Spring 2024

School of Environmental Education

Starting April 15, 2024

Description: Schools from across the Southeast send groups of campers to GRP for 2, 3, or 4-night programs, where campers experience a taste of classic GRP life. Campers go on Mentor Hikes both in the morning and the afternoon. Staff work with a close-knit team of experienced outdoor educators to do all parts of the program, from mealtime procedures and skits to rose bud thorn and evening programs. Mentors also lead hikes.

Openings: Mentors aka Outdoor Education Instructors, Support Staff, Kitchen Staff. Climbing experience a plus! For more info, email catherine@greenriverpreserve.org.

Summer 2024

Staff Training

Full Staff Training

June 3- June 14

Expeditions Staff Training

May 27- June 14

Wilderness First Aid

TBD

Lifeguard Certification

TBD

Description: All new staff are required to attend our Staff Training before camp. We learn GRP policies and procedures, how to work with children, and we grow together as a community. We also do a full practice Campout, where we share skills and learn so much about trails, emergency scenarios, and each other.

For 2024, we are offering a Wilderness First Aid Course (2 yr cert) and Lifeguard Certification (2 yr cert) the week prior to staff training. Because of the nature of our jobs, we are asking Mentors to obtain this certification as a minimum requirement. Expedition Leaders (required) and Mentors are encouraged to hold a Wilderness First Responder Certification. We also hold an epinephrine administration class (4 yr cert) during staff training.

Rotating Mentors / Counselors: If you are a return staff member who won't be here the whole summer, we recommend attending the weekend of staff training. This is a really fun time when the Senior Mentors gather to lead hikes, share music and stories at a council fire, and teach how to lead a night exploration. We also do our emergency training on Sunday afternoon, so that is a very important day to attend.

All sessions begin for staff at 4:00 PM on a Saturday and end by 5:00 PM on a Thursday.

2024 Base Camp SEssion Dates

Session 1- Rookie Camp Sun, June 9 – Thu, June 13

Session 2 Sun, June 16 – Thu, June 27

Session 3 Sun, June 30 – Thu, July 18

Session 4 Sun, July 21 – Thu, August 1

Session 6 Sun, August 4 –Thu, August 15

Sessions 2, 3, 4, & 6 all have a 2 night/3 day campout and Group Learning Project (GLP) days.

Base Camp Expeditions

We have 4 week-long Base Camp Expeditions (BCE) throughout the summer. We are hiring 2-3 leaders to lead these trips with up to 8 participants in grades 6th-10th for the summer. BCE’s focus on diving deep into a particular adventure like Mountain Biking, Rock Climbing, or Backpacking. While exploring this outdoor activity, Expeditioners and their leaders campout on the GRP property living together in a small community and also learning Leave No Trace principals, outdoor cooking, and mindful living skills. Please check out our website for more details.

2023 Base Camp Expedition Dates

Rock & Read 1 Mon, June 17 - Sat, June 22

Mountain Biking Mon, June 24 - Sat, June 29

Backpacking Mon, July 1 - Sat, July 6

High School Expeditions

We offer 4 different Expedition Programs for our high school campers throughout the summer. Leaders work in teams of 2-3 with 8-12 participants on trips ranging from 14-45 days.

Blue Ridge and Outer Banks Expeditions are typically the “next step” for our former base camp campers. These trips are shorter ranging from 12-16 days and the leaders will lead 2 to 3 of these trips each summer. Like all GRP experiences, these leaders are role models and vital to the integrity and safety of our trips.

Our Western Expedition runs once per summer and the 2 leaders on this trip are typically contracted for 4-5 weeks. This experience is not easy. The terrain is vast and challenging and weather plays an extra risk element. This Expedition typically attracts long time veteran campers who have succeeded on previous trips. Leaders with experience in our program or other trip leading experience will be considered.

The culminating GRP experience is our Leadership in Training Program. We offer two different programs throughout the summer running simultaneously with our base camp sessions. These Expeditioners are campers however they are making the transition to staff and this experience helps facilitate that growth. The 2-3 leaders for these trips will balance providing feedback for their Expeditioners, creating programming to meet their needs (service projects, backpacking trips), and creating a safe place for them to push themselves.

Please check out the Expeditions Dates page for specific trip dates.