Internships
Interns
Each summer, we welcome a cohort of passionate, independent, and caring young adults to serve as both leaders and learners in our community. We call them interns.
We value growth. That means we love and appreciate our interns, who form a camp leadership team under the supervision of directors. Our interns are paid, receive room and board, and gain extensive professional development in a challenging and rewarding environment. Ranging from administrative to adventurous to agricultural, our internships provide hands-on experience that fosters professional skills and personal connections. Not in school? No worries. Our internships are designed with growth in mind, but we don’t require you to be seeking a degree or course credit.
Camp Professionals
Counselor Intern (19+)
Late May to August Resident Position Want to dive deeper into camp or outdoor education? Any of our Counselor positions can be turned into an internship that meets your course credit needs. Centered on skill-building, teaching experience, and reflection, the Counselor Internship is a way to focus your experience at GRP into a formal learning opportunity. You will be assigned an advisor, who will help fill out paperwork and approve any schedule changes or other accommodations you need. You’ll end the summer with a final project, like a full-day lesson you prepare and teach, for example, and a strong recommendation from our directors.
We find that students who focus on nonprofits, recreation management, trip leading, or education have the most seamless fit with this internship.
Program Intern (21+)
February to April Part-time Position Camp is a magical experience, but it takes more than magic to make it happen! Perfect for recreation majors or students interested in nonprofit management, the spring Program Internship provides a glimpse into how we create and plan for summer camp. Work alongside the Program Director to organize program and staff training plans, manage website updates and blogs, and ensure we’re complying with industry standards. End the semester with a final project that will make your resume shine.
We find that students with strong organizational skills, a flexible attitude, and experience with Microsoft Word and Excel programs have the most success.
Summer Camp Intern (21+)
May to August Resident Position When you look in the mirror, do you see a future camp director?
Maybe you’re not there yet, and that’s okay. The Summer Camp Internship will provide you with a breadth of experience that will serve you well in any career. Spend each day working closely with the Program Director, learning best practices in staff observation and management, helping plan and organize session materials, and running staff training sessions. In your role as a camp leader, you will also help counselors and mentors problem-solve camper challenges, as well as assist our Campout Coordinator in managing our three backpacking trips.
Along the way, you’ll gain serious skills in organizing and planning, and you’ll hone your communication and leadership qualities to a fine edge. Whether you need credit for school or a rich experience after you graduate, you’ll find a fun and challenging summer in this role. It’s great for any career, but just ask our past interns – including our Director of Education and Outreach, Program Director, and others: this internship forges future directors.
Business Assistant (21+)
May to August Resident Position Perfect for those interested in gaining experieince in the business side of the outdoor education world. Spend each day working closely with the Education Director and Leadership Team, organizing feedback systems, talking to parents, helping plan and organize session materials, and assisting with camp logistics. In your role as a camp leader, you will also help our staff problem-solve camper and staff challenges.
We find that students with strong organizational skills, a flexible attitude, and experience with Microsoft Word and Excel programs have the most success.
Teachers & Environmental Educators
Education Intern (21+)
May to August Resident Position Camp is a fun and informal environment to study education. Whether you’re seeking a career in teaching or just have a passion for a particular subject, the Education Internship will provide an immersive summer filled with observation, planning, and teaching. Depending on your skills and experience, you will teach one or a few of our afternoon activities, which range from climbing and outdoor skills to painting and drawing. You’ll complete the summer with a final project, which is typically a full-day lesson plan that you implement.
You will also be a leader in the camp community, by serving as a support and advisor to counselors. Depending on staff housing space, you may live either in a cabin with counselors or in separate housing. Because we value the passion and expertise of our education interns, they may also be asked to step into the role of Mentor or Counselor if needed. That tends to happen for a session or two each summer, and we will adjust your responsibilities so you can still meet your internship goals.
Our education interns are most successful if they share a love of working with children with a passion for learning and an attitude of flexibility. And we’re flexible, too! We work with you from the beginning to craft a job description and internship goals that fit both of our needs.
Adventure Managers
Campout Coordinator (21+)
May to August Resident Position Plan, organize, and manage Campout, one of our most consequential programs designed to connect children to nature.
Campout is a two-night backpacking trip that our two- and three-week session campers embark upon once during their session, and it takes place entirely on our 3,400-acre property. As the Campout Coordinator, you will manage a total of four Campout trips, including one during staff training. Counselors and Mentors lead the trip, and you provide them with materials, instruction, and support. You will be responsible for renting gear to campers, refining menus and organizing food, as well as leading or assisting with staff education and meetings.
This job is best suited for experienced backpackers with strong organizational skills. It’s great to have GRP experience, too, but that’s not required. You’ll work under the guidance of an experienced director who has run Campout in the past. It’s an opportunity to refine your existing skills in logistics and education skills, while learning and growing too.
The Campout Coordinator can be a standalone position, or you can combine your role as a Land Management, Summer Camp, or Expeditions Intern for an even richer professional experience. Once you’ve planned a backcountry trip for more than a hundred people, you can do anything.
Expeditions Intern (21+)
May to August Resident Position When campers graduate from summer camp, they move into our Expeditions program, which is designed as a series of rite-of-passage adventures for high school students. As the Expeditions Intern, you will work with experienced directors to coordinate, support, and enrich those programs and the youth they serve.
While you will gain skills in organizing and leading outdoor adventures, like rock climbing and whitewater rafting, the most rewarding part of your role will be that you join both our expedition and base camp communities. You’ll work primarily as a member of our summer camp leadership team, on base camp, and you will often visit, observe, and participate in expeditions activities and trips. The Expeditions Internship will help you grow your resume and status as a professional trip manager, and you’ll develop strong relationships and connections that will help you break into the outdoor industry.
Forestry & Agriculture Professionals
Land Management Intern (21+)
May to August Resident Position If you like exploring, chopping, and working with your hands, this is the job for you. The Land Management Intern helps us take care of our trail system. You will be responsible for coordinating trail construction and maintenance, cutting fallen or hazardous trees, mitigating pest activity, assisting with maintenance around base camp, and leading crews of counselors to trim or even build trails. Depending on your interests, you may also serve as a camp leader and advisor to counselors. Land Management Interns have the richest experience if they have a background in forestry, ecology, or environmental studies, but anyone with trail maintenance experience and a comfort with power tools can be successful. Because of our backcountry setting, we ask that applicants be WFA or WFR certified, or be willing to get certified. Perfect for folks who like to work hard outside, this internship will also hone your professional forestry and recreation management chops as you work for a respected name in the conservation community.
Farm Intern (21+)
May to August Resident Position Our farm is a key part of our mission to connect children to nature. As a Farm Intern, you will take part in a unique approach to show children where food comes from, how to manage pests intelligently, and demonstrate the exciting variety of fungi, plant, avian, mammal, and insect life that makes up a farm community. Spend each day working outside, maintaining crops, taking care of cows, goats, and chickens, and helping the farm managers lead small groups of children through tours of the farm. As part of our leadership team, you will also serve as a supervisor and guide to our younger staff, who will in turn help you on the farm.
Farm interns with a strong, independent work ethic and a passion for education will thrive in this environment. A foundation of experience in gardening or agriculture is a must, but we expect this internship to grow your knowledge and experience too. You’ll gain skills in both teaching and professional farm management, and you will work under the supervision of our fun, friendly, and expert farm managers Phil and Rachel.
