Junior Apprentice Application Form

Our Junior Apprentices are similar to a Counselor-In-Training Program at other youth summer camps. In the position of Junior Apprentice, you will learn what it takes to bring Fiddleheart to life from “behind the curtain” and you will be an essential part of helping us create a magical atmosphere for our students. To make the magic, it takes imagination, dedication, physical/mental/emotional stamina, an openness to learning and a strong desire to work with younger kids.

NOTE: THIS ROLE IS FOR STUDENTS AGES 16 WHO HAVE BEEN PRIOR STUDENTS AT FIDDLEHEART

DATES:

It is mandatory that you are able to attend all of these dates in order to be eligible for acceptance.

  • Pre-Session Training: Sunday-Wednesday, June 30-July 2, exact hours TBD

  • In-Session: Monday-Friday, July 8-19, hours 8:15-3:15, breaks are included

  • Post-Session Clean-Up: Saturday, July 20, exact hours TBD

NOTE: There will be opportunities prior to these dates when Junior Apprentices will be invited to help prepare supplies for our summer session. Attendance at these events is not required.

What to expect in the role of Junior Apprentice:

  • Creating a character. You will invent a character that you will “be” for the entirety of our in-session time with the students. This character will have a name, a background story, and possible special characteristics or costume pieces. One year a junior apprentice created a character that had horns and whose specialty was reading tarot. Most importantly this character needs to be able to engage fully in all activities and with others so as to help the students feel that they are in a magical place.

  • Doing “grunt” work. Fiddleheart requires a lot of non-magical tasks in order to create a magical experience. This includes things like filling the water coolers with ice and water, chaperoning students to the bathroom or the “healer,” handing out snacks and cleaning up afterwards, cleaning and setting up both before the students arrive and in-between classes, running supplies from one area of the grounds to another. It is work and requires a positive attitude and physical stamina.

  • Being game. If some students want to practice their wand dueling, you jump in to be the referee. If a professor calls on you to demonstrate something in class, you do so with enthusiasm and an all-in performance. If the Keeper of the Keys asks you to bring extra scissors to a professor in the middle of class, you hustle to it. If the students are idle and looking to you for some direction during common room time, you suggest to play a game with them~ board game if they are chill or get-your-body-moving game if they are full of energy.

  • Observing and Communicating. You are the eyes and ears that in some ways are closest to the students. The senior staff members rely on you to communicate directly and clearly to us if you notice anything like a student who seems left out, or is in some kind of distress, or who is teasing another student or has a great idea about the where the mystery is headed. We are all looking out for each other so that everyone who participates (and that’s you too) feels included, loved and joyous in this creative, magical place called Fiddleheart. Good communication is an important part of this.

  • Participating fully in the magic: Entering the world of magic is crucial and you must be dedicated to supporting the imaginative world that we create in as many ways as you can. Yes, you can talk to the students about how you both love to play guitar, or DnD, or soccer but it is important that you don’t slip too far into muggle/non-magical land (and we’ll give you some hints on how to do this). We want you to be able to connect with the students in ways that are meaningful to the students while still being committed to bringing everything back to the imaginative world of Fiddleheart that we are playing in together.

What you will learn:

  • How to run games and activities for younger students to foster engagement and build community

  • How to be a valued member pf a team in a fast-moving environment

  • How to communicate effectively with the leadership team

  • How to think creatively “on your feet” and improvise

  • What it takes to bring a magical, theatre-based summer camp to life

  • What makes a class effective and fun for all students and is inclusive of different learning styles.

  • More about what you love to do and what you don’t love to do in a working environment.

COST: $300.00

Application Form

To apply for the role of Junior Apprentice:

  1. Fill out and submit the form below [Sit down at a time when you can fill out the entire form and don’t forget to hit the submit button at the end as this information does not save].

  2. Email a video recording to the Headmistress at headmistress@fiddleheartmagic.com. For the video recording, imagine that you are talking to a good friend and explain to them what it is that you love about Fiddleheart. Length of video no longer than 2 minutes.

Camp directors will review each application as they come in and acceptance into the program is on a rolling basis. We anticipate it will take no more than 6 weeks from the time a student applies to alert them of their status in the program. There are only a 3-4 students accepted for this role for 2024. All decisions will be made no later than February 28. You are encouraged to apply early.