YLEANA LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

non-profit organization (http:www.yleana.org)

The Yleana Leadership Program is a residential summer academy located at Colgate University in Hamilton, NY, for high school students preparing for the SAT. Students attend on full scholarship and, besides studying for the SAT, study entrepreneurship (which culminates in a one-day startup fair with special guests) and discuss issues that will come to affect them as they enter The Rest Of Their Lives (intended caps) through the writings of authors such as bell hooks, Sherman Alexie, Junot Diaz, Judith Ortiz Cofer, Maya Angelou, etc, while becoming a part of a welcoming and introspective camp community. One of the greatest compliments we received last year was a student who had been in foster care and had had trouble with her parents telling us that Yleana was the first place she felt safe, like people really cared about her. We strive to create and promote that atmosphere – a loving place for kids who haven’t always had it easy.

The program will run from 6/17-8/10, including a week of staff week (training). Staff members must be available for the full employment period to be considered (it is acceptable, when cleared in advance with the Executive Director, to take one to two consecutive days taken off for weddings and/or specific events). Materials will be sent prior to staff week; it is expected that those materials will be read, reviewed and internalized before staff week begins (according to whatever dates are concomitant with those materials when they are sent).

We have openings for three positions: Program Director, SAT Master Teachers, and Assistant Teacher/Counselors. All staff at Yleana live in college dormitories with their students and the camp director, teach as outlined in the specific job description, help out with games and camp events, and serve as mentors/counselors.

We are seeking a Program Director (this position has been known in previous years as “Director of Fun” 🙂 to manage the non-academic parts of camp and coordinate with the Camp Director and Curriculum Director/Assistant Camp Director. The Assistant Director’s tasks will include:

[1] creative/programmatic responsibilities: coordinating with interns to design daily sports and creative games, helping coordinate academic games, running sports and activities, designing other programs as necessary, managing Counselors-in-Training

[2] administrative responsibilities: scheduling, attendance, helping with catering and coordinating with guest speakers, some paperwork, etc.

[3] training/mentorship: running necessary training seminars, managing emotional/development issues that arise, dealing with disciplinary issues which arise, etc.

Being able to think on one’s feet is key; being able to entertain large groups of kids in a camp environment is a requirement of the job. The morning part of the Program Director’s day is planning and organizing (as well as supervising the Counselors-in-Training, Yleana students who are returning); the afternoon and evening portion is devoted to moving them through activities and keeping kids energized. The Program director will coordinate all non-academic activities and assist in any academic activities related to games/where large numbers of staff are needed.

Qualified candidates will have EXTENSIVE CAMP EXPERIENCE: ideally, having worked both in a programmatic role (designing and implementing programs) and a directorship role (training/overseeing staff, managing student attendance and moving them from one place to another, coordinating complex administrative tasks). They need not have had both responsibilities in the same job. We are interested in both college graduates and current college students who have camp/residential experience. Candidates need not be familiar with the SAT or our academic subjects, though demonstrated academic passion, or experience teaching, is preferred.

We are a diverse camp and are actively hiring a diverse staff.

The seven weeks of camp (including training week) will take place at Colgate University in Hamilton, NY; transportation will be provided to and from NYC (and transportation to and from other locations may be provided; it’s up for discussion :).
Please submit resumes and cover letters via email to workwithus@yleana.org.