For students who are entering 10th grade through freshman year of college
The Summer 2026 Junior Counselor Application is open!
The Outpost Junior Counselor program is a summer leadership program for high school students.
There is no cost for this program, Junior Counselors accrue service leadership hours, and we accept students after a formal application and interview process.
This program is designed to help high schoolers build important skills including problem-solving, communication, creativity, teamwork, and group facilitation. Junior Counselors (JCs) receive high quality training and feedback facilitated by directors and senior counselors.
Over the years, we have found that being a JC results in hilarious stories, special memories, formative learning, and countless “aha moments” regarding leadership, child development, and the JC’s own passions and interests.
Being a Junior Counselor (JC) at Outpost is a great way to spend at least two weeks of a summer while in high school. In that short period of time, JCs learn and practice leadership skills, work directly with campers of all ages, and make new friends that often last a lifetime.
Under the supervision of the Senior Counselor, Junior Counselors assist in leading the group in their daily adventures. They play an important role in helping their campers become a team and ensuring that each day is both exciting and safe. JCs receive valuable training both before and during the summer from the camp directors and their Senior Counselors.
What our Junior Counselors say: Highlights from our 2025 JC Surveys
What skills did you build that you’ll use during the school year?
1. Patience
2. Communication
3. Problem-solving
4. Assertiveness
5. Flexibility
What is your favorite part about being a JC?
1. Connecting with campers
2. Making new friends
3. Making a positive impact
“Outpost is always so full of energy, and it allows people to be genuine and have fun.” – Outpost Junior Counselor (JC), 2025
“Being a JC gives you awesome skills for the outside world.” – Outpost JC, 2025
“I’ll be back next year because it’s fun, keeps me away from my phone, and you make new friends.” – Outpost JC, 2025
Summer 2026 Junior Counselor Session Dates
Junior Counselors must commit to at least one or more 2-week sessions* with a group.
Daily camp hours for Junior Counselors are 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM** Monday through Friday.
Session 1: June 15 to June 26
Session 2: June 29 to July 10
Session 3: July 13 to July 24
Session 4: July 27 to August 7
*Please note: ALL Junior Counselor roles require daily swimming with campers in the pool.
**We are a day camp, so we do not provide housing or transportation. High schoolers who do not live locally are welcome to apply, but you must have your own housing and transportation to and from camp each day.
Our leadership program is highly regarded by local high schools, and our guidance counselor friends are fans and supporters. Many Junior Counselors use their summer camp experience to fulfill school requirements, and we provide each Junior Counselor with a formal certificate upon successful completion of a full session.
There are several steps to becoming a Junior Counselor at Outpost Summer Camps.
Step 1: Application for High School Students. Click on the link below that says “New JC Applicants Apply Here.” (Please note: The Returning JC application is for students who have already been Outpost Junior Counselors in past summers.) The application link will take you to a form on our website to submit a preliminary application. Please note that incomplete or poorly-completed applications will not be considered, so be prepared to follow instructions and submit a thorough application.
This application should be completed by the student, not the parent. Most students complete the process in about 10-15 minutes. One of our camp directors will contact you within two weeks of successful submission of a completed application.
The 2026 Junior Counselor Application is open!
New JC Applicants Apply Here
Returning JCs Apply Here
Step 2: Group Interview. Once we have received your completed application, you will be invited to a group interview. Outpost offers one group interview per month. This is an opportunity to meet other high school students interested in the opportunity, learn more about Outpost, and meet the camp directors. After completing the group interview and meeting with a camp director, applicants are given further information about participating in this leadership program in 2026.
Step 3: Enrollment (if accepted into program). If you are accepted into the program, your parent or guardian must formally enroll you into our summer camp program. You will receive instructions from our office about how to complete enrollment on our registration website.
Step 4: Training. Each JC has a minimum of two dates of training (more if they enroll in multiple 2-week sessions)
- Outpost JC training for all 2026 JCs is Saturday, June 6 from 10-4:30.
- Each JC also has a session-specific training from 1:00 to 4:00 PM on the Saturday before their session
- Sat, 6/13 for Session 1, 6/27 for Session 2, 7/11 for Session 3, and/or 7/25 for Session 4
A NOTE FOR PARENTS: A position as an Outpost Junior Counselor is a terrific first-time leadership opportunity for many young individuals. As such, we encourage our Junior Counselors to take complete responsibility for this process themselves by emailing or calling with any questions regarding the program and completing the application themselves. The two primary goals of our program are: 1) Helping teens improve their leadership and people skills. 2) Helping teens grow in their professionalism and life skills.
As described in Step 3 above, if your teen completes Steps 1 and 2 successfully and is accepted into our program, you will be directly enrolling them into our camp program and receiving confirmation details from a director. We will provide you with additional information that will help you support your student as they fulfill their commitment. If you have any questions about this process, contact our directors.
