Like many other students, senior Jerry Lerman goes to camp during the summer months. Unlike most other students, Lerman goes to camp for an entirely different reason; he goes to help run the camp.

Lerman is the son of Bill and Martha Lerman, the owners of Camp Caribou, located in Winslow, Maine.

The Lerman family bought the camp, located on a 200-acre peninsula, in 1968. Jerry, the youngest of three children, has spent every single summer at the camp.

“I have never spent one day of summer in Wayland,” said Jerry. “It’s difficult because I miss my friends and hanging out, but it’s bittersweet because my time at Caribou is so much fun.”

Jerry’s older sister Lori and his older brother Bobby are both assistant directors at the camp, along with being counselors. Jerry is also a camp counselor and helps teach lacrosse. This past summer, Jerry was the counselor for a bunk of nine and ten-year-olds.

“It’s a lot of work being a counselor,” said Jerry. “But with that said, it is the most fun job you can have.”

Ever since he was eight months old, Jerry has been going to Camp Caribou, and at the age of seven, Jerry became a camper.

“From age seven to 15, I was a camper. I grew up with both my Wayland friends and my bunk friends,” said Jerry.

Owning a camp makes the Lerman family’s lifestyle much different than the normal family. Bill and Martha are home during the entire school year unless they are recruiting campers or counselors from foreign countries.

“The year is a lot more relaxed that way, mainly because we have so much time to plan for the summer,” said Jerry. “Everything goes smoothly as a result.”

Although Camp Caribou is fun for Jerry, he takes his work very seriously.

“I always remind myself that we work in the service industry, and you don’t want a bad rapport with the customers,” said Jerry. “I think of the summer more as work than fun because even with ten months of planning, eight weeks of camp is a tremendous challenge.”

As for his future with the camp, Jerry intends on continuing his role as a counselor.

“I would like to be a part of the camp. Who knows what opportunities may arise? Regardless it will always be my home away from home.”