Each summer we hire five counselors who are native French speakers from France, Canada, Switzerland or Belgium. International counselors must get a J-1 visa through one of the international counselor agencies.

Camp Leaders (www.campleaders.com)
Camp America ( www.campamerica.aifs.com)
CCUSA (www.ccusa.com) 

Camp Staf USA  (campstaffusa.com)

If you are interested in applying to work on Canoe Island, please contact us to see if applying through an agency or interviewing with us first would work best.

Canoe Island is a beautiful island, covered by a forest of cedar, fir, madrone and maple trees, located just below the Canadian border in Northwest Washington.  The camp buildings sit on just one corner of it, so the rest of the island is wild with trails running through it.  It lies between Lopez and Shaw Islands in Upright Channel.  It takes about 20 minutes by our camp boat to travel from either San Juan Island or Orcas Island, which are served by the state ferry system. Each summer children learn about the French language, history, and culture while having a great time doing outdoor and artistic activities.  Counselors are expected to speak French to campers, using greetings, encouragement words and holding short conversations so that they hear French spoken often and take part when they are able. Campers are encouraged but not forced to speak French.  About 50% of the campers are beginning French speakers so English is a part of most activities although counselors are expected to teach as much as possible in French using props, sign language, pictures, etc. Of course the safety aspects of all activities are taught also in English.

Campers and staff live in tipis on wooden platforms off the ground -- usually four campers to one counselor. Campers learn French at their level from débutant to avancé.   These classes are designed to be fun and encourage the campers to speak French through active curriculum that includes physical activity and games. These are followed by a two-day morning activity that is related to France:

•    French culture:  a look at France and interesting differences between France and the US and their people.
•    French cuisine:  campers make French desserts, bread and sometimes an entire meal
•    Photography: after discussing French photographers, campers take black and white photos the first day and make prints in the dark room the second day.
•    Fencing: introductory
•    Theater: impromptu and short sketches about each session’s theme to present to other campers after lunch.
•    Art: a bit about French art history and different mediums, plus ceramics.
•    Nature/Biology:  tide pooling, birding, general nature study, island ecology, etc.  This might also happen in the afternoon.
•    Archery: a bit of the history of the use of the bow — especially in French/English battles and introductory technique.
•    Tennis

In the afternoon campers choose which activity they want to do for after repos from 2:30-4:30 pm.

•    Sailing
•    Kayaking
•    Snorkeling
•    Swimming in the pool
•    Art and Crafts
•    Theater: last week of session includes 3-day block to plan and present a short play by the campers during Le Soir au Théâtre
•    Archery
•    Fencing: intermediate level
•    Rock climbing: introductory climb on cliffs over ocean
•    Sports: soccer, volleyball, tennis, or more casual sports

Our themes are Les Voyageurs (French explorations in Nouvelle France); La Révolution Française, Le Monde Francophone, and Les Chevaliers, (les chevaliers de la table ronde jusque au moyen age). We encourage counselors to share their ideas for theme-based activities, decorations, art projects, theater, etc.  We provide the structure, guidelines, and past examples, and look to the counselors for the creativity.

Staff training begins in mid-June with staff arriving the day before, and the last session of the summer ends in late August followed Labor Day Weekend Adult and Family Camp, the first weekend of September. International counselors are paid according to their sponsoring agencies requirements for the first 9 weeks of our program, and at our standard first year counselors wage for the two remaining weeks of the 11-week summer.

At Canoe you can expect to live and work closely with children and adults on a secluded island. Because of our camp’s small size, everyone has the opportunity to perform several jobs: counselors are also activity instructors and language teachers. Time off is two nights between sessions, and during the 3-week sessions all staff get 36 hours off during the session. We offer staff waterfront accommodations during days off at La Conciergerie, our camp house and boat dock on nearby Orcas Island.

The real rewards of a summer in the spectacular San Juan Islands include exercising your body and spirit in a miraculous setting, while inspiring young people to learn, play and experience nature.  Your interest and experience in working with children, your commitment to being an appropriate role model, your demonstrated maturity, and your concern for the health and safety of those in your care will be determining factors in hiring.  Your ability to converse in both French and English is another obvious consideration.