Camp Pinnacle Summer Missions Camp for Girls is a Baptist camp in Georgia that has operated since 1947. It aims to lead girls to Christ, develop Christian character, and promote world missions. Each summer it emphasizes a different global region for missionary work. Girls attend sessions from kindergarten through 12th grade in a relaxed environment where they can learn about God's heart for the world. The document provides information about camp schedules, staff roles and skills, camper growth and development, and how serving can benefit leaders personally and support their development. Theory related to social learning, sociocultural learning, symbolic interaction, and more is discussed in relation to the camp experience.

1. PERSONAL GROWTH
Camp Pinnacle Summer Missions Camp for Girls is owned and
operated by the Baptist Woman’s Missionary Union of Georgia.
Since 1947, Camp Pinnacle has been dedicated to God to lead
people to Christ, to develop Christian character, and to promote
world missions. We are the only missions-focused camp in
Georgia where each summer we emphasize Southern Baptist
missionary work in a particular part of the world. In the small city
of Clayton, Georgia girls and teens make decisions to follow
Jesus, make disciples, and learn about the spiritual needs of
others in close and remote places.
WHO WE ARE
Not only is camp an opportunity to serve God and pour
into girls, but you can also expect a significant amount of
personal, spiritual, and emotional growth. It is a time that
will stretch you out of your comfort zone and help you
learn more about God's purpose for your own life!
LEADERSHIP IN TRAINING GUIDE
SO YOU WANT
TO WORK
AT CAMP
PINNACLE?!
Able to lead small and large group activities
Supervise camper participation in structured and
unstructured activities
Demonstrate sensitivity to the needs of campers
Appropriately model behavior that points campers
and other staffers to a relationship with Jesus
Use positive behavior-management techniques -
enthusiasm, sense of humor, patience, and self-
control
Working at Camp Pinnacle is so much fun, but there are a
few important things to know to create stronger leaders!
Camp Pinnacle offers girls-only sessions in a relaxed
atmosphere where girls can just be themselves. These
sessions are offered to individuals in grades
kindergarten through 12th grade. Camp Pinnacle
teaches teaching girls and teens about God’s heart
for the world!
STAFF SKILLS
STAFF ROLES
CAMPER GROWTH
Intentional in relating to campers.
Able to understand procedures and follow a schedule.
Guide, counsel, and lead campers into meaningful
spiritual experiences.
Participate enthusiastically in all camp activities.
Be intentional in sharing your faith and having faith
conversations with each camper.

2. HOW CAMP CAN BENEFIT YOU PERSONALLY
AND SUPPORT POSITIVE GROWTH
PERSONAL
GROWTH
YOUR FAITH
The social exchange theory suggests that
individuals engage in human relationships based
on the costs and benefits (Allen & Henderson,
2017). Therefore, people utilize a cost-benefit
analysis to determine if entering a relationship is
worth it, and the perceived benefits outweigh
the perceived costs (George, 2020). At camp,
you are sacrificing a lot of time, energy, and
money to be away from home for two months
and pour into girls that you genuinely do not
know. While humans tend to act in ways that
maximize their advantage, serving at camp is
more about others than yourself. Camp Pinnacle
is rooted in the idea of creating an environment
where girls can experience God. With this idea
in mind, it is not about your physical comfort; it is
more about introducing the kingdom of God to
children and inviting them into a relationship
with Him for eternity.
A significant part of growing up and preparing
for college involves developing autonomy. A
summer away from your parents is filled with
independence, personal decision-making, and
doing activities for someone other than yourself.
This time away from your parents can help you
be your own person and strengthen your own
beliefs.
YOUR IDENTITY

3. DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES AND COMMON ISSUES
OF THE POPULATION WE ARE WORKING WITH
CAMPER
GROWTH
TEENS
Girls between the ages of 13-21 are in a stage
where they are developing their identity. As
children gain confidence in their abilities, they
begin to explore their identity and develop a
sense of self. It is a leader's job to create a safe
space where teens can ask questions and feel
comfortable being curious. According to the
symbolic interaction theory, an essential
communication component involves a
transactional process of words, gestures, and
facial expressions (George, 2020). As a leader,
campers may disclose some heavy information
to you. It is your job to actively listen, stay
focused on them, and ensure that they feel
heard. Reflective listening involves responding to
their vulnerability and reflecting their thoughts
and feelings by repeating their words and tone
of voice. This technique demonstrates that you
understand what the child is saying, but you are
not trying to change their feelings (Kay, 2021).
YOUNGER GIRLS
Girls between the ages 5-12 are in a stage
where they are developing industry or inferiority.
Industry is a type of confidence that develops as
children are reinforced for their efforts.
Meanwhile, inferiority develops when children
doubt their abilities and feel unable to reach
their full potential. As leaders, children will look
up to you and seek acknowledgment. Therefore,
it is your job to be supportive and boost a child's
self-esteem by encouraging them to appreciate
their unique qualities (Landers-Potts, 2020).
The most important role of a camp leader is
engaging in interpersonal relationships. These
interpersonal relationships involve recognizing
the developmental milestones of the population
to develop effective strategies for
communication, problem-solving, and conflict
management.
POPULATION

4. According to Bandura's social theory, individuals can
learn new behaviors by imitating and observing their
peers (Leigh, 2020). As a leader in training, you will be
shadowing a cabin leader, media specialist, or support
staffer to learn more about what that role entails. With
this idea in mind, if a staffer performs a behavior and
its results are rewarding, the leader in training will be
more likely to perform that behavior later on (Leigh,
2020). Therefore, when dealing with distressed
campers, if a cabin leader uses reflective listening,
empathizing, and understanding to successfully calm a
child down, then the trainee will see that this tactic is
successful and will be more likely to repeat it in similar
situations.
SOCIOCULTURAL THEORY
According to Vygotsky's sociocultural theory,
individuals acquire beliefs and problem-solving
strategies by working with more knowledgeable
members in that field (Leigh, 2020). While leaders in
training are shadowing staffers, they may engage in
collaborative dialogue where the leader models
behavior and provides verbal instruction to guide the
trainee's behavior (Allen & Henderson, 2017).
Furthermore, this process involves the zone of proximal
development where the knowledgeable other gives
guidance and directs the trainee to develop skills they
can use on their own. This includes scaffolding in which
the staffer gradually lessens their supports as the
trainee begins to gain confidence and competence in
their abilities to lead independently (Leigh, 2020).
SYMBOLIC INTERACTION
According to the symbolic interactionist theory, humans
constantly process interactions to make sense of
expectations, roles, and social norms (Allen &
Henderson, 2017). A major part of this theory is the
looking glass self which refers to how people think they
are perceived by others (Allen & Henderson, 2017). If a
trainee is perceived as a potential leader and not
looked down on as a high school volunteer, they are
more likely to be confident in their leadership abilities
and grasp skills to be a future staffer. Furthermore,
people shape their performance based on who they
are around and what impression they are trying to
make in what is known as impression management
(George, 2020). Therefore, if leaders in training are
perceived positively with proper support and
encouragement, their identity, internalized
expectations, and self-worth will be beneficially
shaped to develop stronger leaders (Allen &
Henderson, 2017).
EXPLANATION OF HOW THEORY RELATES TO
SERVING AT CAMP PINNACLE
THEORY!
SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY

5. WHAT THE SCHEDULE WILL LOOK LIKE AND
WHAT EACH LEADERSHIP BLOCK ENTAILS
ALL THE
DETAILS
SUPPORT STAFF
CABIN LEADER
SCHEDULE
While serving as a leader in training, you will have the
opportunity to see the various tasks and activities of
support staff, the media team, cabin leaders, and the
leadership team. This session will last about two and a
half weeks. It will include being a part of staff training
or staff development, shadowing different leadership
positions during the first week, and practicing some
observed skills throughout the second week. Each day
will be divided into blocks so that you are observing
every leadership position during assorted activities.
MEDIA SPECIALIST
LEADERSHIP TEAM
When shadowing support staff, various tasks may
include assisting in food preparation and serving,
cleaning dining room tables, sweeping and mopping
floors, taking out the trash, cleaning bathrooms,
cleaning lodge rooms, serving campers snacks during
canteen, and restocking supplies.
When shadowing cabin leaders, various tasks may
include leading group games, leading daily bible
study, assisting with JAM time, supervising campers
during gift shop, leading nightly devotion, coordinate
cabin cleaning, and helping with various camptivities.
When shadowing media specialists, various tasks may
include running sound and PowerPoints at campus-
wide activities (worship, main event, talent show,
closing ceremonies), uploading camp pictures to the
camp website, keeping social media updated on
camp events, and organizing photos throughout the
day into categorized folders.
When shadowing the leadership team, various tasks
may include assisting in event setup and clean-up
(PMC, color wars, and talent show), supervising unit
activities, observing cabin debrief, and assiting cabin
leaders as needed.

6. Allen, K. R., & Henderson, A. C. (2017).
Family theories: foundations and
applications. Wiley Blackwell.
Anderson, S. A., & Sabatelli, R. M.
(2011). Family interaction: A
multigenerational developmental
perspective (Fifth ed.). Boston: Allyn &
Bacon.
George, J. (2020). Issues in Family
Systems [Powerpoint Slides]. Retrieved
from Lecture
Notes.
Kay, A. (2021). Parenting and Child
Guidance [Powerpoint Slides].
Retrieved from Lecture
Notes.
Landers-Potts, M. (2020). Lifespan
Development [Powerpoint Slides].
Retrieved from Lecture
Notes.
Leigh, K. (2020). Child Development
[Powerpoint Slides]. Retrieved from
Lecture Notes.
RESOURCES USED TO SUPPORT LEADERSHIP
IN TRAINING GUIDE
REFERENCES