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Exceptional Staff. Lasting Impact.
At Camp Sequoia, we know that an exceptional summer starts with exceptional staff. The patience, creativity, and commitment our team brings to camp help our kids build friendships, develop confidence, and experience success that extends beyond the summer. We believe that this work deserves recognition.
Building on our staff incentives and benefits, these two opportunities celebrate outstanding performance and the difference a dedicated staff member can make in a camper’s life.
First Year $5K
Your first Sequoia summer. An opportunity to stand out.
You don’t need years at Camp Sequoia to make an exceptional contribution to our community. Our First Year 5K recognizes a first-year staff member whose performance sets them apart over the course of the summer. At the end of camp, the directorate will vote to select the highest-performing first-year staff member, whose total summer salary will be increased to $5,000. This award brings the recipient’s summer salary to $5,000; it is not an additional $5,000 bonus.
There are opportunities to make a difference every day: putting training into practice, bringing energy to an activity, supporting a teammate, and approaching a challenging moment with patience and good judgment. An outstanding first summer is built through those everyday choices. We look forward to recognizing the person who makes the most of them.
The Sequoia Difference Award
One connection can change a summer and transform a life.
Sometimes the most meaningful accomplishments at camp begin with a small moment. A camper joins a group without prompting or tries again after a frustrating experience. Perhaps they gingerly build a friendship or find the confidence to ask for help. Behind that progress is often a staff member who took the time to understand that camper, earn their trust, and help them recognize what they could accomplish.
The Sequoia Difference Award honors one staff member from the Boys Program and one staff member from the Girls Program who makes the most positive difference in the life of one or more of their campers.
Each recipient will receive a $1,000 bonus, awarded at our end-of-camp staff dinner. This is in addition to the contracted summer salary and all staff are eligible.
This award celebrates the attentive, intentional work that helps our kids feel understood and gives them room to grow. A meaningful connection with even one camper can have an impact long after the bags are packed. Our staff invest so much in our campers. These incentives are another way we invest in and say thank you to the people who make the Sequoia experience possible.
The Relationships Matter incentive provides for a referral bonus for staff who refer additional team members coming to Sequoia for the first time. This completion of summer bonus is available to both the referrer and the referee.
The Decade of Dedication celebrates staff members who have completed 10 summers at Camp Sequoia. In our most recent summer, two of our staff celebrated their 10th anniversary at Camp Sequoia and are headed off on an all-inclusive trip during the off-season with sincere thanks and appreciation for their dedication to our community.
Benefits of Working at Camp
There’s nothing more rewarding than making a difference in the lives of kids. Camp Sequoia appreciates the dedicated, hardworking staff members on our team, and we endeavor support and honor those who work with us. Our summer compensation packages are evaluated carefully each year in an effort to stay ahead of inflation and support excellence in our community. We know that the talent, experience, and patience our staff bring is invaluable, and each year we provide a variety of benefits to our team to thank them for the amazing work they do with our population. Check out some some of those benefits of working at camp below:
Location
Camp Sequoia is located in Pennsburg, Pennsylvania (one hour northwest of Philadelphia, PA) on the campus of The Perkiomen School (The Perk). The Perk campus is regarded as one of the best boarding schools in the United States and its facilities live up to its reputation. Unlike most overnight camps which are located in rural areas, Camp Sequoia’s suburban location makes it an ideal place for your time off. Philadelphia is an hour away from camp. Many recreational opportunities such as movies, restaurants and an array of outdoor activities are within walking distance.
Housing
Staff are provided all-inclusive, air conditioned housing for the duration of their employment at camp. Unlike most camps, where tents, bunkrooms, or lean-tos are the standard and staff members sleep in the same room with children, we pride ourselves on being able to provide staff a separate living space. Our staff live in their own dormitory room with another staff member while supervising a specific age group, or “division” of kids. Our dormitory is modern and spacious and, unlike most overnight summer camps, is a climate controlled space.
Dining
Everyone eats meals together (technology free) in the dining room which offers a wide array of healthy food options. Our dining experience is catered, and offers buffet meals, salad and sandwich bars, and a a full juice machine and yogurt bar for a variety of options. We have staff (and campers) who choose vegetarian and gluten free options offered at each meal.
Travel
Camp Sequoia provides every staff member a travel reimbursement on top of their salary for the summer to help them get to camp, no matter where they live in the US. Because of this, camp’s staff each year hails from every corner of the country, from California to Texas to Florida, and creates a unique and inclusive workplace unlike any other.
Our campers are from all over the country as well!
Mental Health & Wellness
Our campus provides a number of facilities, from a weightlifting room to an indoor heated pool, for our staff to utilize during their down or off times. A health center is located on campus as well. Our nursing team can support staff with physical and mental health needs during the summer. Additionally, we have a camp psychologist, Dr. Lew, who is available to both campers and staff, as well as a camp mental health support dog, FlapJack.
Salary & Time Off
Our competitive salary package is commensurate with experience and includes housing and all meals while on campus and on trips. Trips include baseball games, theme parks, laser tag, and numerous local excursions from bowling to golf. We appreciate how hard our counselors work and believe that time off is extremely important to maintaining a happy, motivated staff.
Staff enjoy weekly “SUPER-DAYS” off (32 hour periods for counselors and specialists, 24 hours for senior leadership staff) during the summer. The allows for easy access to NYC (2 hours), Philadelphia (1 hour) and Baltimore (2.5 hours). Additionally, staff enjoy reliable campus wide broadband wifi, buffet meals (including special camp-wide meals such as the steak and lobster ravioli which is a camper favorite), air conditioned rooms, access to our indoor heated pool, gyms, lighted tennis courts, theater, and STEM labs during time off. Camp is within walking distance of shopping, restaurants, and a movie theater.
Free Staff Cruise Giveaway
Every summer, we do a drawing to gift one of our incredible full summer staff members a free cruise. From cold fronts to warm tides, winners can choose their ideal trip, with destinations ranging from Alaska’s glaciers to the sunny shores of the Bahamas and Costa Rica. Check out some of our trip winner’s testimonials:
~Finalists Selected, 2026 Trip Winner will be announced 1/1/2027
Stay tuned for details.
~Jacob E, 2025 Trip Winner
Jacob’s story of winning is an interesting tale. In 2025, we identified 10 finalists at the end of camp and during our annual leadership retreat Jacob was selected by chance from that elite group. Jacob is a thoughtful and meticulous individual who may or may not lead a double life as an international person of mystery. As such, while we can confirm that he is highly appreciative of this award, we understand that he is still in the planning stages of his grand adventure. Updates will come as we receive them.
~Anthony W, 2024 Staff Cruise Winner to the Bahamas
“Being awarded the Camp Sequoia Staff Cruise was an amazing experience for me. The ship felt like a nine-story city on the water. Buffets, arcades, live music, pools and hot tubs, shopping centers, silent parties, spa treatments, casinos, the works were just another day at sea. Seriously, If you want a real taste of luxury, go on a cruise. It’s the difference between good food and fine dining. I had ocean views I’d only ever seen on screensavers. The staff even had to remind me more than once not to clean up after myself. I’d never felt so unmistakably like a tourist. Our first stop felt unreal. Perfect weather, a full tour of the island from corner to corner, and scenery that matched every idea of what a “tropical paradise” should be. I’d noticed onboard how heavily engagement rings and high-end jewelry were marketed, and the moment I saw Bermuda, it clicked. That’s a place where memories are meant to be made. There was shopping and nightlife too, but more than anything, it was just beautiful to exist there. I was especially excited for the Bahamas. I played a lot of Assassin’s Creed growing up, so in a strange way, I already knew it. Nassau offered plenty to explore, from souvenirs to cuisine to culture. If you’re spiritually inclined, you can feel the ancestral energy as you walk. Coco Cay was its own kind of spectacle: a beach-bar-amusement-park hybrid with clear blue water, non-toxic jellyfish, and unlimited food and drinks. Looking back, the experience feels bigger than just the places we (he and his family) visited. It was a reminder of how much of the world exists beyond routine, and how easily life can expand when you’re given the chance. I don’t know if I would’ve unlocked this part of my life without this opportunity from Camp Sequoia.”
~Jezlyn B.-2023 Cruise Winner to Alaska
“My Camp Sequoia family gave me the chance to go on an incredible cruise, and I honestly still can’t believe it. As a first-year staff member, having my name drawn at the end of the summer was such a shock. I ended up taking my family on a cruise to Alaska, and it was unreal. We saw whales and glaciers, enjoyed amazing food, and took full advantage of everything on board. It’s one of those experiences I’ll always remember. I’m so grateful to Camp Sequoia for making something like this possible.”
~Sarah V, 2022 Staff Cruise Winner to Costa Rica
“My mom had a wonderful 60th birthday trip, and my sisters came along as well. Thank you again for the opportunity. It was her first time out of the country on vacation! The hotels were all awesome and the food was amazing and it was our first time horseback riding, seeing a volcano and waterfall that close, and being in a natural hot spring among other things! Despite being in my mid twenties, this summer was my first ever at a sleepaway camp and this was also my first time working with a majorly ADHD and neurodivergent population. The children I met at camp were funny, intelligent, different, and a challenging all at once! They had a habit of teaching me patience and reminding me to live in the moment and not to take things too seriously. The staff helped me to find the joy in the little things and stay sane throughout the long, hot and busy days. I could not have asked for a better administrative team. Their work ethic encouraged me to work hard because I know everyone else was also giving it their best as well. Some days were hard and some days were less so, but having fun remained a high priority and that’s one of the things I appreciate the most. Thank you again, Camp Sequoia, for a wonderful summer and for the opportunity to travel abroad!
Incentives for Staff
In the same way that we positively reinforce our kids, we endeavor to reinforce our staff both during the summer experience and beyond. At camp, we believe that those who go above and beyond for kids deserve additional incentives on top of their contracted salary. In addition to providing all of our non local staff travel reimbursement when they successfully complete their summer contract, climate controlled housing, and exceptional dining during the summer, check out some things that we have done for our amazing staff in our most recent season:
- Provided for a FREE cruise vacation to one amazing staff member with a retail value of over $1,800 in addition to their summer salary. This is an ongoing incentive that has been part of our staff support culture for years. We additionally sponsored two $1,000 travel credits
- Provided FREE housing, food, and airfare to our leadership retreat for multiple staff members for their years of dedication to the program.
- Provided returning airfare for a staff member to fly over 2,000 miles to come join our community on our December Kalahari Waterpark Weekend Adventure
- Reimbursed flight cost for a staff member who had an unexpected urgency at home and needed to fly home for a couple of days during the summer (without making an negative salary adjustment for time missed)
- Provided over 150 nights of lodging for our highest achieving staff at the Globe Inn bed and breakfast.
- Awarded a farm to table culinary day off experience with hotel to a high performing staff member.
- Purchased over $2,000 in staff gifts, snacks, and giveaways, which were awarded based on merit in front of the camp community over the summer.
- Provided over 2,500 FREE soft drinks/energy drinks for staff in the staff lounge over the course of the summer. Also provided over $2,000 in FREE staff lounge treats available to all staff members.
- Gave away over two dozen staff tickets to Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom amusement park.
- Gave away $250+ in meals to local restaurants and prizes during our pre-camp staff Zoom sessions
- Wrote over two dozen letters of reference to help our staff on their professional journeys.
for veterans of the Sequoia experience who celebrated a decade of dedication to our community.
