Teen Leadership

High School Programs

Make this Summer Rock!

The Girls Rock Math Teen Leadership Program provides rising 9th-12th graders with training and experience to take their leadership skills to the next level, all while earning service hours and volunteer hours.

By becoming a Teen Leader with Girls Rock Math, high school students develop valuable life skills as a counselor that will help prepare them for college and for future job opportunities.

Teen Leaders spend two weeks as counselors where they mentor campers by coaching them through fun and engaging math activities, help them forge friendships, gain confidence, and see their true potential in STEM!

We will begin accepting applications in January for Summer 2024.

Apply:
Fill out the basic application to get started. It will put you in touch with our Director of Learning and Leadership, who will take you through the rest of the application process. Applications are accepted until all Counselor openings have been filled

Provide References:
All applicants are asked to provide 2 or 3 non-family/non-friend references such as teachers, coaches, youth ministers, boss, etc. Let your references know they’ll be hearing from us soon.

Interview:
Before acceptance, new applicants must complete a phone or Zoom interview. We’re happy to talk to returning counselors too, but it’s not mandatory.

Get your Schedule:
You will receive a form allowing you to select your preferred locations and weeks. We ask that new counselors commit to a minimum of two weeks of camp. Once you have submitted your preferences, we will schedule you as soon as we can. The more options and flexibility you can provide, the sooner we will be able to confirm your schedule!

Complete the Training:
All new counselors must attend one day of in-person training prior to starting camp. Please make sure one you're available on one of the mandatory training before applying.

Training A: Saturday, June 1st, 9:30-3:30
Training B: Sunday, June 2nd, 9:30-3:30
Training C: Saturday, June 15th, 9:30-3:30

Benefits:
  • Letter of Recommendation
  • Certificate of Recognition
  • Experience working with and inspiring young children
  • Develop communication skills
  • Build your own interpersonal skills by building children’s SEL skills such as empathy and self-confidence
  • Opportunity to share your love of math, knowledge and skills
  • Interact with others who share your passion
  • Add to your resume and explore new careers
  • Elevate your skill set and showcase your talent
  • Experience leadership
  • Be part of a great team
  • Have fun while fulfilling volunteer hours requirements for school

FAQs

Who can apply to be part of the Teen Leadership Program?

You can apply if you’re entering 9th-12th grade in the fall and identify as a girl or fall anywhere on the spectrum of gender that experiences gender inequity in STEM

Is Girls Rock Math a non-profit?

Yes we qualify as a 501c3 non-profit!

How do I get my service hours verified?

You can either bring a paper form to camp and get it signed by the Site Director or Teacher, or you can send an electronic verification form to leadership@girlsrockmath.org

What if I can only do 1 week of camp?

One week of camp goes by in a blur! We have found that because of this, often counselors feel most successful toward the end of the first week of camp. Participating in 2 weeks will allow counselors to feel strong and confident entering their second week allowing for a positive and well-rounded experience. If you feel passionate about participating in Girls Rock Math and can really only do one week please email leadership@girlsrockmath.org and we can discuss it.

If a friend is also a Teen Leader. Can we be scheduled together?

We will try our best! This is more likely to happen if you two apply early and have all your references in. If this is your preference, please let me know at leadership@girlsrockmath.org

Please be responsible and evaluate whether or not the friend you would like to be scheduled with would be a distraction to your duties at camp. and we can discuss it.

Do I have to be good at math to be a counselor?

At Girls Rock Math we believe everyone can be a mathematician. If you enjoy thinking through problems, solving riddles and puzzles, visualizing spatially or looking for new and interesting ways to approach the world, then you’ll enjoy being a Teen Leader. If you get straight A’s in math, that’s amazing. But if you don’t, we aren’t checking your report cards. We want to see Counselors who approach math with an open mind, with curiosity and with an eagerness to learn, and an openness to share and problem-solve with younger children. And if it helps you get over any worries, much of the math we do at camp can be solved by counting on your fingers or drawing out an answer! There are many times we won’t share the solutions with our counselors because we know it’s fun for everyone to try to solve

For example, how many triangles do you see here?

What does a camp day look like?

Each day will begin with a meeting to orient you in the day’s activities and expectations. You’ll learn about what the kids will be doing and how you’ll help them! Then, when the campers arrive, you’ll get to guide them through the engaging STEAM activities at camp, from painting fraction self-portraits to making tessellation origami, our campers learn math in a hands-on way that will keep YOU and them busy and having fun! We want you to feel prepared so midday you’ll meet as a Teen Leadership Team and discuss how things are going and how to best support your group. Then, you lead the Circle Up, a meaningful time spent with your group of campers where you discuss a variety of SEL topics relating to leadership, STEM and being a strong girl. When lunch rolls around you’ll have the important task of helping to supervise recess, but that can also mean you get to join in on the fun and games! The end of the day includes one more activity with the campers. Whatever it is, it’s likely to be fun and active, like making shrinky dink Sierpinski triangle necklaces or measuring the distance a straw fairy flies! Campers will then clean up, we sing songs and the regular camp day ends!

What are the camp hours and do counselors get breaks?

Counselors arrive on Mondays at 8:00 to meet their team, but the rest of the week you arrive at 8:30. The camp day ends at 3:30, and counselors usually stay until 4:00 to help pack up for the day. We ask each counselor to commit to one longer day each week to help with our Extended Day program, and on that day you stay until 5:30. During the day you get a 15 minute break and a 30 minute lunch. On the later day, you’ll get a second 15 minute break.

Questions can be directed to leadership@girlsrockmath.org

APPLY NOW!