meet with counselors to review the goals of the day, their role, and belay skills. o Facilitate sharing, listening, safe risk-taking, reflection and fun. 

  • Check in with your co-facilitator(s) each day. 

• Quest Leaders 

  • Co-lead a group of teenagers on one, two or three week van trips through California or the Pacific Northwest. 

  • Drive passenger vans, keep financial accounting records, write in daily journal, manage group dynamics and individual needs, communicate with camp, offer creative programming, provide medical care, and represent Tawonga’s interests, image, and character with campers, families, outfitters, and the general public. 

  • When you are a quest leader you are a counselor, specialist, cook, health center and more!

• Teva/Naturalist or Farmhand 

  • Create new nature based programming and lead programming around the property. o Weave new and traditional Jewish ways of enjoying, respecting, and caring for the natural world into your activities. 

  • Care for Tawonga’s farm and garden spaces. 

Qualifications:

• Must be 21 or older 

• Must have current certifications: 

  • Lifeguard Certification (LGT) 

  • Wilderness First Responder Certification (WFR) 

  • ServSafe Certification 

  • A safe driving record 

• Experience with children and prior experience backpacking are essential.

• Experience with rock climbing and belaying, natural history, environmental education, and Judaic knowledge are helpful. 

• Be able to lift 50 lbs 

* If you do not possess these certifications Tawonga may help cover the costs of obtaining them.

Day in the Life (Backpacking) 

6:00AM – Wake up early to mountains and rivers in the backcountry; pack personal backpack and get water boiling. 

6:45AM – Wake up bunk and help them get packed up. 

7:30AM – Yummy backcountry breakfast as the sun hits your breakfast spot. 9:00AM – Stretch and get hiking! Hike through the Yosemite wilderness. 

12:00PM – Lunch at the trailhead, meet your driver and load those packs! 2:30PM – Back at camp, unload and take a break. 

4:00PM – Greet your next bunk and help them get prepared for backpacking. 6:00PM – Dinner at Camp, prep for your backpack trip and get a good night's rest! 

Tawonga requires staff to be up to date on vaccinations and staff may be required to participate in COVID-19 testing and health screening.

Location: Groveland, CA in the Sierra Mountains just outside of Yosemite National Park 

Position Qualifications: Licensed, Registered Nurse. Pediatric, ER, and/or camp experience helpful. Supervision experience is a plus. Wilderness First Responder recommended (Camp Tawonga will pay for you to receive this training if you do not already possess it). 

Salary: $12,500 or more DOE, plus room and board for you and immediate family members (partner and or children), plus childcare for your children (if applicable). High speed internet is available for family members needing to work remotely. 

About Camp Tawonga: Camp Tawonga is a residential children’s summer camp located outside Yosemite National Park. The campers range in age from 7-17 and participate in 1-week, 2-week, or 3-week programs throughout the summer. The Camp Tawonga Staff is a dedicated group of 200+, working together to create a vital Jewish community where children thrive. This outstanding team includes people with both Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds. 

Camp Tawonga’s mission is to foster positive self-esteem for campers, create a cooperative community committed to justice, equity and inclusion, teach children to live in partnership with nature, and offer children a positive experience of spirituality and Jewish identity. The work at Camp is demanding, with long hours, high intensity, and little privacy. The rewards are great: the joy of helping children grow, the beauty of the mountains and river, and the camaraderie of working with other enthusiastic and caring staff. 

Job Responsibilities 

• Act as the primary health care provider at Camp and run the Health Center in it’s day to day operations 

• Oversee daily clinics for campers and staff with injuries or symptoms of illness, aka “health call”

• Oversee daily camper medication distribution and maintain Medication Administration Records.

• Read camper and staff medical files to understand the health conditions and treatments of the community 

• Supervise, support and train four Health Technicians who are WFRs or EMTs

• Conduct training for staff on Basic First Aid, a supplemental wilderness first aid session for the Wilderness staff, and additional training for drivers, lifeguards and kitchen staff.

• Act as a host & liaison for visiting MD each week 

• Maintain and update camper and staff health forms and files. Log patient interactions, maintain daily records in ACA log, and complete online forms when referring patients for outside care.

• Communicate with camper parents 

• Be on hand for any emergencies and to care for any patients. 

• medical supplies throughout the summer as needed and keep accurate inventory.

• Coordinate all hospital visits 

• Coordinate pickup of new prescriptions from local pharmacies. 

• Attend and participate in daily 5:00 management team meetings. 

Tawonga requires staff to be up to date on vaccinations and staff may be required to participate in COVID-19 testing and health screening.

Dates of Employment: June 1, 2024 - August 10, 2024

Salary: $3750 per season plus room and board

Job Responsibilities

• Safety 

  • Safety must come first ALL of the time. 

  • Drivers follow required systems carefully, for example doing a pre-trip vehicle inspection before every drive and making sure everyone is wearing seatbelts on every trip. o It is imperative to be well rested, alert, and focused. 

• Team Work 

  • Working cooperatively in a small group with the same people all summer. 

  • Having a good attitude, it spreads to others. 

  • Sharing the desirable and less desirable work. 

• Initiative and Responsibility 

  • Being on time and prepared. 

  • Going above and beyond. When one task is done, asking for the next. 

• Department Area Skill 

  • Be able to drive large SUVs and passenger vans with up to 10 people in the car at a time on windy mountain roads for up to 2 hours without a break. 

  • Drive a vehicle towing a trailer, with training provided. 

  • Drive staff and campers to drop-off and pick-up locations up to 5 hours away from camp for out-of-camp trips, run errands, drop off recycling, escort the camper buses to and from the Bay Area, and drive campers and staff to medical care when needed. 

  • Attend overnight camper car camping trips - drive campers, help as requested by wilderness leader on the trip, sleep overnight at campground site. 

Qualifications 

• Must be 21 years old or older 

• A safe driving record 

• Be able to lift up to 50 lbs 

Day in the Life 

5:30AM – 6:00AM – Wake up after a good/restful night of sleep (eight hours) 6:00AM – Pre-trip vehicle inspections 

6:30AM – 7:00AM – Depart on morning drives 

9:00AM – 10:00AM – Drop off campers, eat breakfast with campers at trailhead 12:30PM – Pick up another group of campers in Yosemite and drive them back to camp 2:30PM – Return to camp, refuel vehicles 

3:30PM – Break 

6:45PM – Daily driver meeting. Find out where you are going the next day, review maps. 9:15PM – Bed time so they can get eight hours of sleep! 

In general drivers should expect to drive 4-8 hours a day (not in a row). If they only have one drive, they may do vehicle maintenance or help in the office. If not dropping off trips they may run errands for camp or serve as “driver on duty”. 

Tawonga requires staff to be up to date on vaccinations and staff may be required to participatein COVID-19 testing and health screening.

Additional Information About Camp Tawonga

For over 90 years, Camp Tawonga has served as a leader in Jewish camping, fostering in children a deep connection to nature, community and Judaism within a warm, welcoming and inclusive environment.  The Camp Tawonga Staff is a family of over 200 dedicated staff, working together to create a vibrant Jewish community where children have a safe, meaningful summer in the beautiful Sierra Mountains. Camp Tawonga's beautiful property encompasses 160 acres along the Tuolumne River, inside the Stanislaus National Forest, just seven miles from Yosemite National Park. 

The campers’ experience is the focus of all staff, whether counselor or prep cook, lifeguard or backpacking leader, office staff, or driver. The work is demanding, with long hours, high intensity, and little privacy. The rewards are great — the delight of helping children grow, the beauty of the mountains and river, and the joy of working as part of a team of enthusiastic and caring staff. This outstanding team includes people with both Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds, all of whom enjoy the Jewish customs and culture, which come alive at Camp Tawonga.

How to Apply

To apply, fill out and submit your online application HERE. After reviewing your application, someone from our team will reach out to schedule an interview. To be considered in our first round of hiring decisions, you must submit your online application, references, and have an interview by mid-January. After that, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis for any remaining open positions.

Please contact Staffing Coordinator, Quan Phung, at quan@tawonga.org or 415.543.2267 with any questions..