Counselor in Training (CIT) Program

Join our high school CIT program and build skills as an outdoor educator and naturalist!

Interested in environmental education, wilderness skills and working with children? Looking to build your resume, receive volunteer credit for school and broaden your knowledge of the natural word?

Join the Audubon Vermont team this summer as a PAID counselor-in-training! Through a grant we received, we will be able to pay our CITs $12/hour for their hard work!

Counselors-in-training (CITs) work alongside our camp counselors—experienced naturalists and educators—to deliver a high-quality, hands-on environmental education and activities for campers ages 3-11. The program is structured to give CITs the opportunity to explore their interests in outdoor education and conservation, while also building the skills and experience to launch them towards their next education or carrer opportunities. We hope our CITs will become the next generation of Audubon camp counselors, naturalist educators and conservation biologists!

Who can apply?

CIT positions are open to high school students 14 to 18 years old (students entering 9th grade who may not yet be 14 are welcome to apply). An ideal candidate for this position is available Monday-Friday at least 4 weeks of the summer (June 21-August 13).

CITs must be available on Thursday, June 17 9-10am for a virtual orientation via Zoom.

Is the CIT position right for you?

We are looking for people with interests in:

Outdoor/environmental education
Wildlife and habitat conservation
Nature awareness, animal tracking, and wilderness living skills
Nature-based crafts, art, and tool-making
Teaching and mentoring younger kids
Building teamwork and leadership skills

Past experience attending Audubon camp or another outdoor camp is helpful, but not required.

What camps will I work?

CITs have the option of working with our Preschool Nature Camp or Ecology Day Camp. Normally, CITs have the option to choose different camps, but this year CITs will stick with ONE camp. This is an effort to limit interaction between camps and staff to reduce chances of spread.

Preschool Nature Camp: Preschool Nature Camp offers a full day of outdoor play and exploration to campers 3 to 5 years old. Our time is filled with stories, scavenger hunts, crafting, nature walks, puppet shows, games, and full-sensory immersion in the natural world. CIT hours: 8:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Ecology Day Camp: Ecology Day Camp's full-day program runs wild around the forests, brooks, and ponds of the Green Mountain Audubon Center. Each week of camp focuses on a different theme, but all campers will get a chance to search for wildlife, make crafts, go on hikes, and hone their nature awareness skills while exploring the most magical places at Audubon. Campers age 6 to 14. CIT hours: 8:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m

See the camp calendars for a description of each camp session and their weekly themes:

Preschool Nature Camp Calendar

Ecology Day Camp Calendar

CIT duties and expectations:

You will spend your first week observing camp to get a better sense of the daily flow and activities. By your second week, you will be invited to take on more leadership. This could mean leading an opening circle, teaching a game or craft, or reading a story to the campers. Camp counselors and the camp director will serve as a resource and support system for you as you build your natural history knowledge and repertoire of camp games and activities. That being said, we acknowledge that everyone comes with different comfort levels in taking the lead – if you feel up to leading a game or reading a book in the first week we can make that happen!

Other expectations include:

Participate in staff meetings and weekly check-ins with mentor
Receive and apply feedback
Be a role model for campers, exhibiting maturity and good judgment
Under supervision, lead camp activities and programs for which your skills, interests, and training qualify you.

COVID-19: If you are out-of-state or unvaccinated please make sure you review and follow the Vermont Department of Health guidelines around traveling and symptoms.