Camp America

I'd avoid Arbutus Hayowentha if I were you. One of my friends had a minor problem with drinking at a campfire, WHILE ON HER TIME OFF She was legal to drink in her home country and didn't expect any problems in the US. She got a ticket for underage drinking in US. No big deal, but the camp director fired her immediately, despite the fact that she wasn't on camp time! No help was offered, she was basically just dismissed in a rural area in northern michigan.

By the way, others at the same campfire did not get dismissed. There are clearly favorites from the camp director, and if you end up on her bad side, good luck to you.

Camp America is a fantastic cultural exchange programme which gives students or young people a chance to work in the USA for the summer, as well as up to 30 days of travelling thereafter. The CA team make the whole process simple and stress free, enabling students to carry on with their studies or jobs in the run up to summer. CA also organise recruitment fairs which allow applicants to get hired on the spot, whilst also gives applicants a chance to meet their potential employers for the summer. The team are quick to reply to emails and concerns, and are efficient, cooperative and helpful. I would definitely recommend Camp America to anyone thinking of spending their summer working at a summer camp in the US!

I always wanted to do camp America and was forever counting down the days until I was 18 so I could apply. Applications opened for summer 2015 and I started straight away; I wouldn't even look back now. It was definitely the best decision I ever made and I can't thank the Camp America team enough. Yes, there's going over the US and having a blast for 9 weeks, but I couldn't have done it if it wasn't for the consistent support of the CA team in London; they work their butts off to find you that placement of a lifetime.
Summer 2015 was a summer of lifelong memories and friendships and I can't wait to do it all again for summer 2016! YAY CAMP!

In the summer of 2015, I worked on a children's summer camp in Massachussetts USA. I was able to have this experience through the Camp America agency. Camp America are extremely efficient in recruiting as many people as possible to work on summer camas across America. The annual recruitment fairs are an excellent example of this. Any questions or worries I had were quickly answered in the run up to my trip from their London office and also whilst I was in the states, from their Stamford office. They provide everything you will need in terms of paperwork and exceptional advice in terms of preparation for the experience. Camp America is the most reliable agency for recruitment on a summer camp and I encourage everyone to sign up.

When I first applied to Camp America never would I have dreamt that camp would become something so important to me! I work 9 months of the year to live the American Dream at camp the other 3 - best thing I've ever done. I've done camp four times now and without the support from camp America in the application process and throughout my time in the states I definitely wouldn't have returned so many times (and contemplating a fifth?!).

Having wanted to take part in this program for years, I finally got the opportunity this past summer and Im so glad I did it. Spending 9 weeks in the US was incredible, and even better than I thought it would be! I learnt so much, had so much fun and both the british and american people I've met really made it the experience it was. The support you get from the CA program along the whole application process and whilst you're out there makes it a whole lot simpler and takes away any potential worries (even when you miss your home flight)! Definitely would recommend to anyone who wants an incredible summer - GO FOR IT!

Could not fault the office or the service in any way, the guys and girls in the office do so so much for each applicant and have always helped me out. They care and want you to have an awesome summer! After being hired at one of their super recruitment fairs and becoming a two time returner I absolutely love CA and cannot thank and praise them enough. If you want to go to camp for summer you shouldn't be using any other organisation, the original and the best. CA!

Earlier this year I spent the best 3 months of my life at Camp Louemma in New Jersey through the Camp America Program. I was incredibly nervous at first and wasn't entirely sure that summer camp was for me, but the Camp America staff were constantly on hand to help giving you great advice and tips on how to sell yourself and achieve a great placement for the summer!
I am now half way through my application to spend a second summer in the USA - and I can't thank Camp America enough for the opportunity.

This summer was the best one I have ever had, and I know when I return next summer it will be even better. What people don't realise is how much of an impact your time at camp will have on you and your life. Camp doesn't just go away come September, it is always there in your head and everyday you will hear yourself saying, 'I remember...' or 'This summer was so great because...' Camp is a place to learn new skills, have fun and be yourself, and because of this you will make the best friends you could ever imaging. These friendships have been built on a strong foundation of camp and will grow and last forever. These are the people you will speak to every day and cherish the memories. Camp is a place to laugh, grow and make a difference, why wouldn't you want to do that? Is it even really a question?

Im currently completing my last days at a summer camp in Missouri. I have had a positive time. There are obvious negatives to the experience (40 degree heat, barely and time off, and the area camps are situated in is typically the 'middle of nowhere' so it feels very isolating) but anyone who does the appropriate research before signing up should be very aware of these facts.
What first timers are typically unaware of is the amount of money Camp America take of your paycheck- particularly in comparison to other agencies (Americamp, BUNAC etc).
To put it into numbers, my camp paid me around 4500 dollars this summer (10 weeks work), however after Camp American deductions, this totalled to 1500 (and i booked my own flights). Camp America sorted my insurance (also this is incredibly limited) and placed me with my camp, however I have a very hard time figuring out how this would cost 3000 dollars.
Camp America are a for profit agency, and typically capitalise off of young people with little experience or knowledge about working abroad- so little understanding about the extent of money taken from them.
Costs prior to arriving in America are also EXTENSIVE. Visa fees around 200, flight costs were around 800, background check 70, additional "agency fees" around 500.
Camp America have took around 3600 dollars from me this summer, with very little to show for it. My international camp friends who went with BUNAC or Americamp earnt significantly more than me each paycheck for doing the same role.
Camp in America is a very good experience, just go a non-profit agency!x

So I did Camp America in the summer of 2015, I went to a YMCA camp in Michigan State called Mystic Lake camp. It was scary at first didn't know anyone got picked from airport on my own and just got thrown in to meet everyone. In the first week staff training week I go to everyone I was going to work with and became friends with them all, I even at the end of the first week went to a wedding of one of my co-workers. So it took a little bit of time but I really got into the camp experience and it was amazing. Best experience of my life I would recommend it to anyone, if you haven't done it you don't know what you're missing. I just had so much fun, got to work with amazing people and children it was just awesome. You might not realise how much affect you can have on some kids life until you do Camp America. I didn't just have though its hard work too I mean from Sunday afternoon to Saturday afternoon your working that's 132 hours a week, but you learn so much, have so much fun and give so much to those children's lives. To end this there was two great things my boss said to me at the end of summer, you will never do a job that is as much hard work, as much fun and gives as much back to children than being a camp counsellor, and he also said that to all of us staff that we will never all be together again but we can all help each other in the future.

By: Michael Galitzine Camp America brand manager SW Anchors

I can honestly say getting involved with camp America has been my best decision to date. 2 years ago I never thought by signing up I would get to experience the opportunities of a life time. Summer 2015 saw me return to Arbutus Hayo-went-ha in Michigan, a place that is as full of love as it is full of pine trees. It's there at camp where I can be my best self surrounded by people from all types of backgrounds working together to create the best summer for kids. I've canoe, biked, hiked and am nowhere near done with my time there. If I can sum up 'The camp america experience' in one sentence it would be, it lead me to find my people. I wholeheartedly recommend camp America to anyone and everyone, no actually, maybe not anyone and everyone. I recommend camp America to anyone who feels they have that much more to give, to anyone who is seeking new heights, to anyone who is optimistic, hardworking and wants to have fun! I've never been rewarded more than when kids are collected by their parents who wholeheartedly thank you for having an impact of their kid. If that sounds like something you want to do this summer then camp America is for you! If you can't tell I think the camp America experience is pretty special!

I worked at a Private camp for girls in Vermont (Fairlee) and was a chef or 'kitchen assistant' at Aloha Hive, The Aloha Foundation. Was majorly out my comfort zone and wanted to go home as soon as I saw the camp and got there but I actually had one of the best times of my life... Great organisation, has 6 camps in it and the 3 main camps would meet up for socials, American colleagues and public were friendly, learned how to deal with different characters and whole experience was a massive challenge for me. Went travelling after for 3 days with a friend from the US who was my neighbour in our halls flat at Uni - went to Boston and NYC... Awesome end to a once in a lifetime opportunity. Of course there are going to be good and bad things from experiences, you appreciate the good things more after bad things and bad people and whole thing builds you more as a person. There were mostly great people though :) Recommend it once but wouldn't do it again, I'm a family person and got things to do, but great opportunity to have and pretty much the only time in my life I could do it :)