The "League of Camp Counselors" project has become a true talent forge for Russia's education system over the eight years since its inception. In 2025 alone, nearly 11,000 applications were submitted for the eponymous competition. The initiative attracted 8,300 new participants, and today it unites over 68,000 counselors and educators across the country. The program is implemented by Rosdetcenter (Russian Children and Youth Center) with the support of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation.
"Children's recreation is a crucial component of the educational process. To develop it, following the instruction of our President, we are carrying out systematic work to update the infrastructure of children's recreation and health organizations. Camp counselors play a key role in raising children, and therefore in shaping our future. We see how the vast potential of the younger generation is revealed through the work of counselors, and opportunities for realizing children's initiatives are created. And we set ourselves the task of creating all conditions for the development of their personal qualities and professional competencies", noted the head of the Russian Ministry of Education, Sergey Kravtsov.
According to Alexander Kudryashov, Director of the Russian Children and Youth Center, great attention is paid to the activities of the counselor community as an integral and important component of the system for educating young citizens, and Rosdetcenter today supports the seamless professional development of young people in the camp counselor profession.
"Since 2023, the All-Russian Cup of Pedagogical Teams has been held as part of the shift for activists of the counselor movement 'Ogonyok' (Little Flame). For eight years, one of our flagship projects – 'League of Camp Counselors' – has been developing the counselor movement across the country. The number of participants in the eponymous competition grows annually, and this year nearly 11,000 active and cheerful young people took part. A support website for the movement and young specialists has been created, and a competition for methodological developments is held. And perhaps the most landmark event in the counselor community this year was the establishment of the badge «Best Camp Counselor in Russia»", said Alexander Kudryashov.
In 2025, declared the Year of Children's Recreation in the education system, Rosdetcenter, with the support of the Russian Ministry of Education, developed the "Best Camp Counselor in Russia" badge. The initiative of young counselors from the International Children's Center "Artek" was supported by the head of the ministry, Sergey Kravtsov. Activists of the counselor movement worked on the badge's design, presenting their mockups for an all-Russian competition, won by Albina Agapova from the Saratov Region and Anna Oleinikova from Moscow. The badge depicts three tongues of flame in the colors of the Russian tricolor, symbolizing the unity of all counselors in the country. Children – participants of camp shifts – are depicted in the center of the composition. The first recipient of the badge was Roza Shatyro, a counselor at "Artek" in 1965–1966, an Honorary Worker of Public Education of the Russian Federation, from the Republic of Tatarstan.
Also in 2025, the first All-Russian competition "Best Camp Counselor in Russia" was held, with victories secured by eight counselors from federal children's centers and 62 counselors from Russian regions.
The traditional "League of Camp Counselors" competition, held for the eighth time, is also gaining momentum annually. This year saw a record number of applications – nearly 11,000. The finalists were 300 education specialists from 48 constituent entities of the Russian Federation. 36 winners were determined in the categories: "Counselors of Temporary Children's Collectives," "Counselors of Permanent Children's Collectives," "Mentors in the Field of Education," "Authors (Developers) of Educational Projects and Programs," and "Counselor-Trainees." They joined the ranks of mentors for the All-Russian project "League of Camp Counselors" and received the opportunity to enter the personnel reserve of the country's education system.
2025 was a busy year for the "League of Camp Counselors." Together with the All-Russian Children's Center "Okean," the shift "Confident Summer" was held, where 15 winners of the "Istok+" competition were awarded. In collaboration with the team "Navigator of Your Discoveries," a shift for novice counselors was organized, and the III All-Russian Cup of Pedagogical Teams "Ogonyok" was presented. In Kazan, the "League of Camp Counselors" Academy was held for the fifth time, uniting 126 specialists from different regions of the country. Participants mastered the principles of pedagogical design and held a Festival of Creative Industries.
The "League of Camp Counselors" project team expanded to include 79 regional coordinators, 40 mentors, 57 ambassadors, and 150 experts. Their active work includes large-scale events, such as a quiz that reached over 2,700 schoolchildren and students in 25 regions with the support of school advisors on education.
Educational work is also conducted in parallel: methodological recommendations are published, and specialists hold meetings with students – future teachers – to talk about the advantages of the camp counselor profession.
Learn more about the "League of Camp Counselors" project on the online exhibition "ligavozhatykhrossii.rf", the updated website "vozhatyy.rf", and via the chat-bot "Zametki Vozhatogo" (Counselor's Notes).