Teen Leadership and Training – At Camp!
Ready for the next step? Camp Granite Lake offers a Counselor-In-Training Program for teens finishing 10th and 11th grade. Gain skills, leadership, and knowledge in areas such as: living in-cabin with campers, program planning, homesickness, leading activities, and techniques for working with children. Through shadowing, mentorship, and direct experience, CITs will be able to assist counselors in the cabin and in some of their favorite activities at camp.
What Do They Do?
CITs live in a cabin with younger campers and at least two cabin counselors.
During the first week of camp, CITs participate in activities with other campers, observe how staff members teach activities, manage camper behavior, and make camp fun! With daily support, our CIT Director guides CITs through the basics of how to be a camp counselor and provide meaningful debriefs to reflect on their experiences.
In Week 2, CITs work with directors to build lesson plans for the activities they will be teaching alongside counselors. They will also work collaboratively with other CITs to organize and prepare for the all-camp CIT Evening Program and “Themed Special” day.
For the final week, it’s time to put it all together! CITs apply their knowledge and skills by taking on a larger role in the cabin and around camp. With support from counselors and directors, they will lead activities and execute their all-camp evening program.
CITs additionally gain experience by helping with CGL’s facility, kitchen, and hospitality areas. They meet regularly with a director to talk about leadership in camp and beyond, as well as receive support for situations and challenges that come up during their session.
CIT Enrollment Process:
1. Parents apply through the regular camper application and select the “10 grade (CIT only)” option. If your camper is in 11th grade, please add that in the comment section of the application. Spots are not guaranteed and the enrollment deposit will not be charged until the CIT completes this entire application process and is accepted.
2. A CIT Questionnaire is emailed to the CIT candidates to complete. These questionnaires should be submitted within 10 business days to hold their spot. We will also ask for a letter of reference from an adult outside of their family to be submitted.
3. Admin Director Barry will contact CIT candidates to schedule a brief video interview to talk about our expectations and their goals for this program.
4. Acceptance offers and final session placements will be made shortly after the interview.
How Much Does it Cost?
The CIT Program is $3,975 for the three-week session (camper tuition is $4,775), with any applicable discounts (returning family, sibling discount, early bird before September 15th). There are no additional fees, and CITs, just like campers, get their own Camp Granite Lake water bottle and t-shirt!
Session Availability:
CIT space is limited due to cabin capacity. We ask for flexibility on session placement, meaning that CIT applicants should be able to attend either session. Of course, we will take your preference into account!
Siblings should be enrolled in the session of their choice. We cannot guarantee that CITs and siblings will be in the same session, and we will do our best.
Once accepted, your initial installment of $600 is non-refundable.