North Star Camp
North Star Camp
Currently recruiting for the season from June 2nd, 2026 to August 7th, 2026.
Since 1945, North Star Camp has been providing meaningful summer experiences for kids from all over the US. We offer a diverse program with athletics, watersports, arts and adventure activities as well as a top notch wilderness trip program.
North Star Camp is a premier residential camp for boys in Hayward, Wisconsin, set on 120 acres and surrounded by 2.5 miles of beautiful Northwoods shoreline.
- Location
- Wisconsin
- Season
- Summer
- Staff size
- 110
- Housing
- Whether included in the compensation package or provided at a cost, housing is provided for staff.
- Housing details
- Counselors live in a cabin with 8-14 campers and 2-3 other co-counselors. Non-counselors live in shared staff housing.
- Pet friendly
- No
- Meals
- Provided
- Cell phone service
- Yes, most carriers
- Internet access
- Good
About North Star Camp
North Star Camp was started in 1945 by Lou and Renee Rosenblum. The summer of 2026 will be our 82nd consecutive summer, serving tens of thousands of campers over that time. From the moment you arrive at the shores of Spider Lake, you will forever be a member of the North Star Camp family.
North Star Camp is a traditional all-boys sleepaway camp located in Hayward, WI. Each summer, over 300 campers and 110 staff members from around the world come to camp to make new friends, create memories that will last a lifetime, try new activities and sports, and grow as individuals. We guarantee that camp will be fun and that there will plenty of laughter.
Staff dates for 2026 are June 2 - August 7, with the ability to stay and earn additional compensation by working post-camp through early September.
The Employee Experience
Are you looking for the most rewarding, fun, and memorable job of your life?
Where else could you get paid to:
- Work outdoors all summer teaching activities you are passionate about?
- Make a positive impact on young children’s lives?
- Laugh, cry, sing and cheer for your job?
- Experience new adventures in the Northwoods of Wisconsin?
- Meet people from all over the world?
- Develop critical skills that will impact your future career goals?
- Have fun for two months straight?!
There is no better leadership training and enrichment opportunity found anywhere else than working at camp. You will improve your communication skills working with people of all ages and backgrounds, develop conflict resolution skills whenever an issue comes up in your cabin, learn how to balance your time during a very busy day, and experience personal growth along the way. Not to mention, you’ll make memories that will last a lifetime and create new friendships with people from all around the world. And get paid to have fun all summer with very limited expenses! Every year we hear from previous staff members how impactful working at North Star was in helping them develop skills that benefited them later in their careers.
We won't sugarcoat it though: working at camp is a demanding job. The hours are long and there is a lot of responsibility on your shoulders. It will challenge you physically, mentally, and emotionally. The rewards of working at camp, though, greatly outweigh the challenges of the job. You have the opportunity to positively impact the lives of children and other staff, spend your summer outdoors, having fun. Come join us!
Ideal Candidate
The ideal North Star Camp staff member is someone who:
- wants to be a positive role model for children (no experience required, but a desire to work with kids is a must!)
- wants to spend their summers outdoors, making new friends, and trying new activities
- is a team player and excellent communicator
- is open to receiving (and giving) feedback
- is a great listener and someone willing to support others
- is willing to share their hidden talents with camp (can you jump rope while balancing a cup of water on your head as you sing “Wagon Wheel” with perfect pitch? Know how to play the ukulele and harmonica? Campers love to see our staff members’ hidden talents and we’d love to see yours too!)
- ready for the best summer of their life!
Room and Board
Room and board are included in all compensation packages. Cabin counselors (male only) live in a cabin with 8-14 campers and 2-3 other counselors. All camper cabins have electricity. Camper cabins use a shared washhouse for showers and bathrooms.
All other staff members (trippers, office, health center, kitchen, maintenance, day camp, etc.) live in "out of cabin" staff housing which is generally a shared cabin with 2-5 other staff members and a private bathroom.
The food at camp is seriously delicious. We have three home-cooked meals a day. In addition to the main courses, we have a breakfast bar (cereal, fruit) in the morning and a salad bar at lunch and dinner. Fruit is available in the afternoon for a midday snack. In the evenings after the campers are in bed, we have a staff snack. We are able to accommodate food allergies and dietary restrictions, including vegetarian and gluten-free. We promise that you will be well fed at North Star!
Employee Perks
Why work at North Star Camp?
- Spend the summer outdoors, working with kids - the opportunity to be a role model, mentor, teacher and friend
- Work in a community where you have a purpose and ability to change lives
- Lead or assist in activities you are passionate about
- Participate in amazing programs, camp traditions, special events, and trips
- Create friendships and memories that will last a lifetime
- Real world networking and mentorship opportunities with other youth development professionals
- Personal and Professional Growth
- Develop interpersonal skills that will be valuable in future career opportunities (communication, time management, conflict resolution, patience, teamwork, and more)
Benefits:
- Summer salary beginning at $2300 for freshmen in college with the ability to earn more based on age, years of professional childhood experience, and expertise in teaching specialty programs/activities
- Housing, meals, and laundry included in compensation (an over $2000 value!)
- $300 travel reimbursement for domestic staff; $500+ travel reimbursement for international staff depending on home location
- North Star will pay for all certifications (WFR, lifeguard, belay, riflery, archery)
Getting Here and Getting Around
North Star Camp is located in northwest Wisconsin in the small town of Hayward. The closest major airport is Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, which is approximately 3 hours from camp. We will coordinate travel with staff members who are flying in. A North Star Camp staff member will meet you at the airport to greet you and drive you to camp.
Many staff members choose to drive to camp as well. This provides staff members with an option to use their personal vehicle on time off. For those who do not have personal vehicles at camp, North Star provides one camp van for staff to borrow on days or nights off.
Domestic staff members receive a $300 travel reimbursement to help cover the cost of airline tickets and/or gas.
For Fun
All staff members have one day off and one night off per week. There are a lot of really fun options for days and nights off in the area!
In Hayward, you can:
- Explore Main Street and all the fun shops that reside there
- Check out the carnival and live music during Muskie Fest (in June)
- Attend the Lumberjack World Championships (in July)
- Visit the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame and walk through the 143-foot long muskie (largest in the world)
- Grab some cheese curds at Angler's Bar and Grill with friends
- Debate which ice cream parlor in town has the best ice cream - Sundaes or West's
- Pick up some homemade fudge at Tremblay's
- Grab some tubes and float down the Namekagon River with friends on a beautiful day
- Have a relaxing afternoon by catching the latest movie
- Eat lunch and/or dinner at any of the delicious local restaurants
Many staff members also like to go to Duluth, Minnesota on time off (1.5 hours away) where there are even more restaurants, a beach along Lake Superior, a minor league baseball team, an awesome aquarium, and more.
Occasionally staff members will travel to Minneapolis (3 hours away) for a Minnesota Twins game, a visit to the Mall of America, or a concert.
For staff who are not on time off, we have nightly staff basketball games, staff snacks, and many staff will hang out in the Lodge playing cards, watching movies, playing music, and more!
Current Job Openings
Get campers excited for the day ahead with morning announcements around the flagpole.
Ensure the program is ready for launch by printing activity rosters and assisting campers with activity change requests.
Walk around camp to observe program areas, ensuring high-quality instruction and safety across camp.
Dive into our proprietary software to process hundreds of camper preferences and generate the upcoming week's master schedule (note: this is done only once a week).
Create the following day’s staff assignments via proprietary software, balancing time off and trips to ensure high-quality program instruction.
Work with our Special Programs Director to plan special programs and assign staff accordingly.
Configure time off for the upcoming week, balancing cabin coverage and activity needs while accounting for wilderness trips and limits on staff out-of-camp.
Adapt and pivot to a Plan B when a thunderstorm rolls in or plans shift.
Participate in the high-energy fun, from campfires and skit shows to massive games of Capture the Flag.
At night, once the next day’s schedule is completed, join other staff members in the Lodge for some games of Euchre or a pick-up basketball game in the VICtory Fieldhouse.
Help with staff supervision and other Leadership Team responsibilities to keep camp running smoothly
You are a "Human Tetris" champion. You don’t just see names and activities; you see a beautiful, complex puzzle. While others see chaos, you see a way to fit the pieces together so camp runs at its absolute best.
Your attention to detail is almost scary. You’re the person who notices if a comma is out of place or if a staff member was accidentally scheduled to be in two places at once. You thrive on balancing moving parts that require a meticulous eye.
You stay cool, calm, and collected in the face of unexpected obstacles. When three staff members wake up with a cold and a thunderstorm cancels waterfront activities, you don’t panic. You calmly pivot, reassign, and keep the camp engine humming.
You’re tech savvy. Our daily schedule is organized via two proprietary software programs, custom made for the North Star program. You’ll need to dive in and learn the ins and outs of the program quickly to create the best camp experience possible for our campers and staff.
You love a good spreadsheet (but love people more). You understand that behind every data point is a camper hoping for the best summer of his life and a staff member ready to create magic memories.
You’re a “professional juggler.” Balancing cabin coverage, activity requirements, and staff morale is a delicate act. You communicate these needs with a mix of authority and empathy.
You have high standards and seek to elevate others around you. You enjoy observing and can immediately tell if a ceramics class or soccer drill is up to the "North Star level." You take pride in providing the feedback necessary to help staff improve.
You’re an "innovation curator." Our incredible staff comes from all over the world with unique hidden talents and ideas. You are a great listener who catches those sparks of genius—like a new spin on ceramics or a specialized fitness drill—and weaves them into the daily activities to keep the program fresh or creates brand new special programs alongside our Special Program Director.
A competitive salary
Room and board (3 meals a day and snacks) for the entire summer
Travel expense reimbursement
A beautiful camp surrounded by a stunning waterfront
The chance to develop high-level organizational, logistics, and leadership skills
New friendships and memories that will last a lifetime
All the s'mores you can imagine
Ability to be on your feet for extended periods of time while observing programs.
Ability to lift 50 pounds.
Proficiency in data entry and computer-based scheduling.
Additional tasks and duties as assigned.
Assistant Program Director
Who We Are
North Star Camp for Boys is a residential summer camp located on the shores of Spider Lake in Hayward, Wisconsin. Every summer, approximately 300 campers join us to learn new skills, grow as individuals, and make lifelong memories. Our incredible staff comes from all over the world to create a nurturing, fun, and safe environment. We are looking for an organized, detail-oriented leader to join our team as the Assistant Program Director.
The Role In A Nutshell
The Assistant Program Director is the "architect" of the daily camp experience. You are responsible for the logistical puzzle of ensuring every camper gets the activities they love and every activity has the staff it needs to succeed. Using a proprietary computer program, you will build weekly camper schedules based on their ranked choices and manage the daily staff roster to ensure the strongest possible program instruction. This role is central to the daily operations of camp, requiring a blend of technical skill, keen observation, and collaborative problem-solving. The Assistant Program Director serves on North Star’s leadership team, helping to plan and execute a successful summer for our campers and staff. The dates for this role are May 28 - August 7 and the role includes a competitive compensation package, travel reimbursement, and room & board.
A Typical Day (even though there’s no such thing as a typical day at camp...)
Interested in Applying? We’d love to hear from you! Learn more on our website and submit an application.
Health Aide
Health Aides are nursing students looking to gain more experience in the medical field. Health Aides learn how to run a medical facility and provide valuable support to the health team by administering first aid, providing care to our community and documenting health center visits. Available 24/7, our health aides work alongsde our RNs and conduct first aid as needed, dispense medicine, care for sick campers, accompany sick or injured campers/staff to doctors appointments in town and communicate with camp parents if a camper visits the health center.
You can read the full job description here.
Salary ranges: $2300-3500 for the summer depending on experience and specialty skills for Health Aides. Room & board is included.
Interested in applying to be a Health Aide? Fill out our interest form here.
Cabin Counselor & Activity Instructor
Cabin Counselors (male only) have a dual role at camp: living in a cabin with 8-14 campers and 2-3 co-counselors and teaching activities during the day. A counselor’s main responsibility is overseeing his campers’ well-being and happiness while also fostering friendships in his cabin and at activities. Cabin counselors are role models - the de facto “parent” for campers. They make every day at camp fun by creating a welcoming community of friendship, adventure and support.
You can read the full job description here.
Salary ranges from $2300 - $3500 depending on experience and specialty skills, plus room & board is included.
Interested in being a Cabin Counselor at North Star? Fill out our interest form now!
Wilderness Trip Leader
Wilderness Trip Leaders are experienced outdoor wilderness adventurers who love the great outdoors and want to share that love with campers. Each session, every cabin goes on either a canoe or hiking trip. Trip Leaders help plan, organize and lead each trip -- a multi-faceted role that includes route navigation, preparing and cooking meals for the group, telling stories around the campfire and building friendships that can last a lifetime. Many campers do not have the opportunity to camp in tents and go canoeing at home, so Trip Leaders can impact the next generation with a greater appreciation for the great outdoors.
You can read the full job description here.
Salary ranges from $3000 - $4000 including room & board, plus North Star pays for Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification, lifeguard, CPR or additional bonus for staff with pre-existing WFR certification.
Interested in being a Wilderness Trip Leader? Fill out our interest form here!
Registered Nurse
Registered Nurses are responsible for the health and wellbeing of the North Star community. Available 24/7, our nurses conduct first aid as needed, dispense medicine, care for sick campers, accompany sick or injured campers/staff to doctors appointments in town and communicate with camp parents if a camper visits the health center.
You can read the full job description here.
Salary ranges: $1000+/week for an RN. Room & board is included.
Interested in applying to be a Registered Nurse at North Star? Fill out our interest form here.
Office Staff
Office Staff make sure camp is running smoothly behind the scenes, providing administrative support for North Star’s staff and parents. They answer phone calls, communicate with parents, sort and deliver mail, help process staff payroll, and so much more. We should really call this role "Director of First Impressions".
You can read the full job description here.
Salary range is $2300 - $3500 depending on experience and specialty skills, with room & board included.
Interested in applying to be on our office team? Fill out our interest form here.
Day Camp Staff
Day Camp Staff take care of our youngest campers (7 and under), children of Leadership Team members and/or Directors. While the Leadership Team is hard at work, the Day Camp Staff provide invaluable support to care for their kids. The kids are not quite old enough to fully participate in regular camp activities yet, so the Day Camp Staff find new adventures and activities to take the day campers on each day.
You can read the full job description here.
Salary range is $2300 - $3500 depending on experience and specialty skills, with room & board included.
Interested in applying to be a day camp counselor? Fill out our interest form here.
Camp Photographer
The Camp Photographer documents everything that takes place during the day and uploads the pictures online for our camp parents to see. Additionally, the camp photographer will help craft social media posts for Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. A great way to build a portfolio for photographers!
You can read the full job description here.
Salary range is $2300 - $3500 depending on experience and specialty skills, with room & board included.
Interested in applying to be our camp photographer? Fill out our interest form here.
How to Apply
Interested in hearing more? Great! We'd love to hear from you. Please fill out our interest form via the apply now link below. Once we receive your information, an Assistant Director will reach out to schedule an informational interview.
Our hiring process is:
1) Initial interview
2) Second round interview
3) Check references
4) Receive a job offer
5) Accept the job offer and get ready for the best summer of your life!
Contact Info
- Brian Glickman
- glick@northstarcamp.com
- (715) 462-3254
- www.northstarcamp.com
