Pros
Upstate NY is beautiful. I met people from all over the world.
Cons
I am a former Point O' Pines counselor writing this review as a caution to other people who are considering working at Point O' Pines Girls Camp. I strongly advise against working at this camp. I went to Point O' Pines with the best intentions - to dedicate my time and energy toward teaching skills and instilling values that would improve campers' lives. I was captivated by the camp's beautiful photos and charming website, which professes that Point O' Pines upholds traditional values of good citizenship. The website also asserts "the success of our camp is about our ability to create a warm and caring community for both campers and staff." Despite these attractive claims, however, the camp does not follow through on its promises. Campers at Point O' Pines, particularly in the older age groups, were extremely rude and disrespectful. They did not listen to instruction, ignored and even mocked counselors. Campers bullied staff members. Gossip infiltrated the camp. A very clear hierarchy emerged, with counselors being last in the pecking order, below campers. Counselors were treated by both campers and camp administration as disposable and were made to feel invisible and powerless. Camp leadership was more concerned about keeping the campers happy (and therefore, making money) than they were about supporting counselors' well-being. This negligent attitude was well-represented by the disgusting staff lounge, the lack of staff-only restrooms, and the lack of privacy given to counselors. Counselors were required to share a bunk with campers, which includes a bathroom, two showers, and closet space. The majority of the time, the bunks were a mess, the bathrooms were disgusting, and the only space counselors got to themselves was their mattress space. I was always afraid my personal items would get stolen or ruined by campers. The camp administration would bend over backwards to give the campers whatever they wanted, but counselors' frustrations and concerns were dismissed as "just part of the job." On repeated instances, camp administrators undermined the authority of the counselors, which only worsened the campers' disrespectful attitudes. Point O' Pines does not instill good values in its campers; it tolerates gossip, bullying, and back-talking. This is not only irresponsible for an organization that deals with adolescent populations, it is unethical. Point O' Pines prioritizes pleasing the campers over cleanliness, emotional safety, and skill-development. It does not set up the counselors for success or respect. The camp is extremely political and values campers over staff members. The camp administrators are sycophants who are willing to sacrifice the respectability of the camp and the sanity of their own staff members to kiss up to wealthy parents and keep spoiled campers coming back year after year. To reiterate, I strongly urge you, DO NOT work at Point O' Pines Girls Camp.
