March 21, 2025
Are you or someone you know looking for a part-time job this summer? Help us put the “puzzle pieces” together and apply for positions including pools and camp staff.
“I love day camp! I went to day camp as a kid and I enjoy being outside having fun with the kids, not stuck at an inside job,” said Annemarie Skladzien, who is about to begin her second summer with Palatine Park District.
“I enjoy working at summer camp because every day is unique,” she said. “We do follow a routine with activities like crafts, group games, and swimming but we’re always on the move and having fun.”
Skladzien’s year-round job is also at the Palatine Park District. She works as a preschool teacher at Maple Park Preschool and as a Site Director for the District’s CARE program.
“In the summer I’m still getting experience working with kids as well as experience in customer service skills and building relationships,” she said. In fact, some of the kids she works with during the school year she’ll see again at camp. “I’ll hear ‘Hi Miss Annemarie’ – it’s nice to see the kids in a different setting.”
Summer camp positions attract a wide variety of applicants. ” We had a great group of college kids last year,” she said. “They gain a lot of confidence and self-esteem from the beginning of summer to the end. And it looks great on a resume wherever your career path leads you.”
And what makes a great summer camp counselor? “Someone who is responsible, a good communicator, enthusiastic, reliable, a good listener and most of all willing to have fun and engage with the kids!”
Annie Kamps works year-round for Palatine Park District as an Assistant Pool Manager. Kamps decided to work at the District because she wanted a fun work atmosphere. “I started in aquatics a decade ago as a 16 year-old lifeguard,” she said. Now she has added water aerobics and family classes to her repertoire.
Kamps enjoys working with the kids and creating a safe aquatic environment for patrons. “I think you would be a good candidate to work at the pools if you care about the work you do, care about your community, and take pride doing all the tasks the job requires. Palatine Park District has a great family environment and is a great team to be a part of.” From pools to pageants, Kamps is currently Miss Northern Suburbs and will compete for Miss Illinois this June.
Come work with us and be a part of the Palatine Park District team at palatineparks.org/employment-opportunities/. Find a summer or year-round job where YOU get to help people play!
You just might be the missing piece!
