Go behind the scenes and begin to pass the Tawonga magic on to others. Whether it’s your first summer or your 10th, come to camp as an IT and challenge yourself to learn and grow. This program is a great way to develop kid-care, teaching and program planning skills and one day join the professional Tawonga staff.

Specialist/Counselor-in-Training (S/CIT) program FAQ

Q: How are S/CIT's chosen?

A: The S/CIT program is selective. We are looking for teens eager to learn about working with children and ready to put that knowledge into action at camp. We take teens into the program who are ready to transition out of their camper years to take on more responsibility and leadership at camp. The merit-based selection process consists of a written application, in-person (preferred) or phone interview and reference. Experiences working with younger kids (babysitting, coaching, tutoring, etc.) and leadership positions should be highlighted on applications.

Q: I registered for the program, why am I on the waiting list?

A: Everyone is placed on the waiting list for the S/CIT program pending the receipt of an application, the completion of an interview and the receipt of a reference. The application process opens up in December and a first round of decisions is usually made in late January with applicants being notified by mail.

Q: Can I still do the IT program if I'm entering 10th grade but I'm old for my grade and most of my friends are a year or two older and are also applying for the program?

A: The IT program is for teens entering 11-12th grades. If you are entering 10th grade you can apply but your application will be considered only after all entering 11-12th grade applications. We do this to be fair to people who only have one or two years to take advantage of our multiple teen programs. If you find yourself in this situation we recommend doing one of our teen quest or service-learning programs.

Q: Do we work the whole time as a S/CIT?

A: The three week program is broken into two different pieces. The first week of the program is a training week where the group learns the specific skills and responsibilities of counselors and specialists in various training sessions. The final two weeks of the program is spent working with campers in support of the Tawonga staff. During both the week of the training and the working weeks, about 1/3 of the day is spent with the just the S/CIT group enjoying camp activities and bonding as a group.

Q: What is the difference between SIT and CIT?

A: The two programs run simultaneously, overlap often and are very similar. CIT's have some of their training week tailored specifically to learning the role of the counselor. SIT's learn how to be specialists in all different areas at camp including Arts and Crafts, Programming, Wilderness and Waterfront. During the final two weeks of the program, teens in both programs spend approximately 2/3 of the day working with younger campers in either their specialty areas or with specific bunks.

Q: As an SIT do I work everywhere or just in one specialist area?

A: Teens in the Specialist-in-Training (SIT) program will receive training in all the specialty areas that work with kids at Tawonga during the training week of the program. After learning about how to be a program, waterfront, arts and crafts and wilderness staffer, SIT's can preference their favorite three departments and a custom schedule will be created for them with every effort made to give them opportunities to work in areas that interest them, while remaining flexible and ready to help out wherever needed.