Before submitting your information, we ask all prospective Mentees and their guardians to review these Mentorship Expectations together to make sure the program is what you’re looking for and you're clear on what's expected of you:

-Mentees are always expected to follow the Steve & Kate's Camper responsibilities: Be Safe, Be Respectful (of yourself and others) and Take Care (of equipment and the Camp environment)

-Mentees are not Staff members. They cannot direct or discipline campers or be left alone with campers. Their primary function is to be role models to our campers and support Steve & Kate’s staff, while learning about camp in the process. More of this will be outlined further during the Mentee Orientation on May 30th.

-For program consistency, Mentees must commit to a minimum of one week. They should keep Directors informed of any changes they need to make (if any) once their summer schedule is agreed upon.

-While being a Mentee can be very fun, at times it may require putting the fun of the campers ahead of your own. While we try our best to have Mentees help lead activities they are excited about, and to give them some choice throughout the day, there may be times when the needs of the campers or camp staff will take priority.

-Mentees will not necessarily have a single staff member who’s instructing them or “mentoring” them throughout the day but more so engaging with them side by side. Mentees should be self-motivated, able to identify ways to help at camp and stay on task on their own without a lot of direction. Their experience will mostly be determined by what they make of it and what they put into it.

-The lunch and snacks we provide to Campers will also be available for Mentees at no additional cost, but be aware that they will be receiving a typical child-sized portion. If you think your child might need supplemental food/snacks, they are more than welcome to bring additional nut-free food from home.

-If a Mentee is struggling with any of the above-mentioned expectations, interfering with the staff’s ability to deliver a safe and positive experience for campers or generally detracting from the overall camp experience, they may be asked to no longer participate in summer.

During their time with us, mentees work with staff and fellow Mentees toward four goals over their week(s) with us.

This year's 4 goals for all Mentees are:
1) Select a Focus Track: Each potential Mentee must select a Focus track during the application process for the intended weeks they wish to attend. More details are available and will be discussed further during Group Interviews and Orientation but they are: 1) Sewing Salon, 2) Media Lab, 3) Customer Service, 4) Youngest Camper Support, and 5) Bakery. This Focus Track will make up about 40-50% of their day. Mentees will have staff in their chosen Focus Track to support, guide and answer questions while providing feedback throughout the week.

2) Team Building Skills: During their week of attendance, the Mentees will come up with a group project of their choice to work toward. While the majority of their time will be spent making independent decisions about areas they'd like to explore, learning skills for team work are crucial to their development.

3) Self-directed Choice: In addition to picking their main focus of camp, each day they can select 1-3 other areas of camp to work in. Whether it's because they already have a passion for it, are curious and want to try it out, or partner up with another Mentee-friend to do together, pretty much every option at camp is available during these choice times.

4) Remember to have fun! All that leading and creativity may seem pretty serious, but we like to balance it out with pie throwing, water slide sliding and haunted houses. During their time with us they will still have choices during the day, where they can relax or have free time to try out activities the same way campers do or they did before becoming a Mentee.

An example schedule will be provided during the Interview and Orientation process. If you'd like to look at one beforehand I would be happy to email one as well.

*Dates, Availability & Registration*
-Each potential Mentee will select which week(s) they are interested in.
-They must be able to commit to all 5 days for the week (4 days for July 1st week) from 9:15-4:00 for all days.
-These dates and focus tracks will be confirmed by Bear during the interview process in May based on the number of applicants.
-If a prospective Mentee is accepted into the program, their guardian(s) will then need to complete the online camper registration process before they can attend.
-Registration codes for these dates will be available after Tuesday, June 3rd assuming each Mentee completes their required Interest Form, Group Interview and Orientation.

What a Mentee (and parents) can expect out of the program this year:
1) Direct feedback available throughout the week from staff.
2) More options with more support for Mentees to try other parts of camp outside of their chosen Focus Track.
3) Team building: A balance of freedom and guidance available for Mentees creating their group project.
4) Opportunities for Mentees to have Bear and their Mentor staff act as references during future job applications. Reference letters will be available upon request after camp ends in early fall.
5) Experience! While the interview and orientation stages are to make sure each potential Mentee is a good fit for the program, we also have seen this process serve to develop beneficial skills that will last long after our program ends.

By clicking next, the prospective Mentee and their parents are acknowledging that they understand the expectations of the Mentorship program. Acceptance into the program is not guaranteed and you may be denied participation by the Director.