The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation operates four overnight camps in different parts of the state for youth ages 11-17. Conservation Education Waterfront Directors are counselors with additional waterfront duties and responsibilities. Many of our staff are former DEC campers, and they bring a passion for sharing ‘camp magic’ and their love of nature with the next generation. The waterfront director’s primary role is to teach and supervise campers, which makes up about 85% of their duties.Waterfront Directors also ensure the safe operation of camp’s waterfront and water related activities such as swimming and boating which amounts to about 15% of their time. They live in an assigned cabin that may include another counselor and a small group of campers for whom they are responsible. Waterfront directors teach lessons on field, forest, aquatic habitats, and human impacts, often working with a second counselor as co-instructor. Waterfront directors do crafts, perform skits, sing songs, and entertain campers throughout the week while ensuring their safety. They are on call 24 hours/day during the camp week, but they get one 4-hour block of time off sometime between Monday-Thursday during camp, and then have Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday morning off.  Waterfront Director/Counselor responsibilities include: Implements/oversees buddy system and board system or other approved bather accountability system Coordinate Life guard schedule with Camp Director Train and supervise waterfront staff Participate as a member of the camp management team to plan, direct, and supervise evening programs, special events, overnights, and other all-camp activities and camp functions Survey waterfront area daily, and keep the area free of hazards and debris. Supervises the campers on a 24-hour basis; are responsible for the wellbeing and health of the campers Teach environmental education lessons, lead trips, programs and assist as needed to fulfill the programmatic needs of the camp program. supervises the campers on a 24-hour basis; are responsible for the well being and health of the campers; instructs the campers in the core environmental science curricula; and Responsible for the planning and conducting of recreational activities, including maintaining camp inventories. Counsel campers who become homesick or disruptive. Assist in the purchasing, inventory and delivery of supplies, materials and equipment. For more information, visit the NYSDEC website: https://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1869.html