Kadima Teen Leadership
Internship and bridge to a staff role
In Hebrew, “kadima” means “move ahead” and “let’s go!”
The Cohen Camps Kadima Teen Leadership curriculum develops future Jewish community leaders by cultivating real-life, hands-on skills in responsibility, planning, decision-making, teamwork, and communication. It’s our redesigned Counselor-in-Training program–and the critical next step in bringing the benefits of camp forward into adulthood.
- The heart of any camp is its staff. Kadima experiences better prepare our graduating teens to be excellent camp counselors on Day 1.
- Kadima training is explicitly designed to build the skills our teens will need in college life and learning, future employment, Jewish community engagement, and citizenship.
- 21st Century Skills are at the forefront of the Kadima learning program: decision making, self-care, self and social awareness, relating to others with empathy and kindness, resourcefulness, resiliency, grit, and more.
- Kadima builds teens’ resumes with a counselor-in-training internship.
- Kadima gives teens a great, fun summer with friends, kicking off the next phase of their lives in a grounded, balanced, rewarding way.
- The Kadima Yurt Villages and dedicated Kadima space at each camp will provide the community and space to create the full Kadima experience.
Kadima Curriculum
Kadima starts with a curriculum for learning and bonding at camp followed by an internship working directly with campers.
- The first weeks of summer build skills in leadership, teamwork, and growth mindset. Teens explore and practice how to facilitate and support positive social dynamics, encourage participation by others, and advance their own resilience, sense of responsibility, collaboration, and decision-making.
- The internship at camp immerses the teens in camp life, with hands-on skills and direct parallels to leadership outside of camp that help them understand how to be counselors and leaders with more knowledge, practice, confidence, and support. Teens earn a stipend and have appropriate privileges within the CA/CIT Intern role. We call it the CA (Counselor Apprentice) Internship at Camp Pembroke, while we call it the CIT (Counselor-in-Training) Internship at Camp Tel Noar and Camp Tevya.
The curriculum focuses on:
Leadership
- Self-identity, Self-awareness, Perspectives
- Growth mindset, Problem solving
- Empathy, Navigating social dynamics in various environments
- Resiliency, Responsibility, Self-advocacy, Decision making, Feedback
- Your Superpower, Confidence, Leadership, Community, and the Articulation of one’s journey
Camper Care
Ages and stages of campers, Importance of implementing routines
Many roles of a counselor—Creating meaningful experiences, Facilitation, Participation, and Engagement in activities and bunk
Bridge of camper to CA/CIT to counselor, Being a role model, Boundaries, Bully prevention
Understanding developmental differences, Strategies with challenging behaviors (What to do when…), Giving and receiving feedback
Emotions management, Communications—intent vs. impact
The Kadima Framework: Community and Growth
A strong curriculum
in communication, teamwork, responsibility, empathy, and time management
Deep, rewarding service experience
with time to de-stress and prepare for senior year
Sustained Jewish connection
while teens are making choices about college and future
A Day in the Life of Kadima
Assisting with/co-leading camper activities
Certification training (First Aid/CPR/AED, Youth/Teen Mental Health First Aid, and bullying prevention)
Service projects
Camper mentoring in bunks and departments, and at meals
Dedicated, self-directed time for schoolwork and college essays as needed
Reflection with Kadima peer group
Questions?
Families of teens eligible for Kadima, please watch for invitations to information sessions.
Stacey Smalley, Director of Leadership Development + Kadima, welcomes you to contact her by email. You can also reach Stacey at 781.489.2070.
About the Kadima Yurt Villages
Dedicated, eco-friendly spaces
Under construction at Camp Tevya! Now in planning at Camps Pembroke and Tel Noar.
- Air-conditioned, private housing in low-environmental-impact yurts
- Community centers at each camp with indoor gathering space for 50+ people
- Bathrooms
- Workspace for school + college prep
- Wi-Fi
- Kitchenette
- Senior staff bedrooms
- Firepit!
See the designs
The drawings below show the Community Building concepts by the Cohen Camps’ architects, and approximately where the Yurt Village will sit at each camp:
Would you like to help support Kadima and the Yurt Villages?
We are grateful for the many leadership donors who have already stepped forward to help underwrite the cost and create this formative experience.
Contribute to Kadima at:
Questions about supporting Kadima?
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