I can attest that the offer is legitimate.
I built the magic program at this facility into the largest non-dedicated magic program in the world. (By non-dedicated, I mean this is not a "magic camp". It is a high end summer camp with a magic program that attracts kids with various levels of interest.)
In it's heyday we had classes working through Erdnase, classes designing and performing theatrical seances, we had an illusion class where will not only wrote original shows but designed and built the illusions to be presented.
We had a wide variety of teachers and guest presenters including Simon Lovell and Jeff McBride. (Simon''s Cheats, cons, and swindles class was abruptly canceled after a monte game in the bunk went bad.)
The camp itself is amazing with a full drama department and amazing scene shop, a circus with two flying trapezes (one indoor, one out), dirt biking, rock shop (rock music), an arts and crafts pavilion with almost everything activity you can imagine, horse back program, and intense challenge course and zip line, water front including water skiing and most boats appropriate for rural lakes, a skate park, tennis, and pretty much every sport you can think of.
Your payment will be in two parts, a percentage of it earmarked as travel
(making it non-taxable.) your day's off are 36 hour day offs and as you are near NYC it is a great opportunity to head into the city and check out shows and magic. When I was there I would go hand with Sol Stone, Harry Lorayne, Gene Maze, Phil Schwartz and Bob McCallister.
I believe you get 3 nights off a week, and those nights you are free to do as you please.
I still visit the camp, and it seems the food is still quite good. (Above average for many summer camps). Since they provide your lodging and food, a smart counselor (who doesn't drink their paycheck away on their off nights) can walk home with a nice little chunk of change in their pocket. If you take almost any other summer job, you have gas, rent, and food costs to factor into your bottom line. Here, most of that is covered.
It will be an intense experience. Summer camps are like taking a year and squishing it into a month. When you are sad, it will be the most intense sadness you have experience. But the fun and happiness you have will be brighter than you have ever known. And you can feel one way one day and have completely forgotten about it the next.
It is NOT an easy job. You have a lot of responsibility and by the end of the summer you will be exhausted. Many leave thinking "I will never do this again."
Only to sign contracts for the next year a month later.
I am still friends with people I met at this camp some 20 years ago. I have visited with them in multiple states and numerous countries. Just two months ago I was performing at the Magic Castle and two kids from the camp (one a former child star, the other one of my former top students) just happened to show up.
It is a great opportunity, but more than just the job, you will learn so much about what you do from having to teach it. I understand magic more thoroughly and more deeply because of my teaching experience.
I am still close friends with the owners and regularly send them referrals for magicians. If you have any questions, feel free to give me a call or email.
