http://www.freshair.org

The Fresh Air Fund

Counselor

June - August 2021 • New York City, NY

What I liked

Great work environment and fulfilling work.

What I wish was different

Advice

Maintain open communication with your supervisor if you need help. They are super supportive and will help you in situations if needed
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General Camp Counselor

June - August 2019 • Fishkill, NY

What I liked

I enjoyed working with young boys and taking on new adventures with them .

What I wish was different

I wish I would’ve been more prepared for outdoor living .

Advice

Keep going even when it gets tough. It will be hard taking care of children but you can do it . Just take it one day at a time .
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General Counselor

June - August 2019 • Fishkill, NY

What I liked

I really liked working with kids and doing fun activities with them . Teaching them new things and really helping them come out of their shell.

What I wish was different

The rules set for the kids when they would mis behave .

Advice

It’s a great feeling when you can change someone’s life for the better . So take this opportunity to not only change someone but you grow as a person.
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Administrative Assistant Intern

May - July 2019 • New York City, NY

What I liked

The atmosphere was very inviting.

What I wish was different

More workload

Advice

It allowed me to make a lot of spreadsheets and answer calls.
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Camp Counselor

June - August 2019 • Fishkill, NY

What I liked

I like meeting new people. While getting the opportunity to work with kids from different backgrounds. I was always fun and exhilarating with all the different activities. Going hiking was my favorite part and you were able to implement any ideas you had to make the camp better with activities and games.

What I wish was different

I wish that they had told me about how we might be under staffed throughout the summer. Because it was not suitable to leave 12 kids with one counselor. Which made it very hectic and not being able to have enough break times.

Advice

Be open-minded going into this camp filled with people from different backgrounds. You need to be able to think on your feet. Without having to rely or ask somebody for help through out the day.
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Friendly Towns Intern

May - August 2019 • New York City, NY

What I liked

I really enjoyed how collaborative the environment of the office was. The space I was given to work in as an intern not only had other interns in it, but also had my supervisors, making it very easy to ask questions and receive help when necessary. I also enjoyed how much trust my supervisors put in myself and the other interns. throughout the summer they trusted us with many different projects that could have easily been given to someone higher up. I think this really allowed me to grow my workplace skills.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Community Outreach Intern

January - August 2019 • New York City, NY

What I liked

Paid, service job

What I wish was different

Really strangely strict about dress code and formality- not a fun workplace despite it being for a summer camp

Advice

You’ll never want an office job again!
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Communications Intern

June - August 2019 • New York City, NY

What I liked

The environment is great and positive

What I wish was different

Nothing

Advice

Enjoy it
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Camp Counselor

June - August 2019 • Fishkill, NY

What I liked

Being in the outdoors, some of the kids, the time spent with other humans.

What I wish was different

All of the camp administration, the salary, the hours, the treatment.

Advice

If you want to work for a camp, don't make it this one.
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Nursing Assistant

June - August 2018 • Fishkill, NY

What I liked

I liked being able to learn a lot more about the medical field and what it is like to work with children in the medical field.

What I wish was different

Advice

If you love the outdoors and like to work with kids but are also studying medicine, this would be a great job for you. Go into it open minded and you can come out learning a lot from the organization.
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Communications Intern

June - August 2018 • New York City, NY

What I liked

The internship gives you legitimate experience in a real world, work environment I had to learn to manage a schedule and tasks by myself and fit within a broader institution with its own goals. I enjoyed speaking with participants as well about experiences with the Fund.

What I wish was different

I wish my job had been more varied. After a few weeks it became clear I was going to be doing more or less the same thing for the whole summer.

Advice

The Fresh Air Fund is a great organization with a lot of resources. If you are interested in non-profit work, its a starting point that could prove helpful and interesting!
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Camp Counselor

June - August 2018 • Fishkill, NY

What I liked

Work environment, duties of job, care for workers

What I wish was different

More days off

Advice

Prepare to build a positive mindset to be able to work effectively with children.
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STEM specialist

June - August 2018 • Fishkill, NY

What I liked

I was able to experience the best of both worlds. I was able to design and teach my own lesson regarding STEM to girls whose ages ranged from 9-15 years old. When I was not teaching I was a camp counselor to a a specific group of girls so I was able to connect and build a nice relationship with them. It was also a sleep away camp that embraced nature and prohibited phone use around the children so it was great to just disconnect form the internet and be in the moment.

What I wish was different

I wish the orientation would of been a little shorter because it was very repetitive and didn't focused to much on philosophical idea rather than practicing scenarios that would arise through the job such as bed wetting, homesickness, bullying etc..

Advice

I would say get if you are scared of bugs or get overwhelmed easily this is not the job for you. This job requires a lot more than just the job description it call upon people who are empathetic and patience. You really need to care about helping people to be successful at this job
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Coding Instructor

May - August 2018 • Fishkill, NY

What I liked

Adaptability, Teaching preteens, Helpful co workers

What I wish was different

More scheduling, more free time.

Advice

Go in with an open mind and a steel resolve.
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General Counselor

June - August 2018 • Fishkill, NY

What I liked

I was pushed out of my comfort zone and cultivated new leadership abilities. I made great connections with campers and coworkers.

What I wish was different

Advice

It is absolutely EXHAUSTING. The time off can be inconsistent and doesn't amount to much when you're working anywhere from 14-16 hour days. A lot of new staff did not stay for the entire summer.
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Camp Counselor

June - August 2018 • Fishkill, NY

What I liked

I loved the community that was built by the camp staff. The support that I received was unexpected from a place I was recently a part of. The work we did with the kids was another experience altogether. We were given the opportunity to give these kids a summer they would never forget.

What I wish was different

I wish that the food quality served there were better.

Advice

This job isn't for everyone. The job requires a tremendous amount of patience, discipline, and selflessness. The reason you should be interested in applying for this job is for the children, not the money.
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