Did you know that SOAR365’s Summer Camp recruits counselors from all over the world?  

“Summer Camp has become not only an American cultural exchange, but a cultural exchange of the entire world,” says Jessica Damm, a Summer Camp supervisor hailing from England. 

That sentiment is backed up by the 11 unique countries represented on staff in 2024. 

Thanks to online and in-person recruitment efforts, the nations of England, Scotland, Wales, Poland, Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Australia, New Zealand and of course, the United States, have all come together on a beautiful 22-acre plot of land in the heart of Chesterfield. 

And that doesn’t even include counselors from Jamaica, Germany and Türkiye who made it to camp a year ago. 

Online agencies such as Camp America and Camp Leaders are where many prospective counselors from other countries first learn about SOAR365’s Summer Camp and apply. SOAR365 staff, like Jessica and Summer Camp & Respite Services Director Matt Hulcher, conduct virtual interviews and make offers to those qualified who are a good fit.  

To find even more talented international counselors, Matt and Jessica make a trip across the ocean for the Camp America recruitment fair in London each year. 

“It is a great opportunity to talk to people directly and explain why Summer Camp at SOAR365 is special,” notes Jessica. “What’s really cool is when returning counselors are there to share their experiences!” 

That’s not to say there aren’t local counselors too. Richmond-area natives, like Head Camp Counselor Torrey, get involved thanks to word of mouth. 

“I was going to school to be a Special Education teacher and was substituting in schools as an instructional assistant for children with disabilities,” shares Torrey. “I hadn’t heard of SOAR365 or Camp Baker at the time but as soon as I looked at the website, I knew it could be an awesome experience.” 

When Torrey arrived on camp grounds, she hadn’t yet learned about how many international counselors she would be working with. 

“When I first met Jessica, I thought she was playing a joke on me. I thought her accent was fake,” Torrey says with a laugh. “But it made me even more interested in being a part of it all. I just fell in love with it.” 

By the end of the recruitment process, over 30 counselors ages 18 and older come together for unforgettable summer adventures. 

Providing a traditional summer camp experience to individuals with disabilities, SOAR365’s Summer Camp spans 10 week-long sessions, eight of which are designed for adults and two of which are exclusively for children. Campers enjoy many fun activities, such as horseback riding, swimming, paddle boating, fishing, hiking, arts and crafts, talent shows and more. 

Campers also get introduced to new languages, cultures and perspectives as they spend time with their counselors. 

“A lot of our campers have never met anyone from another country,” says Jessica. “Many of them have interest in language and like to try and copy our accents. They ask lots of questions, and it can be an educational moment for everyone.” 

Integrating that international feel has become increasingly important to making the Camp Baker experience what it is today.  

Flags from nearly every country hang from the ceiling in “The Retreat” where campers and overnight counselors rest during the day and sleep at night. Each week is themed, with the very first week of the summer being dedicated to “Around the World”. Everyone plays music from their home countries, even their national anthems. And all kinds of facts about different countries are incorporated into camp activities.

“Some of our campers are bilingual, such as English and Spanish,” says Jessica. “We have several Spanish speakers on our staff this year and it’s just awesome to see everyone talking in the language they feel most comfortable with.” 

“We recently had a camper and a counselor sit down and have a full-on conversation in a Polynesian language” adds Torrey. “Being from Virginia, it’s just really cool to witness something like that.” 

Camper-counselor interactions aren’t the only special moments around camp; the counselors create similar exchanges amongst themselves too. 

“It happens on the first day we’re together and it happens even after 18 months of knowing each other, like Jess and I,” says Torrey. “Sometimes you’re just chatting over dinner and find out that your friends say the same terms completely differently from you, which starts a whole new conversation.” 

One special place those interactions happen is the staff hangout space in the basement of Camp Baker’s administrative building. With Jessica giving it a complete makeover, the room now features couches and chairs, a television, a foosball table, plenty of board games, and a wall full of street signs with the names and locations of places from all over. 

Of course, moving to Virginia from an entirely different country comes with some worries as well. 

“Some people definitely have nervousness around leaving home and coming to Camp Baker,” notes Jessica. “We work hard to make camp a safe, comfortable place for our staff to relieve some of their worries. You create such strong bonds here that everyone finds friends to confide in and help each other.” 

While 10 weeks may seem like a long time, those who experience it will tell you just how quickly the end of camp seems to arrive every year. Luckily, modern technology allows counselors to continue their friendships no matter where in the world they head back to. 

SOAR365’s emphasis on the value of inclusion makes it all possible. And in this case, inclusion means fully accepting people from varying nations, cultures and backgrounds. 

“I am so grateful to SOAR365 for giving me this opportunity and enabling me to achieve a dream of mine,” says Jessica with a smile. “All of us international counselors are just forever grateful for the chance to come to America and make lifelong friends and lasting memories.