2025 DATES & RATES
We are a diverse community committed to creating a welcoming experience where each camper can bring their full selves to camp. All youth are welcome.
Discover what inclusion looks like at camp.
Discover your personal leadership style, and put it into action! Our Leadership Program progresses with campers through their teens – from Day Camp Assistant to Counselor-in-Training to Junior Counselor.
Each level of this program includes team-building activities, training, and hands-on experience working with and leading younger campers:
Summer Leadership Program
Day Camp Assistant (DCA)
This is the first step in becoming a Teen Leader. DCAs spend the first half of the week in team building activities and interactive leadership training with lead camp staff. Trainings include behavior management, leading songs and games, and basic counselor skills. In the second part of the week, DCAs partner with camp counselors to assist with day camp groups.
Offered three weeks in 2025:
- Week 2: June 16-20
- Week 6: July 14-18
- Week 9: August 4-8
Cost: $385 | Grades: 8-10
Register for DCA online, just as you would for any other camp session; no additional application required.
Counselor-in-Training (CIT)
Become a great leader and future camp counselor! This 2-week Overnight Camp progression prepares you to work with campers and to run activity areas.
First week: Work with and learn from lead staff about the various areas of camp, including health and wellness, leadership and team-building, activity planning, promoting positive behavior, and more. This week is full of fun, team-building, and interactive learning!
CITs go home on Friday and return Sunday to begin their second week.
Second week: Now is your chance to put everything you learned to use. You’ll work side-by-side with a summer camp counselor, implementing and leading a group of Day Campers!
Two-week CIT Overnight Program offered twice:
Weeks 1 & 2 (June 8-13 & June 15-20)
Weeks 6 & 7 (July 13-18 & July 20-25)
Cost: $1240 | Grades: 10-12
Register for CIT online, just as you would for any other camp session; no additional application required.
Junior Counselors (JC)
Junior Counselors can jump straight into summer camp employment by working at Day Camp. Spend the summer growing as a leader, attending our staff training and receiving additional mentorship from leadership staff throughout the summer. Like all counselors, you’ll have the opportunity to get first aid certified, take additional program trainings, plan activities, and lead groups. Improve your communication, critical thinking, leadership, collaboration and creativity. It’s a great summer job – and your skills will look incredible on a college application or resume.
Junior Counselors are paid a bi-weekly salary and commute to work each day, Monday-Friday.
Age: 16-17
Apply to be a JC at campfiremn.org/work-at-camp.
Youth Advisory Council
Camp Fire Minnesota’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC) is a teen leadership group that gives campers the opportunity to use their voice, stay involved year-round, lead projects to improve camp, volunteer at events, and grow their leadership skills.
YAC Mission Statement: Advocating for positive camp change by including the voices of youth of all backgrounds to have fun, build community, and provide an accessible, safe space for all.
“YAC is a way of getting youth voices heard and to learn leadership skills.” -Sammy, YAC member
Get Involved: At the end of summer, we reach out to older youth in our community via email inviting them to fill out a YAC interest form. Interested youth will receive registration information and a tentative meeting schedule.