Become a Program Leader

Staff Testimonials

Each summer I come back to Westcoast I always worry that it won’t be as good as the last, but every summer I am blown away because it just keeps getting better! While the places we visit and activities we do are phenomenal, there’s nothing more special than seeing a group teens come in as strangers and become life-long friends in just a few weeks. The connections that are made on WCC trips are unlike any other. I am so lucky to be able to guide teens as they take on new challenges and grow both socially and emotionally. It’s truly the best summer job! Being a staff on a WCC trip is hard work but I always felt supported along the way. The people in our Westcoast world are truly the best and are always there to help when necessary. At the end of each summer I always look back and have the best memories from my WCC trips!
Allie R.

Being a Program Leader for the California Extravaganza trip was genuinely the greatest way I could have spent my summer. As a future educator, this experience meant everything to me. Through this trip, I have learned so much about how I want to lead my own classroom one day and I have gathered many of the tools I would need in order to achieve this goal. I am so thankful to WCC for this opportunity and I cannot wait to continue my WCC journey!
Maddi G.

As a Program Leader, each year has been a unique and unforgettable experience. Thanks to Westcoast, I have met so many different people, including staff, teens, and locals, who all share different stories. I have been given the chance to not only discover parts of the world but to reciprocate feelings of inspiration and positivity that are produced by these programs. Westcoast honestly created opportunities that helped me grow as a person and I took them by simply putting my best foot forward and by getting to know each person encountered. Each program I’ve done has been the best time ever, and I would recommend any program, whether it’s a discovery, adventure, community service, or pre-college program to anybody!!!! Much love to my Westcoast family and to everyone I’ve met throughout my experiences in this great organization!
Joaquín M.

Each time I gush about my experiences with Westcoast Connection, I get a similar response, “You get paid to travel, doesn’t the job sort of sell itself?!” I respond the same way each time, “You’re mistaken, this job is SO much more than that.” Don’t get me wrong, I am so thankful for the travel opportunities I am allowed by working with the company. However, what makes WCC so special is how much it allows both program leaders and participants to grow as people. I have grown to be more culturally sensitive and accepting of people, while learning to be a more generous, selfless and caring person. Working with such first class co-staff has pushed me to be the best possible program leader and person I can possibly be. Interacting and learning from such remarkable people has taught me invaluable skills I will take with me through all of my future endeavors. I can’t stress enough how amazing the company (and its programs) are. I dread the day that I am no longer able to lead trips with Westcoast Connection. Thank you so much for everything!
Brittany G.

I just finished my 6th year of teaching high school, and nothing I have experienced in those 6 years compares to what I experienced in 3 weeks of Pre-College Enrichment Montreal. There is something special about watching students learn for the purpose of learning and not for earning an A. Students were engaged in learning, excited to attend class, and eager to complete and present homework. They took charge and had reason behind the courses they selected. Having the opportunity to witness this first hand and get to know this amazing group of teens was a refreshing and heartwarming change from just teaching them math!
Staci G.

Being a Program Director on a WCC program can be summed up in the following sentence: a meaningful and inspiring summer adventure filled with a lifetime of memories. As a teacher with my summers off, there is no other job that is as fun or meaningful, for both myself and the teens I work with. Westcoast gives you the ability to staff incredible programs to amazing places around the world, and build lifelong friendships and relationships along the way. The places you will see and the memories you will make are worth every second!
Lauren G.

There are many reasons why I enjoy being a program director on Westcoast Connection programs. You get to meet amazing teens, work with incredible staff, visit the coolest places, and participate in the wildest activities. Best of all, each year I look forward to seeing these 40+ teens who all just met, step out of their comfort zones and grow as people. The mentorship this job entails is the reason why I come back each year!
Marc C.

I originally applied to Westcoast Connection thinking it would be a one time thing. Five programs, three different roles, and 12 years later, there aren’t enough words to describe how much WCC has meant to me. I feel so lucky to get to come back and work with awesome people, meet, mentor, and laugh with incredible kids, and see some pretty cool places with a bunch of teens in tow. WCC allows me to bring my full self to work everyday and they support me, challenge me, and most importantly, make me feel a part of the family. The best part is that I am not even unique. Most staff come back year after year. We see each other out on the road or at training weekends, and it’s a true testament to the type of company WCC is. The westcoast connection is real!
Sam T.

As cliché as it may sound, leading a service program this summer was an experience I’ll never forget. We all found ourselves in a foreign country with its own culture, language, and customs, and yet we built ourselves a temporary family in Costa Rica. I couldn’t believe how lovely the other WCC staff were, and I could tell that the participants left the program with new perspectives and ideas for a better future. In the long run, spending a few weeks doing community service in another country might not seem that consequential. However, it was. Aside from the amazing projects we worked on and activities we did, we also learned from each other and the people we worked with in ways that I think impacted us for life!
Selma H.

The highlight of my year has been traveling with WCC and not because I get to travel the world and see phenomenal places. To me, it’s the small things that really make my summer. It’s the inside jokes you make with participants and staff on the bus rides, the late night and early morning sleep deprived chats, and so much more. WCC really brings out the best in people and I am so thankful that I get to be a part of it.
Michelle A.

Being a Program Leader means more than leading a group of teenagers through an incredible and memorable summer. Being a Program leader means taking those extra few minutes to ask how a participant is feeling that day. Being a Program Leader means getting the participants hyped about rafting even if you are secretly scared or exhausted. Being a Program Leader means wiping away the tears when a participant is feeling homesick and replacing it with a smile. Being a Program Leader is exhilarating, challenging, incredible and terrifying all in one. However, being a Program Leader means giving participants the summer of a lifetime. Being a Program Leader means making real changes in the lives of youth all around the world. Being a Program Leader is probably the best job you can have. It may have it’s rough times, but oh how the good times are worth it!
Mia T.