Information for Parents of TEAM & SALT Applicants Regarding WORK SCHEDULES: We are incredibly thankful for the teenagers who are willing to serve at Ponderosa each summer through our TEAM and SALT programs. These positions play a vital role in helping each week of camp run smoothly and in creating a Christ-centered environment where campers can grow spiritually, build friendships, and have a life-changing week at camp. Summer Staff applications typically open during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season, and we strongly encourage teens to apply during their school holiday breaks. However, many applicants wait until the spring or even the last minute to submit their applications. Each week of camp requires approximately: 8 SALT members 10 TEAM members In recent years, it has become increasingly difficult to fill all of these positions due to: Summer sports practices and team commitments Jobs and work schedules Family vacations and other summer activities Increasing financial pressures requiring teens to work during the summer months Because of this, scheduling staff for the summer has become a very detailed process. We work very hard to give each applicant their first-choice week(s) whenever possible. However, when a large number of applicants request the same week, we must make difficult scheduling decisions. While we do consider the order in which applications were submitted, we also must balance each week carefully by including a healthy mix of: Experienced returning staff members First-time TEAM & SALT participants This balance is extremely important because returning staff members help mentor and train newer staffers throughout the summer. For this reason, final schedules are usually not released until after May 15, and occasionally adjustments must still be made during Staff Training Week at the end of May once everyone arrives and final staffing needs are confirmed. We understand this can make it challenging for families to plan vacations and other summer activities. Therefore, our recommendation is simple: Please go ahead and plan your family vacations and important summer events first. On the application, simply indicate the weeks your teenager is NOT available to serve. We will make every effort to assign them to at least one of the weeks they marked as available. If your teen is available to serve multiple weeks, please understand that it may be late May before we can confirm any additional assigned weeks beyond their initial placement. Thank you for your patience, flexibility, and willingness to support your teenager as they serve the Lord through summer ministry at Ponderosa. We truly could not do camp without these amazing young people and their families.