I am excited about your interest in our CIT (Counselor In Training) program. This program is quickly becoming a staple in our camp, providing leadership training for possible future counselor roles in the community.
The CIT Program seeks to teach young people about responsibility, authority, and hard work that will prepare them to be counselors and leaders in the future, or to prepare them for college life. Being a camp counselor is a great summer job for college students. Our CIT program is a great way for young adults to gain the necessary experience and qualities needed to secure a job. Most camps look for past camp experience or CIT program experience in their search for quality counselor candidates. Our program is divided into 3 groups, session A, B, and C.
As a CIT, you will be required to attend daily instructional meetings with the CIT Leader and/or Assistant Camp Director, where you will receive instruction on different aspects of camp life. Topics include: child development, discipline of campers, special needs, health and safety, programming, and staff responsibilities. You will also work in a program and cabin area under the direction of a senior counselor, who will serve as your mentor.
As a CIT, you will be requested to a CIT Interview, held in May 2012.
Click here to download the CIT program application. Due to the limitation of space, you will need to fill out the application and send it back to camp. Applications are due on April 1, 2012. In April, I will choose the applications that will best fit the program.
Becoming a CIT is a big commitment, but it is a fun and memorable one. I guarantee that you will learn, grow, and gain a lot of information that will help you in your future.
I look forward to reviewing your application,
Kelly Wagner
Assistant Camp Director, Camp Illahaw
Phone: 407-433-5485
Email: CampMail@FloridaEcoSafaris.com
Past CIT/Volunteers' experiences and comments:
My time as a CIT/Volunteer taught me a different perspective of "camp". It was no longer about me just having fun at camp being a camper but now, as a CIT/Volunteer, I had to look after the younger kids to make sure they were safe and having fun. It taught me patience, like going last in getting food to make sure that they got fed. Also, when it came to the cattle round-up instead of being in front of the line, I was back making sure no kid got left behind and that no kid hand problems with the horse. This time helped me to learn how to listen to the younger campers when they had a problem and challenged me to help them learn to problem solve. Now I was the mediator.
I feel that being a CIT/Volunteer helped me to grow as a person, to prepare me for future responsibilities, it taught me what it takes to be a counselor full time (hard job and yet my counselor put up with me and always made it fun). This experience this time around about me being self-less instead of focusing on me and my camp experience. It did teach me how hard it is to be a full time counselor and I have a load more respect for them now and what it took to always make my camp time fun.
I would definitely go back, but now, being older, it will hopefully be as a counselor someday and the CIT/Volunteer program helped prepare me for that with Camp Illahaw and other camps.
