Each week the Cohen Camps Kadima Teen Leadership curriculum—our redesigned CIT program which develops future Jewish community leaders—explores 21st Century leadership themes, e.g. accountability, responsibility, resourcefulness, planning, decision-making, teamwork, and communication, AND social emotional learning themes, e.g. self awareness, social awareness, decision-making, and relationship building., ALONG WITH camper care skills, from the importance of providing routines and learning about developmental ages + stages to learning how to craft a bunk night and teach beadwork or Jewish values or pickleball strategies – you catch my drift – everything that makes the magic at camp!
They discussed Growth and Benefit Mindset from the camp and out-of-camp bubble lenses. They began their journey looking from within their own leadership qualities and recalled the qualities of their best counselors. Their friendships continue to deepen as they build respect for one another in this new role at camp and as they have begun their journey in earnest.
From the lens of physical, social, and emotional developmental ages + stages of children, they are understanding how and why campers act certain ways, and they are beginning to learn tools to assist in the bunk and departments through this lens. They have been taking active roles, engaging with campers and staff, in the bunks, in departments, and all around camp.
Resourcefulness and self-advocacy skills are encouraged as they experience ‘peeling back the curtain’ in their role. In the daily period of Camp Life and Leadership (CLL), the CITs discuss these concepts as they relate to life inside and outside of camp.
Speaking of our Kadima Teams – huge kudos as well to our Kadima Leaders and Coordinators who made the Kadima Orientation a most meaningful and full of heart experience for our CITs. The Kadima way!
Shabbat Shalom,
