Women in Leadership Development
LEAD - Leadership Education and Development
LEAD is a two-week program open to all second year Explorer campers who have completed 10th grade (no separate application necessary). LEAD provides them with an opportunity to learn valuable leadership skills, group management, lesson planning, and confidence speaking and sharing in front of others.
Campers learn and practice leadership skills in the camp context.
This course enhances college applications and is a mandatory prerequisite for the Camper in Leadership Training (CILT) program.
The final opportunity that campers have for leadership development is our CILT program. This program culminates with campers joining our counseling staff…so we mean business!
Campers who successfully complete LEAD have the opportunity to apply for CILT (see FAQs below). Running the first four weeks of camp, it starts with a canoeing and backpacking wilderness trip during which girls are challenged physically and mentally. When they return to camp, they dive into training similar to what we provide our counselors. The focus is on improving their camp-specific leadership skills with the hope that they will succeed and join us on staff.
CILTs learn how to plan Bible studies, lead activities, and manage a cabin group — and it ends with a “live-in” experience where they are essentially in charge of a cabin (with counselor supervision) for part of a week.
CILT is our main source of future counselors, and its success determines the strength of our staff going forward.
CILT - Camper in Leadership Training
FAQs
How do you pass LEAD?
Any camper who completes LEAD assignments during camp successfully passes.
What determines acceptance to CILT?
Successful completion of LEAD is the first requirement for acceptance into CILT. There is an application that requires character references and demonstrated interest in serving on Cedarbrook staff. Other factors include emotional and spiritual maturity.
How do you graduate CILT?
CILT graduation is based both on successful completion of assignments, including a Wilderness Trip, and camper readiness to join Cedarbrook staff. Since most Cedarbrook staff are 18 or older, girls graduating CILT, and therefore joining staff, must demonstrate above-average maturity and leadership skills for their age. CILT graduates have the opportunity to finish the summer season at Cedarbrook as junior counselors.