The Frost Valley YMCA CIT Program is designed for 16 year olds who are interested in becoming counselors at Frost Valley YMCA. The month-long experience concentrates on leadership training, team building, skill development, service to camp and personal growth. The program will provide a time of transition for each participant as they develop from campers into counselors. CIT coordinators are hired to work with the CIT’S during the course of the summer. The coordinators are adults who have experience working with teens, outdoor skills, CPR and First Aid, and a familiarity with Frost Valley YMCA’s philosophy and routines. The coordinators are selected on the basis of maturity, level of experience and sound judgment ability. Prior to camp, the coordinators will participate in a two-week training program. Planning for the CIT program begins early in the spring. The CIT Coordinators work hard to ensure that the schedule they create is designed specifically to challenge each group.The CIT’S will be evaluated twice during the four weeks.
Our CIT Programs
What Happens In The
CIT Programs?
Application Process
The Resident Camp CIT Program – this month long program is offered twice in the summer. Session A (Sessions 1 & 2) and Session B (Session 3 & 4). This program gives participants a well-rounded overview of the entire Frost Valley Camp Counselor experience. Participants will spend a portion of their trip on a 5 day backpacking trip, in addition to valuable workshops and experiences learning to work with children. To learn more about the resident camp at the Frost Valley YMCA, please click on sleepaway camp from the right-hand side navigation.
The Adventure CIT Program – this month long program is offered once during the summer (June 27th through July 23rd). Adventure CITs participate in similar leadership training and development as resident camp CITs, however the emphasis on this program is on creating outdoorleaders to potentially work in Adventure Village. Adventure CITs spend more time on overnights and learning outdoor teaching skills, such as how to teach fire building, water purification and camping techniques. To learn more about the adventure village at Frost Valley YMCA, please click on this link: Adventure Village
What happens in the programs?
Each CIT program
includes "In-Camp" experiences
and a 5 day "Wilderness Trip" in
the Catskill Mountain Preserve described
below:
In Camp
Workshops…Coordinators, Camp
Directors, and seasoned camp counselors
will help facilitate programs with
the CIT’S. Topics could include
What ifs?, Hip Pocket Games, How to
be a Counselor, Safety First, Behavior
Management, and more. These programs
are what helps you learn and develop
ideas that will help you adjust to
your in-cabin experience.
In-Cabin…… some days
will be spent in a cabin observing,
teaching cabin activities and becoming
accustomed to the camp routine and
schedule. Each CIT is placed with two
counselors that are chosen for their
strengths, creativity and leadership.
Program Leadership ……CIT’S
will have the opportunity to learn
about the summer camp program and what
makes it work. Each CIT will have the
chance to get partnered at one of our
program areas. These areas include:
waterfront, incredible edible, out-trip,
arts & crafts, sports, adventure,
nature, the horse barn, Day Camp and
the Farm. This will help them become
comfortable with our programs and encourage
the chance for each CIT to want to
teach in their specific field of study.
Wilderness Trip
Trail travels …Individual and
group challenges in a safe outdoor
setting are the medium for the wilderness
experience. The CIT’s will head
out on an extended backpacking trip
in the Catskill Mountain Preserve.
Lead…The group will plan meals, set-up and break down camp, and plan their route everyday. Each CIT will have the chance to be a leader for the day, taking responsibility for the movements of the group on their assigned route. The Coordinators will ensure that the days are being conducted in a timely manner. Their role is to offer group activities, advice and medical assistance if needed.
Learn…The extended backpacking trip requires resourcefulness, confidence, the ability to cooperate with peers and leaders and the ability to trust other individuals. These wilderness trips will also teach respect for the environment, how to protect the environment for the use of others, low impact camping skills, and some natural history of the Catskills.
TO APPLY
1. Applicants must
turn 16 before the start of the session
you plan on attending.
2. Complete the online
application HERE. CIT’s
are also encouraged
but not required
to mail an introduction letter.
3. Handout your two
references to teachers, recent counselors,
employers, or people who have seen
you work with children or have seen
you in a leadership position. The reference
should provide some information to
us that we may not know from your camp
experience or confirm things we already
knew. Be sure to tell your references
they need to mail the references in
by December 31st,
2009. Download the
CIT Reference Form HERE.
4. The application,
introduction letter and references
must be received by Frost Valley YMCA
no later than December
31st, 2009
5. Cost: $1850.00
per CIT for this
month long program.
There is no application fee, payment
is upon acceptance into the program.
It is expected
that the teen interested in this program
is the person taking
the initiative in the application process.
Applicants should be completing the application & introduction
letter as well as corresponding with
the Frost Valley YMCA for any inquiries. The CIT program
is about teens developing their leadership
skills. Leaders showing initiative
begins with the application process.
It is important to note that space is extremely limited in these programs. Preference towards a particular session is not guaranteed.
Interviewing Schedule
Once you have completed
your application,
Frost Valley will
email the applicant with details about
the interview schedule. Applicants
will be contacted in the beginning
of January, if not before, to set up
an interview time and interviews will
take place in the month of January.
Applicants will receive
notification of their
acceptance into this
program by mail shortly after their
interview.
If you have any questions
or concerns, please
contact Amanda Kelley
by telephone or email at anytime.
Phone: (845)985-2291
x 265 or Email: adventure@frostvalley.org
We look forward to receiving your application to the Frost Valley YMCA CIT Program!
