Archery Specialist
Overview
At Camp Walt Whitman, archery has been a staple of our program for decades. Our instructor takes time to work with groups of campers on the mechanics of archery, emphasizing safety, while also offering one-on-one instruction. Our most successful archery instructors bring their creativity to the archery range to add fun and excitement to the challenge.
Jess Mellen has been Camp Walt Whitman’s archery specialist for 5 years. “One of my favorite things about teaching archery is getting kids interested in an activity they may not have a chance to do in their outside lives,” she says. “I also love finding new ways to make archery fun, be it strange challenges with a particular cabin or filling balloons with paint and making ‘art-chery’ on canvases.”
Seeing how much campers cultivate their skills over the summer during the camp-wide Olympics is hugely satisfying. And learning to plan out lessons while also being adaptable is a skill that Mellen has applied to her career.
“I’ve definitely gained more organizational and lesson-planning skills over the years, which have helped with my current work in the childcare field.
“What I’ve also learned, however, is as much as you CAN plan, things with kids and related situations have to be fluid. Plans don’t always work out, so you have to be prepared to adapt and switch things up at a moment’s notice.”
Job Details
Requirements
- The ability to safely maintain the archery course and archery equipment
- Prior experience working with children
- College age or older
- Strong references
- A great attitude