Twenty weeks sounds like a long time. As we know, all too well, time can pass in the blink of an eye. First day of camp is less than twenty weeks away! We are moving into high gears trying to get Doublecreek ready for the first day. There is so much to do and the clock is running.


We are in the process of completing one of our major items on our to do list. What item am I talking about? Hiring staff!


Hiring staff..... actually I should say hiring exceptional staff, is critical. Finding the right person to work for us is essential for us to enjoy an exceptional summer. Where do we find exceptional staff? Fortunately many of our staff are home grown. Thanks to our C.I.T. (Counselors In Training) program. The program is a gold mine for developing counselors. Recently the program was headed up by Rachel Chuey. Rachel refined the program into an efficient training and leadership program. The program currently is in the extremely capable hands of Eugene Sykes and Jessie Grefe. I've always been impressed by the quality of counselors our C.I.T. program produces.


Not all our counselors come from the C.I.T. program, though. The remainder of our counselors come from referrals. Potential staff hear about us through friends or family. If you know of someone looking for a job this summer, please steer them our way.


I can't tell you how much my life was influenced by Aunt Trudy and Uncle Carter asking me if I wanted to work at Doublecreek the summer of 1971. I had no idea if I would like the job or not. Turns out the job suited me. I went into education because of Doublecreek. Over the years I've known many counselors who have traveled down the path to education after working at Doublecreek. Of course, many Doublecreek counselors have found success in fields other than education also. Former counselors who are now Doctors, lawyers, engineers, architects, real estate agents, military officers, law enforcement officers, and the list is endless. They have told me that the skills it takes to be a great counselor are skills you must have to be successful in any profession.


Summers at Doublecreek, have been the best summers I could possibly experience.The hardest day in my teaching career was always the day after my last day at Doublecreek. Having to go through teacher-in-service after being at Doublecreek was hard for me to deal with.


So, if you know of someone who is looking for something to do this summer and they are willing to work hard and learn, please send them our way. Take it from me, and hundreds of other counselors, this will be a rewarding job and summer!


-Joe Ray

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