Summer only job w/ high pay?

[westtoeast]

Hello! I have July and August off work every year. I'm trying to figure out how to best use this time. Last year I taught summer school for $3000 (before taxes) which lasted for 4 weeks. I'm wondering if there are some interesting summer gigs out there that might pay higher that I'm not aware of. I don't have any special skills outside of teaching/academics. I would be willing to travel to another location if housing was covered.

Any ideas? Thanks :)

[seattlecyclone]

Maybe apply at a summer camp? The pay typically isn't very high, but you might do better than $3,000 if you include the value of room and board and the fact that you'll be spending your time in the middle of nowhere with little opportunity to spend money.

[teen persuasion]

Could you develop a program for library Summer Reading Programs?

When I ran our SRP, I booked 6 or 7 different weekly presenters/programs.  There's a national theme each year, so we try to match programs to themes, but most presenters find a way to work a theme into their programs.  My 3 county system contains 23 libraries all booking weekly programs; larger libraries with bigger budgets may book daily programs.

Don't know your field, but some of our presenters are in education:  storytelling, science experiments (bubble gum & ice cream), writing workshops, improv, juggling, magic, music and dance, building things that fly (boomerang made from hardware store paint sticks, catapult from coathangers and rubberbands and plastic spoons, tissue paper gliders),  police dogs, wildlife rehabilitation center, zoo animals, aquarium animals, bats, spiders, Erie canal history and artefacts...

This year's theme (for elementary kids) is "Building a Better World".  Lots of room for experimentation and interpretation.  I'm planning an in-house STEM program building simple mechanical devices like wind mills.  The kids are also excited about coding - there's a Scratch club at school.  So building virtually is another option.

There are also related themes for teens/YA, and adults.  We focus on kids only, but larger libraries have programs for all three age levels.

ETA: I remembered a few more areas we want to branch into or have recently started - craft of all kinds (paint and sips, coloring pages, paper ornaments for Xmas, duct tape wallets, paracord bracelets, etc) , escape rooms (we just got a kit, and are planning programs for break), hula hooping.

I ran a drama club for the teens a few years back, too.

[westtoeast]

Maybe apply at a summer camp? The pay typically isn't very high, but you might do better than $3,000 if you include the value of room and board and the fact that you'll be spending your time in the middle of nowhere with little opportunity to spend money.

Good idea, thank you! It would be fun to be off the grid at a camp, too.

[westtoeast]

Could you develop a program for library Summer Reading Programs?

When I ran our SRP, I booked 6 or 7 different weekly presenters/programs.  There's a national theme each year, so we try to match programs to themes, but most presenters find a way to work a theme into their programs.  My 3 county system contains 23 libraries all booking weekly programs; larger libraries with bigger budgets may book daily programs.

Don't know your field, but some of our presenters are in education:  storytelling, science experiments (bubble gum & ice cream), writing workshops, improv, juggling, magic, music and dance, building things that fly (boomerang made from hardware store paint sticks, catapult from coathangers and rubberbands and plastic spoons, tissue paper gliders),  police dogs, wildlife rehabilitation center, zoo animals, aquarium animals, bats, spiders, Erie canal history and artefacts...

This year's theme (for elementary kids) is "Building a Better World".  Lots of room for experimentation and interpretation.  I'm planning an in-house STEM program building simple mechanical devices like wind mills.  The kids are also excited about coding - there's a Scratch club at school.  So building virtually is another option.

There are also related themes for teens/YA, and adults.  We focus on kids only, but larger libraries have programs for all three age levels.

ETA: I remembered a few more areas we want to branch into or have recently started - craft of all kinds (paint and sips, coloring pages, paper ornaments for Xmas, duct tape wallets, paracord bracelets, etc) , escape rooms (we just got a kit, and are planning programs for break), hula hooping.

I ran a drama club for the teens a few years back, too.

What a cool idea-- I never considered libraries! I teach Social Studies-- I bet I could think of something that could work here. Thank you :)