The Counselor-In-Training program at Camp Talooli provides teens between the ages of 13 - 15 an opportunity to participate in a combination of leadership, team building, and child development objectives. Through the program CITs gain the skills necessary to become a staff member at camp. With a bit more freedom than younger campers and exciting and fun objectives, being a CIT at Camp Talooli is an unforgettable experience.

There are 3 levels of the program which teens progress through. CIT 1 is typically for 13 year olds, CIT 2 for 14 year olds, and CIT 3 for 15 year olds. Each level of CITs involves a shadowing experience where the teens work directly alongside a counselor.

What can you expect as a CIT at Camp Talooli? Both level 1 and 2 of the CIT program are similar in that CITs come for resident camp and spend a week in cabins with other CITs. The Log Cabins is traditionally the area where CITs sleep. Boys and girls will have their own counselor but will spend most of their time during the week together in a large group completing objectives, learning leadership, and taking part in team building activities. At the end of the week (typically Wednesday or Thursday) CITs will get the opportunity to shadow a counselor for a whole or half day. During Shadowing CITs will observe the counselors' interactions with their campers, will interact themselves with campers, teach games or songs, and learn the ins and outs of supervising a group of children.

At the completion of each week CITs will be given an evaluation by the CIT counselors. This evaluation will be based on the observations of the counselors, the CIT's participation throughout the week, and the CIT's performance during Shadowing. Based on this evaluation the CIT counselors will decide whether or not the CIT passes and moves on to the next level of CITs.

Level 3 of the CIT program is quite different than levels 1 and 2. CIT 3s are required to complete two weeks of training which they will spend shadowing the same counselor each day. A minimum of two weeks of day camp is required for a fee of $10 per week, but CIT 3s have the option of staying for resident camp and paying the resident camp fee which is $255. The option of attending resident camp is only open to those CITs who have already completed a week of day camp as a CIT 3.

CIT 3s will be required to keep a journal of their experiences and turn it in at the end of each day. This helps keep the CIT director informed about how the week is going, how the CIT is getting along with his/her counselor, and what activities he/she has enjoyed doing with the campers. After the first week CIT 3s may be placed with a different counselor or may continue on with the first counselor. At the completion of both weeks of CIT training CITs will be informed whether or not they have passed and will receive their Staff Whistles at the final campfire.