“Campers in Leadership Training”
The CILT Program
Your CILT summer will be your last as a camper and there is a good chance it will be your best and hardest. This summer, you have the opportunity to give back to a place that has hopefully given you so much. The CILT program is something that Cheley is proud of and something that we are constantly striving to improve. We aim to take campers with strong leadership potential and continue harvesting that potential.
What does it mean to be a CILT?
CILT stands for Campers in Leadership Training.
The purpose of the CILT program is to provide CILTs with training in using effective leadership skills throughout their lives and how to effectively work with youth at camp and in many other settings. These leadership skills include teamwork, responsibility, motivation, listening, initiative, learning, creativity, persistence, presenting, problem-solving, and observation. The leadership skills that will be learned as part of the CILT program can be used in all parts of life, including at home, in school, in sports and other extracurriculars, in youth groups, at work, and in your community.
You will learn these skills in a safe environment through fun and challenging activities, workshops, and discussions. This summer, you will be asked to help develop the Code of Living with your unit. You will be asked to help with campfires and cookouts. You will be asked to assist in new ways on program. You will also be asked to see what needs to be done and help do it. This may include helping a camper missing home without being asked by a counselor. Or having the eye to see that the basketball court needs to be swept and take the initiative to just do it. During your CILT summer, you will have the opportunity to work under the mentorship of camp staff, including the CILT coordinator, your home unit assistant director, exchange AD, and more. And you will receive frequent feedback and evaluations, do self-evaluations, and keep a “Leadership Log” journal to help you get the most from your experience.
Now, for a few things that the CILT program is not. It is not a special privilege. In the past, we have had CILTs return with an attitude that they are more important or better than the rest of the campers. That is not the case: More responsibilities come with leadership than privileges. During your CILT summer, you will have some advantages (hot beverages at meals and time together as CILTs – to name a few), but that should not be the reason you are returning. You will have the honor of wearing a Yellow Kerchief (one that can be revoked), but the biggest privilege you will have this summer is working with a group of outstanding people. During your CILT summer, there are some things you will gain and there will be some things that you give up. You will have the opportunity to go on exchange in another unit and see a little more of what it is like to be a counselor at Cheley. This will be a week full of challenges, learning, and fun that will culminate with a cookout (one of the highlights of the CILT program). During CILT Exchange, you will give up a week’s worth of time in your home unit while you are gone. This is just a small lesson about what it means to be a leader.
As mentioned, the training provided in the CILT program will help prepare you for leadership roles in all walks of life. But please note: Even if you complete the CILT program successfully, it does not necessarily mean that you will be asked to apply for a staff position at Cheley in the future or offered a position if you apply. We are pleased each summer that former CILTs who excelled in the CILT program apply and are part of our staff, and still, being a CILT does not mean you will be hired as a staff member. Sometimes, even young people who have done a great job and learned a lot in the CILT program are not always ready to assume the responsibilities of a staff member at Cheley, especially in the summer directly following their CILT summer. Such people can always apply in future years.
The Application Process
The CILT program is designed for highly motivated young people who are ready to work hard, play hard, and accept the challenges of leadership. The program is open to campers who have previously attended Cheley and who are entering their junior or senior year of high school at the time of application. This means you could be a CILT the summer before or after your senior year. While many campers choose to participate, others decide to return as regular campers instead.
It’s important that prospective CILTs have a genuine interest in learning leadership skills and becoming effective leaders in various programs, rather than seeking a specific future position at Cheley.
THE APPLICATION
Prospective CILTs receive the application on the first Sunday of their term. Applications must be completed and submitted to the Assistant Director by the third Sunday of the term.
THE CRITERIA
Invitations to the CILT program are based on three key criteria:
- The results of the camper and staff vote
- The content of the application
- A consultation with their Director and Assistant Director
THE VOTE
Campers and counselors in the upper four units receive a ballot describing the attributes and characteristics of prospective CILTs. The Director/Assistant Director (AD) reviews how to vote, emphasizing the importance of casting thoughtful and informed votes. All applicants are listed on the ballot, and voters are reminded not to vote based on friendships or bunkmates.
Only the Director and ADs know the outcome of the votes. Using these results, along with their personal insights, they make recommendations for the following year. If there are more qualified applicants than available spots, we must select the top candidates. Younger applicants (those entering their junior year) may be encouraged to reapply the following year to ensure they are fully prepared for the responsibilities of the CILT role.
SPACE IS LIMITED
While we strive to accept all qualified candidates, we’ve found that the CILT experience can suffer if we accept too many participants. To maintain the quality of the program, the number of CILTs per term and unit is typically capped at 8.
We give careful consideration to the votes from fellow campers and counselors, as these reflect the community’s support and confidence, which are crucial for a CILT’s success. When a prospective CILT doesn’t receive enough votes, they often struggle in the program, so we closely examine where the natural break occurs in the voting results.
These decisions are some of the hardest we make each year, as we’ve watched these campers grow up at Cheley. However, it’s important to note that campers who aren’t selected for the CILT program often return and have incredibly strong and successful summers at camp.
The experience of the unit’s director and assistant director, along with the demographics of the unit, also play a part in the final decision. Our ultimate goal is to uphold the high standards of the CILT program and ensure a meaningful experience for all participants.
