Staff-In-Training Program

DAILY SCHEDULE   ACTIVITIES   EVENING PROGRAMS   SPECIAL EVENTS AND PROGRAMS   JEWISH LIFE   CABINS AND FOOD   REFER-A-FRIEND

5 weeks that will change your life!

mountain border divider

Your SIT summer is an incredible journey with the potential to be the most rewarding and exciting summer you can imagine. The combination of innovative, engaging, and insightful training sessions combined with the hands-on and practical in-cabin training opportunities makes the SIT program a unique and fantastic summer experience at camp. The SIT program is a terrific opportunity to prepare oneself to return as a staff member at CMC in the following years.

Camp Mountain Chai offers a five-week staff training program for teens entering 12th grade in the fall. For these five weeks you will create unique relationships with your fellow SITs as we prepare you for the transition from camper to counselor. You will begin to learn all the intricacies and experience what it takes to become a counselor, programming, leadership skills, and the operations of camp that up until now you have not been directly exposed to.  At the end of these five weeks SIT’s will have the opportunity to become junior counselors during Session 3, and will receive a small stipend.

This summer is a true evolution, personally and professionally from camper to staff for all our SITs as a group and as individuals.

Entrance into this program is very competitive and based on a completed application by the deadline, a personal interview, history at camp and letters of recommendations. SITs who successfully complete the program and are referred by the SIT director will be given first priority for hiring the following summer.

CMC’s SIT program incorporates three specific components:

Hadracha: The Hadracha (training) component focuses on exploring topics such as child development, leadership skills, conflict management and resolution, program planning, Jewish role modeling, Jewish community building, and more.
 
Placements: Each SIT will gain practical hands-on experience through different cabin and specialty placements.
 
Program Planning: SITs will have the opportunity to be part of both small and large scale program planning. Events include the 4th of July Carnival, end of session banquets, Maccabiah, evening programs, lights out camper programs, and more.

A sample of topics that are covered throughout the 5-week program:

  • Ages and Stages (what kids are going through)
  • Being involved and active as an SIT – not sitting on the sidelines
  • Boundaries
  • Communication
  • Connecting with and relating to kids
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Favoritism
  • Gossip
  • Health and Safety
  • Homesickness
  • Ideal counselor
  • Leadership styles
  • Mediation
  • Mental Health – taking time for yourself
  • Observing and Evaluating
  • Perception is Reality
  • Programming
  • Reality check – keeping yourself humble
  • Roles and Expectations
  • Taking initiative
  • Team building
  • Tough stuff (understanding abuse, depression,children with disabilities, etc.)
  • Working with your peers

After I complete the SIT program, when am I eligible to work at CMC?

After our SITs conclude their five-week training program, they might be eligible to work at camp during Session 3 depending on our staffing needs and their summer availability. If our SITs are unavailable to spend additional time at camp after they conclude their program, we strongly encourage them to return next summer as staff and put their newly learned skills into practice. All SITs who get hired as staff for summer 2025 will receive an SIT program completion bonus.