For Students Entering Grades 9th-12th

The Counselor Assistant is the leader of Discovery Camp and a final step in the camp progression. In addition to all the magic and fun of camp, CAPs also work on their leadership skills, develop friendships and create healthy relationships, gain experience in outdoor skills, science, and teaching, and increase their self-confidence and self-awareness. Each CAP will be paired with a staff mentor who they can check in with and learn from throughout their session. CAPs will have special leadership trainings, activities, and exclusive time just for the CAPs.

2023 Registration is now open!

Mentorship & Leadership Experience

CAPs are assigned a counselor mentor that they will shadow and assist during the week at camp. At the start of the camp, your mentor will check in with you on what you want to get out of your time as a CAP, and help set some goals for the week.
You’ll go on the week’s adventures with your counselor mentor and their assigned group of campers. During these activities, you will have the opportunity to lead games, help campers with wilderness skills, and support counselors with a wide variety of tasks. CAPs are given leadership opportunities based on their behavior and desire for this responsibility.

Skills Learned

Teambuilding Skills - Risk Management - Adaptability - Time Management - Customer Service - Group Management

Same Camp Fun, More Responsibility

You’ll still get to participate in all of the awesome camp activities as our Discovery campers, like climbing, rafting, and mountain hiking.

But after the day’s activities, you get to debrief separately with your CAP friends. Counselor Assistants also have their own room in the dorms or tents, and their own Candle Chat each night. Each day will feature designated time for CAP leadership development training.

Day 1: Welcome to Camp!

We'll get settled in our dorms/tents, and pack for the next day's Wilderness trip. We finish the day with our Campfire tradition, where campers can sing, laugh and make new friends.

CAP Early Drop Off
Move in, Unpack, CAP Orientation
Discovery Campers Arrive, Group Games
CAP Leadership
Campfire
Cabin Time, Candle Chat Group Discussion, Optional Astronomy
CAP Only Candle Chat

Day 2: Wilderness Backpacking & Camping off-campus

Begin with an optional Sunrise Celebration on Lake Dillon. Campers then depart campus for an overnight Wilderness Overnight Trip, where they will backpack into nature and learn basic backpacking skills, and how to set up camp.

Wilderness Group Packing and Preparations
Wilderness Adventure
Lunch on Trail
Set Up Camp Site
Learn Wilderness Skills
CAP Leadership Development
Tent Talks, Candle Chat Group Discussion

Day 3: Extreme Camper Choice

Campers spend the day on campus or around Summit County, where they can choose from activities like Disc Golf, a Science Hike, fishing, Archery and tye-dye. We end each day with a Candle Chat.

Sunrise Celebration
Earth Trek
Lunch on Trail
Camper Choice
Big Group Game
Cabin Time

Day 4: Challenge Hike

We leave KSS before sunrise for a Challenge Hike - where campers push themselves outside of their comfort zones on a difficult hike in a beautiful location, sometimes as far as a mountain summit at 14,000 feet! Read More

Wake Up, Pack up Camp, Begin Challenge Hike
Celebrate Success - Group Discussion
Mellow Meadow: Archery, Free Play
All-Camp Photos
CAP Leadership Development
Science Investigation
Cabin Time
CAP Only Candle Chat

Day 5: Adventure Day

Depending on the week they sign up for, choices can include Rafting, Horseback Riding or Rock Climbing. We end the day with a fun and laughter filled Talent Show, followed by our closing camper ceremony and the week’s Camper Awards.

Leave for Adventure Day
Theme Costume Dinner
All-Camp Photos
Camper Talent Show
Cabin Closing Ceremony, Camper Awards
All-Camp Closing Ceremony
CAP Night

Day 6: Camp Celebration, Goodbye!

On the last day of camp - we’ll pack up and have a celebration with arriving families, where we'll will sing camp songs, meet the counselors and watch a video celebrating the memories from the week.

Breakfast
Big Group Game
CAP Leadership Development

Offsite Adventures, Grades 5-12

Adventures is the next step in progression at KSS. Our field-based Adentures are focused on the development of outdoor skills and leadership while exploring Colorado’s stunning parks, monuments, and most scenic natural environments by foot, on rope, or watercraft.