Student volunteers, for the safety of all parties involved, MUST attend orientation in May (date TBA). Odyssey will provide pizza or snacks depending on the time. This event will be quick, roughly an hour and a half, and will be the volunteer's only opportunity to receive an entire overview of expectations, tips, and meeting points.

Please do not use ALL CAPS

Please select your CURRENT grade level

What is your gender preference? (i.e. how should we refer to you?)

A majority of Odyssey's communication will go to email. Please be sure you are providing the email address you check MOST OFTEN. There will be an option to add parent email addresses later in this form.

Please provide us with the STUDENT phone number. Guardian phone numbers can be added below.

Can we text this number?

What school do you currently attend?

Please provide your guardian's most-reliable phone number in case they need to be reached in an emergency

Which session is MOST COMPATIBLE with your projected summertime schedule? Please select multiple sessions, as some fill up quicker than others. Odyssey will confirm this schedule with you by the orientation (held in May).
2020 Dates
June 1 to July 10, 2020 | Monday-Friday | 8:15AM-4:45PM

Are there any expected or percieved cavets or exceptions to the above schedule?

Please tell us as briefly as you can the scheduling conflict you perceive during the selected dates. Include specific dates or times you are unavailable.

Is this your first time volunteering as an Odyssey mentor?

Tell us more! Provide the year for each summer you've volunteered and the grade levels or teachers whom you worked with during those summers.

We would like to know why you chose Odyssey as your volunteerism project for this summer.

What is does leadership mean to you? (Select all that apply)

Please list your interests. This can be favorite classes/subjects, hobbies, sports, or talents. What drives your passion? Feel free to add as many columns as you'd like.

What's your all-time favorite book? That one you could read over and over...

I give permission for Odyssey to use films and photos of me to promote Odyssey. This includes appearances in brochures, print advertisements, commercials, television news stories, newspaper, interviews, videos or documentaries, and other media.

I understand surveys consist of answering questions about the Odyssey program, school, and behaviors. Responses are confidential. Completing surveys is not a requirement, but will provide me with the opportunity to give Odyssey feedback for improvement.

Accessing ANY social media sites is not allowed in the classroom. Internet use on Odyssey equipment is supervised and mostly limited to research. Personal phones, tablets, personal lap tops and other electronic devices are only to be used during free time and not to be offered to Odyssey students for use. Use during classroom time will result in immediate confiscation or dismissal. Volunteers are expected to be engaged in the program and therefore may not have out personal devices during classroom time or activities.

I grant permission for my name, address, phone number, & e-mail address to be included in a directory distributed to staff. Odyssey never releases data to vendors or anyone not affiliated with the program. This contact information is used for Odyssey emergency & communication purposes ONLY!

I understand that there are inherent risks and the potential for injury involved in volunteering for an intense summer academic enrichment program. These risks include, but are not limited to, falling, injury or illness, encounters with animals, other people, inclement weather, and other forces of nature. I understand that although Odyssey has taken precautions to provide proper organization, supervision, instruction, and equipment for each activity, it is impossible to guarantee absolute safety.

Volunteers shall comply with all Odyssey & Westminster safety rules and common safety practices. These include but are not limited to: During Odyssey hours, volunteers are allowed in the pool, gymnasium, tennis courts, playgrounds or playing fields only during scheduled activity time and under supervision. Intentional destruction of property or vandalism of any kind is prohibited. No Fighting-ZERO TOLERANCE! Volunteers are asked to behave in an appropriate manner with appropriate language at all times.

Dishonesty of any kind, including lying, cheating, stealing is a direct violation of our rules. Volunteers are expected to tell the entire truth when asked about their involvement in any kind of offense, taking full responsibility for their own actions.

Actions dangerous to the health, safety, or well-being of other persons, including the expression of racial, ethnic, religious, or gender related intolerance, or other forms of willful and malicious harassment; the infliction or threat of personal injury; hazing; the willful destruction of property constitutes a violation of our rules and can lead to immediate dismissal. Disrespect of any kind to students, peers, teachers, faculty members or the general public will not be tolerated.

Odyssey maintains a ZERO TOLERANCE policy for any form of bullying.

Sexual Harassment is not tolerated in Odyssey. It is Odyssey’s policy that no member of the camp community, staff, or camper – may sexually harass another. This includes sexting, sending or sharing explicit photos, or any other form of cyberbullying. Such activities are serious crimes, and may lead to prosecution. Sexual harassment is defined as inappropriate attention to an individual’s gender and “has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with [that individual’s] work or academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive atmosphere.”* *From the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Use, exchange, possession, or being under the influence of unauthorized drugs, including prescription drugs, marijuana, or alcohol is a direct violation of our rules and can lead to immediate dismissal from the program. Volunteers in the company of someone using such substances, even if they themselves are not using them, are liable for disciplinary action. Drug and alcohol paraphernalia, including clothing and any décor, are not allowed.

Volunteers must remember that once the Odyssey day starts, they are under Odyssey jurisdiction. This means that all Odyssey rules apply and volunteers must respect and follow all directions given to them by the staff. Failure to do so is a violation of Odyssey rules and appropriate disciplinary action will take place. It is important to maintain a level of professionalism as to represent Odyssey in a productive light that will help to increase positive awareness to the community.

I. Public Behavior

It is our goal to create a caring community at Odyssey. Volunteers will assuredly create new and close friendships of both sexes. While we encourage supportive friendly behavior there is a limit as to how friendly/close students should get. If students are seen interacting in a manner that makes the students, staff, or other volunteers uncomfortable, they will be taken aside and notified of their actions. This notification will serve as a warning. If warned twice, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken. Such behavior can put the program at risk & will not be tolerated.

"Sexting" is a crime. Students or volunteers caught engaging in this behavior can be charged criminally if there is a nude or partially nude photo of an attendee on another’s cell phone or computer. A student or volunteer can get in trouble for sending an explicit image of their peers to another individual or minor. Remember, once the photo is sent, it cannot be controlled and therefore can be shared with anyone or posted anywhere. It is an action that cannot be undone, with results that spread too rapidly to control; resulting in extraordinary consequences. Odyssey will not be held liable for such an occurrence and is unable to assist in repairing damages—physical, emotional, or otherwise.  

Photographing, recording, or videotaping of students, volunteers, or other persons in any state of undress may constitute a violation of federal law. Any violation will result in serious disciplinary consequences, up to and including expulsion from the program, & notification to your school. All participants and affiliates of Odyssey must agree to and understand that Odyssey does not and cannot assume responsibility for content posted on social media or other media accounts. Odyssey is not liable for media content, posts, or other online actions that an attendee posts.  We highly recommend disengaging from these activities while at Odyssey.

I/we understand that Odyssey and its employees, chaperons, interns, volunteers, and other staff members--including the staff of The Westminster Schools assumes no responsibility or liability for the theft, loss, damage, or internal content to a cellular telephone or other PED, nor will they assume responsibility for the unauthorized use of said device(s). PEDs are the sole and lone responsibility of the owner--including content stored on the device

Use of Tobacco, even if you are of-age, is strictly forbidden. Failure to comply with this rule will result in appropriate disciplinary action and notification of the appropriate law enforcement agency. If a volunteer discovers a student is in possession of such products, they are required to notify a superior immediately.

At no time should a student possess any type of weapon while at Odyssey. A weapon is defined as any object that could be construed as harmful to oneself or others. Any weapon found will be immediately confiscated and appropriate disciplinary and legal action will be taken. If a volunteer discovers a student is in possession of such devices, they are required to notify a superior immediately. No fireworks of any kind are allowed at Odyssey. Students using fireworks or any form of fire are endangering the safety of others. No flammable materials, including lighters and matches may be lit in any classroom area unless in the course of a camp activity and under direct supervision. If a volunteer discovers a student is in possession of such devices, they are required to notify a superior immediately.

Recreation & Athletic areas while working for Odyssey may be used only at designated hours and when there is a supervisor present. Furthermore all students must pass the basic swim test prior to using the swimming pool at Camp Odyssey overnights. It is part of a volunteer’s responsibility to comply with these rules and also to ensure they are being reinforced toward the students.

-Appropriate Odyssey attire is a T-shirt, jeans/pants. Alterations to T-shirts are unacceptable. Mid sections must be covered, shoulders should be covered (i.e.-no spaghetti straps), and modest shorts (no exposure of top or bottom of one’s posterior). Dresses are acceptable to an appropriate length. Attire should NEVER display illegal activities or inappropriate language. A volunteer will be asked to change if such violations occur. Odyssey t-shirts are to be worn on field trips for easy identification of our group.

-No visible undergarments. Acceptable swimwear is a one piece swimsuit for females and trunks/shorts for males.

-Appropriate head gear of Odyssey is an appropriate hat. No bandanas please. Hairstyles should be neat and well groomed. Scarves, particularly for religious purposes, are acceptable.

Students are not allowed to leave the designated premises during overnight programs unless accompanied by an authorized staff member with permission from the Director.

- After lights out (10:00 PM) – students may not leave their room or cabin areas with the exception of an emergency.

Classrooms are expected to be kept generally clean for reasons of fire and health standard as well as to promote individual & group responsibility. It is important for volunteers to hold this ideal, as well as to encourage it in Odyssey students.

- No moving or dismantling of furniture is allowed at any time unless otherwise explicitly directed by a superior.

- Students may not borrow or remove furniture from other areas at camp unless special permission is granted from the Directors.