Defining excellent head counselors: a review of cabin counselor evaluations and personal demographics

The purpose of this study was to examine the demographic information and personal constructs which define excellent head counselors at a camp for children with multiple disabilities. The ten head counselors were students at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville who were enrolled in a 1996 spring semester course on outdoor education for children with disabilities. The study examined secondary data collected either in class, or at the end of the one week camp program, and included evaluation forms and background information. The head counselors were rated by approximately ten counselors in their cabin group. A one-way ANOVA followed by post hoc comparison found that two head counselors were significantly different from other counselors in the group based on mean global scores derived from the evaluations. It was concluded from the data that leadership and reliability are the two constructs that distinguish the least excellent head counselors from the most excellent. Since all ten head counselors were rated excellent, and all ten were upperclassmen, it was concluded that the maturity level of the more experienced student is a benefit in the supervisory position of head counselor.