This year, CMC’s Staff In Training (SIT) program has created opportunities for teens to engage with the camp community in a new, meaningful way. Below, our SITs Joseph, Sam, Skot, Eden, Hailey, and Sophia reflect on their experience in the program midway through the session, sharing their highlights of the experience.
We began with session one, which was like an extended version of training week for staff but with additional programming. From learning about camp skills like how to program and care for campers to life skills like Teen Mental Health First Aid and CPR Training, session one provided a meaningful foundation of knowledge for the SITs. For Sam, “Session 1 was my favorite session of camp of my 7 years here! I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know my fellow SITs and learning safety, camp, and similar procedures during training.” Joseph agrees that “session 1 was very fun; we felt like campers with more privileges and responsibility. The training felt way more meaningful than traditional cabin activities.” For Skot, the training during session one helped him better understand the behind the scenes of CMC. “The SIT program has been an eye opening experience, allowing me to peel back the layers and see the inner workings of the camp I have enjoyed for so many years.”
After those two weeks of training, the SITs packed their bags and embarked on a two day intersession trip! “Intersession was an extremely memorable trip to Palm Springs,” says Joseph. Eden adds, “We went on a fancy trip to Palm Springs where we shopped and spent hours tanning by the pool. This was a calming break and it helped me feel more connected to my fellow SITs.” A core part of being a SIT is forming relationships and connections with the other teens in the program, and this trip was a great way to unwind and do just that. Sophia agrees that it was a highlight of the program, recounting that “I loved the Palm Springs trip, and I made a lot of new memories.”
Once we came back to camp for session two, the SITs hit the ground running. The program is structured so that participants learn and train throughout session one, and then take on much more responsibility during session two by living in cabins with campers, shadowing various staff positions, and helping out with camp programming. For Hailey, all of these aspects have “been very life changing. From learning how to run a program to living with children, I’ve learned a lot through them and even about myself.”
While living with campers creates its challenges, the SITs are learning from the experience and are enjoying bonding with their campers. For Sophia, who has Letah’ah (2nd-4th grade boys), “Working with kids can be very hard, but it has helped me be patient.” Joseph has Tanin (5th grade boys) and says,“I love my session 2 campers; they’re nice to me and we play lots of card games.” Hailey, who has Nesher (6th grade girls), adds that her campers “have brought a lot of joy and happiness to my day/life. They all have their own personalities and weirdness.” In Eden’s cabin Shapirit (5th grade girls), “We have a nightly tradition where campers gather around my bed and I tell them stories of my camp experiences. I love being able to help my campers make their own fun memories, hoping one day they will share their own stories.” Through bonding with campers and continuing on CMC traditions for them, the SITs are keeping the camp spirit going l’dor v’dor, or from generation to generation.
Another core part of the session two experience for SITs is shadowing various staff positions. SITs spend two hours every day with staff from different speciality areas, including AULs and programming. Sam has decided to shadow more of the behind the scenes jobs in the office. He says, “I love shadowing the different jobs…. I’ve found it interesting to see what both the programming directors do and how they do it; additionally, seeing the process of how to lead and structure the shabbat services was a fun puzzle to figure out.” Hailey has loved shadowing more traditional specialty areas. “I’ve gotten to shadow Merrie the dance specialist and she’s made me feel more confident in myself. I’ve also gotten to shadow Shira the yoga specialist and she’s helped me find peace throughout my crazy days.” The shadowing has even helped some of the SITs figure out what positions they’d be interested in taking on once they become staff next year. Sophia adds, “I’ve been shadowing Teva (nature), which has led me to wanting to be a Teva specialist in the future.”
The final core aspect of session two for CMC is learning programming skills and putting them into practice. The SITs ran the all-camp Fourth of July carnival at the beginning of the session, which was a very memorable and educational experience. They got to brainstorm which stations they wanted to run and fully execute the carnival, from gathering the needed supplies to decorating all of up top. For Hailey, “Planning Fourth of July was the coolest, most fun thing I’ve done and helped run with my fellow SIT friends.” Eden agreed that “Running 4th of July was such a fun experience and I loved speaking on the mic during the event.” Beyond that carnival, the SITs have been applying their programming skills to other areas of camp. Joseph even created his own chug, or elective! He says, “I’m grateful to the Assistant Programming Director, Tali, for helping me make my Dungeons & Dragons chug a reality.” The SITs have also been working on their unit’s evening programs with their staff and AULs. For Hailey, “One night for the evening program I wore a trashbag and walked a runway (pirate themed). I also got to run a program called The Opposite Party where we played a few games like trivia, Simon Says, etc but the wrong way.” These programming opportunities have helped SITs think outside the box and be whimsical while doing it!
Overall, the SITs are an instrumental part of our camp community – and they can feel that too. When asked about their feelings on the program as a whole, the SITs were overwhelmingly positive. Sam says, ““The SIT program is an incredible experience, the interactions with campers are always fun, and the responsibilities of SITs are great preparation for being a counselor.” Skot agrees, adding that “Although not every part of being Staff in Training is for me, I would 100% recommend it for those who enjoy working with children and learning how to take responsibility.” For Sophia, “The SIT program is an incredible, life changing experience!” Eden also thinks that “This program has been so much fun!” And for Hailey, who is experiencing her first summer ever at CMC through the SIT program, “I’ve made the bestest friends here and I’m so sad to leave because this has become my second home <3!”
