Camp Jones Gulch

You are never too young to be a leader! 

The Leader-In-Training (LIT) program is designed for campers, age 15, who are interested in developing leadership skills.

In the LIT program, we show young adults the skills it takes to be a great leader, then provide them with the opportunity to practice those skills through YMCA summer camp programs. Participants engage in a series of hands-on challenges and workshops designed to teach the skills and mindset of exceptional leadership. LIT’s develop their leadership skills through teambuilding activities and trainings, and the planning and execution of programs for the younger campers under the guidance of the YMCA Staff. LIT’s will leave camp with a greater understanding of the leader they can be.

At camp they will work through the team challenge course, use the high ropes course, and participate in other traditional camp activities in addition to completing a specialized curriculum to build the best in their leadership potential.

Eighty American Camp Association (ACA) accredited camps teamed with Youth Development Strategies, Inc. (YDSI) to look at how campers assess their camp experiences on outcomes that contribute to positive youth development. The main objective was to learn if campers found the kinds of opportunities and supportive relationships needed to achieve optimal developmental environments. Here is the overview of what they found.

"Camps make a difference by providing campers with multiple supportive relationships with adults and peers, offering challenging activities, providing meaningful opportunities for involvement, and keeping campers feeling safe. These developmental outcomes have been proven to lead to long-term positive outcomes in adulthood." 

- M. Deborah Bialeschki, Ph.D., and Marge Scanlin, Ed.D.

The love and devotion campers develop for a summer camp cannot be matched and offers great value to the next generation of campers.

The Counselor-In-Training (CIT) program is designed for campers, age 16, who are interested in becoming a camp counselor.

Our CITs will be given an orientation similar to that of our experienced camp counselors. It will include classes in age characteristics, counseling techniques, group dynamics, organizational skills, and child abuse prevention. 

They will also be responsible for planning and implementing programs for the younger campers. During their second week, CIT’s receive hands-on experience when they are assigned to assist with a Pioneer cabin under the direct supervision of our experienced cabin counselors. For many, this is the first time they are placed in a role-modeling situation. It is a unique and life-changing experience.

Successful graduates of the CIT program are encouraged to apply for a Junior Counselor position the following summer.