CAMP MENDOCINO
TEEN LEADERSHIP
2021 OPTIONS FOR TEENS (AGE 15-17)
If you would be traditionally eligible for the LIT program (you will be 15-17 this summer), you have two options:
1. Apply to Camp as a traditional camper and have your own Owls village
2. If you've been an LIT before, you are eligible for the CIT program in 2021
We are not accepting LIT applications for summer 2021
TEEN CAMPERS
What can you expect as a camper in the Owls Villages? All the usual Camp fun you had as a camper! With the year we've all had, this is an opportunity for teens to relax, be a kid again, and come to Camp without the responsibilities you usually have as an LIT. The two owls villages (Great Horned Owls & Northern Spotted Owls) will participate in the typical Camp schedule with activities, evening campfires, and more. In order to keep everyone safe and reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, villages won't interact much with other villages. You'll have a Lead Counselor, Assistant Lead Counselor, and Counselors in your cabins.
Teen campers will need to apply online through the regular camper application process. Teen campers are subject to all camp fees and will not be paid a stipend for their time at Camp.
How to sign up:
Applications open for all returning campers on May 1. At that time, you can find the application here.
COUNSELORS-IN-TRAINING (CIT)
The CIT program is a new program for returning LITs who want an opportunity to gain job experience this summer. It will be like being in-village as an LIT, but will not include the workshops or dining hall responsibilities of the traditional program. This program is great for Camp LITs who want to continue the resume-building, responsibility-gaining job skills that will help boost job & college applications. Teens that want responsibility and to be a role model!
Any camper who has been an LIT prior to summer 2021 is eligible to apply. This includes teens who participated in our virtual LIT program in 2020.
The Hawks, Bobcats, Stellar Jays and Coyotes will all have 2 assigned CITs to their village. These CIT are not staff, they are still ‘campers’, and their main duty is to provide support to the campers and staff in the village and at activity areas.
CITs will be required to stay with their village for the entirety of the session. They will not be allowed to visit other villages or interact with campers from other villages. They will attend a daily check in with the Director of Staff Experience, where they will have the opportunity to reflect on their experiences in village and share best practices with other CITs.
Being a CIT will be like being an in-village LIT, but will not include the workshops, shadowing, or dining hall responsibilities of the traditional LIT program.
In order to be a part of the program, all CITs must complete an application online at campmendocino.org. Teens that apply and are not accepted into the CIT program will automatically be provided with a spot as a camper in the Owls village.
All CITs that complete the program will receive a $200 stipend and 100 community service hours.
In order to complete the program, all CITs must complete and submit the Summer CIT workbook, submit mid session and end of session reflections and receive a passing grade on a rubric similar to the LIT program.
A Counselor-in-Training (CIT)...
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is ready for an extra level of responsibility.
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is a role model for all campers.
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will take initiative
Fully vaccinated before your session (this means your final shot is 2 weeks prior to the first day of Camp)? Earn an EXTRA $50! (completed vaccination card required to receive incentive)
How to apply
Click here for the application!
Application opens: April 15, 2021
Application closes: May 9, 2021 @ 11:59pm
Application Overview
Part 1: Short Answer Questions
Please answer the following questions. Teens can submit answers either in writing or in a video. Good written responses will be between 150-250 words (quality over quantity). Good video applications are no more than 3 minutes in length.
Question 1: This year will look different and we will be requiring a lot of our camp community to keep everyone safe (cohorts, masking, distancing, health screenings, testing etc). How will you, as a returning LIT, be a leader and approach both managing these situations for yourself and being a role model for all campers? (think about: being a role model and your own personal self care)
Question 2: What do you hope to gain from being a CIT this summer?
Part 2: Recommendation
Provide contact information for a mentor in your life (that you are not related to) who can speak to your character and why you would be a good fit for the LIT program. They will fill out a short form by email.