Summer Camp Programs for Teens
My son will be turning 15 this summer and I’m looking for summer camp/CIT/Jr. Counselor (not sleep away camp) opportunities for him in the Berkeley/Albany area.
Thank you, in advance, for your ideas and suggestions!
Dec 4, 2024
Parent Replies
Hello -
My now 13 year old son has been a CIT, then a Jr Counselor for Sees The Day day camp in Tilden Park for the past couple summers and has enjoyed it. Also a great camp for younger kids. My son mostly prefers to be inside playing video games, but loves this camp even though it is outside all day in the park with no tech.
15 is quite young but FCC church camp will give him an unpaid CIT position. As soon as he’s 15 1/2 (I think …) he should become Red Cross certified as a lifeguard, assuming he’s a strong swimmer. Loads of lifeguard jobs. He can get CPR and first aid training next summer I think. In the meantime, he can start hustling for petsitting and moms helper jobs. He’ll need to show some experience for a decent summer camp role, even as a CIT.
My child was a Jr Counselor last year at Fairyland & City of El Cerrito. Both had us (parents) pay but a little less than regular day camps. She got CPR certified through El Cerrito as part of it so that's handy going forward. Pros and cons to both places from both the CIT and parent perspective, but she liked both well enough to repeat either if it works for the family's schedule.
Thank you for your responses —
mb