Welcome to Highland's summer staff team! There are a few things you will need to know about or do prior to in-person training. Please note that these items are specifically for counseling and program staff; lifeguards, kitchen staff, and maintenance assistants may have different training schedules and work dates.

2025 Pre-Camp Training dates: (more details below)

  • AS SOON AS POSSIBLE after reading about these training items, please log in where you completed your staff application (here) and find the Staff Sign-Up form. This includes your RSVP for all the applicable events, selecting a size for your staff shirt, and so on.
  • Online trainings: NOW (all assigned trainings MUST be completed prior to June 8) -- See also the Employee Handbook and Cabin Devotions materials that you may want to read through prior to June 8 as well
  • PreCamp Zoom meeting for counseling and programming staff: Sunday, May 4, 3-4pm
  • Challenge Course/Climbing Wall Training, for any interested counseling and programming staff who are 18 or older: Monday AND Tuesday June 2 and 3, 9am-7pm each day (exact timing may vary a bit; participants will be given details closer to the time)
  • Leadership staff only: Supervisor Orientation, Wednesday, June 4 to Friday, June 5
  • ALL staff: Sunday, June 8 to Friday, June 13

Online Trainings

If you are assigned any online trainings, please make sure you find time to complete those courses prior to your arrival at Highland for Orientation. Don't wait till the last minute! If you have not received the email invitation to these processes, please contact Dean.

Expert Online Training

All Team Leaders, Counselors, and Support Counselor Assistants must view assigned training videos to help prepare you for your role this summer. You will receive your assignments and login information in an email.

All online training videos must be completed before June 8th. Please submit the brief form below when you have completed this task; you will get a $30 bonus for completing this in a timely manner.

First Aid, CPR, & AED Training

All Team Leaders, Counselors, and Support Counselor Assistants must have current First Aid, CPR & AED certification. If your certification needs to be renewed, you will be emailed a link to the online training.

The online portion of the course must be completed before June 8th. Please submit the brief form below when you have completed this task; you will get a $30 bonus for completing this in a timely manner. Please bring a copy of the online completion certificate with you to Highland. Skills evaluations will take place during Orientation days for counseling and program staff.

Form to submit when you have completed one or both of these online trainings:
Online Staff Training report

Employee Handbook

Everyone is expected to look through the following Handbook documents prior to June 9th.

Please read through Highland's Employee Handbook. (This document is for ALL Highland staff, including year-round staff, so there will be some sections that don't necessarily apply to you.)

Please also read the Handbook Addendum, which adds some information specifically for summer staff. This document also includes explanations of camp terms and activities.

Cabin Devotions

Counseling staff will do a daily cabin devotion time with their campers each week. A link to 2025 devotionals will be located here as soon as that is available.

June 4-6, 2025 - Supervisor Orientation for Leadership Staff

The Leadership Staff will meet with Dean for supervisor training.

  • Arrival: 8:00am on Wednesday, June 4 (breakfast will NOT be served)
  • Departure: 5:00pm on Friday, June 6
  • If you need a different arrival or departure time, make sure to contact Dean about it!

June 8, 2025 - Orientation Check-In and Staff Commissioning

  • 1:00-3:00 - Leadership staff meeting
  • 3:00-4:00 - All counseling and program staff check-in
  • 4:30-5:00 - Staff parent meeting
  • 5:00-6:00 - Supper for staff, their families, and their pastors
  • 6:30-7:30 - Staff Commissioning service

Following the Staff Commissioning service, family members will depart; counseling and program staff will stay for the rest of the week for training. Orientation week will end at 2:00pm on Friday, June 13. Come with everything you need for the week (a packing list can be found on the staff resource page), and make sure you have completed any necessary tasks (such as online trainings and reviewing the staff handbook) before you arrive.

Contact Dean

Here's a quick way for you to get in touch with Dean if you:

  • have questions about any of the material on this page,
  • need an email invitation for online trainings,
  • want to tell him how excited you are to work at Highland this summer!
Summer staff contact form