The Goal

We teach you how to lead a specific group of people - children.  We will reinforce and teach general leadership skills including skills used to work effectively on a team and with other youth leaders.  This program is for those of you that are committed to learning out to work with younger campers and lead activities.

Learning by Doing

We help you figure out what good leaders do and say.

• Group Games, Role-Playing, Initiatives and Discussions - allow for you to build leadership skills like teamwork, responsibility, respect, motivation, listening, problem solving, planning, initiative, creativity, persistence, presenting, problem solving, and observation with your peers.
• Create, Plan, and Present - your own special events and programs for other campers and staff within camp.
• Community Service - share your leadership talents with the local community. Check out the Community Service Page for projects we have done in the past.
• Ceremonies and Recognition - everyone likes getting awards! You will have a chance to become the CIT of the session voted by your peers, a graduation ceremony at the end of the session, plus some other milestones along the way.

LIT to CIT Differences

The CIT program teaches participants how to lead children -you will spend a great deal of time with younger campers.

• Being a Role Model - Being a role model that every younger camper and your peer will look up to. Remember to keep in mind that you are a participating leader - you cannot turn off being a leader.
• Benches/Dining Hall - Interacting with a group of younger campers on the benches and in the dining room - for four weeks.
• Activity Assist- Assist in one of your favorite activities for three days.
• Big Sister/Brother Cabin - Spend time with a younger cabin for each of the 2 week session. You will spend 3 nights from right after supper until lights out (9:30 pm) and 3 evenings from right after supper until 8:00 pm with your younger camper cabin.  Play games, join in their evening programs, read stories and help in with the evening routine of the cabin.
• Tracking a Counselor for a Day - attending meetings/announcements as appropriate, observing in their cabin, activities, and other camp responsibilities.
• CIT Special Event - Every CIT group of campers is unique. They each may wish to work toward different skills and goals during their experience here at Foley. Therefore during the 4 weeks, the CIT group will work together to decide on what they want their CIT event to consist of. Events have ranged from a campfire hosted by only the CITs, surprise special programs for younger cabins and their peers, creating their own camp song, or having a special contest. The possibilities are endless. This event has become memorable for many of our campers and staff. Check out the Leadership Intro Page for some of the events from last summer's CIT groups.

Choose Your Own Style

We give you lots of opportunities to practice doing and saying these things.

• Daily Responsibilities - CITs will primarily focus on ones with kids. This could be helping campers unpack or pack, going on a camping trip, taking kids sailing or canoeing, running a tetherball tournament, etc. - lots of possibilities for you to volunteer your talents. You get to choose or volunteer for these experiences.
• Personal Time - sign up for activities geared toward your individual interests to sharpen skills or to have fun. Remember to keep in mind that you are a participating leader - you cannot turn off being a leader.
• One-on-One Time - conversations with CIT mentor to discuss goals particularly what you want to get out of the program and bumps.

FUN and More FUN!

• Live with other LITs/CITs in a cabin, and be under the leadership of a counselor mentor.
• It is a co-ed program.
• It's doing things that only CIT's can do! We have added all sorts of fun into the program. We want to keep them a surprise, but get excited!

General Information

• Open to campers going into 11^th grade and looking to continue their camp experience in a new and challenging way and focusing their attention toward younger campers.
• We require that participants are willing to do their best to act responsibly and respectfully as a part of our learning team. One must have a basic level of ability to learn and get along with others. Participants who fell short of doing their best to follow the Code of Living or adhering to camp policy in a previous camping experience may not be eligible for the CIT program. We are not expecting perfect behavior. A CIT is committing to doing their best to live in our camp community.
• A camper going into 11^th grade who could be a CIT may be more interested in being a LIT and sharpening his or her leadership skills by gaining experience in leading people in general.

The CIT/Counselor Connection

The successful completion of the LIT program does not necessarily mean that one will be invited or accepted into the CIT program or as a counselor when turning 18 or 19 years of age.  The successful completion of the CIT program does not necessarily mean that you are guaranteed of a counseling job at Camp Foley when turning 18 or 19 years of age.  That being said, participation in the CIT program is a big step towards becoming a Foley counselor and a step that we encourage our campers to take.

Dishwashing

Due to all of the unique opportunities of the CIT program, you will only be able to commit to doing dishes 6 times in a two week session.  We want to make sure you have plenty of time for fun!