Submitted by Rob McLaughlin, NeXus Counselor-in-Training Co-Director
Everything is getting shaken up this summer at the Northern NeXus of Adventure including our new approach to Counselors-in-Training. All aspects of the Northern NeXus are being re-evaluated, including the CIT program that has been historically offered. Beginning this year, CIT’s at T.L. Storer and Wah-Tut-Ca Scout Reservation will become more a part of the camp staff than ever before. Now 14 year-olds will have the opportunity to experience a full summer learning at camp by participating in all staff activities from Staff Week all the way through take down, at no cost to the CIT. Also as part of the new CIT experience, all participants in the program will attend the exclusive Staff Training and Growth Course (STAG) which will teach CIT’s leadership and team working skills through the Rare Adventures of T.L. Storer and Wah-Tut-Ca. The opportunities presented by the NeXus make this program unique in Boy Scouts.
When I was fourteen I would have loved an opportunity like this. During my own summer as a CIT at Wah-Tut-Ca Scout Reservation I had a lot of fun but this course was built to surpass that experience in every way imaginable. As a former staff member at the National Youth Leadership Training Course, a participant at Philmont’s National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience and a veteran of five years of camp staff at 3 camps, I was able to draw from a large box of involvement to develop a program that applies to the type of leadership needed not only for camp, but also for life. Some activity examples are Search and Rescue Training, Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience challenges, a youth planned backpacking outpost to a mountain in the NeXus and much more.
Another great benefit of this program stems from its change in the role of a CIT from a learning-camper to an apprentice staff member. By attending and participating in Staff Week, CIT’s will learn all the staff specific trainings and integrate fully into the camp staff. Following the completion of the STAG Course during the first week of program, CIT’s will apprentice in program areas for the rest of the summer, learning skills by being additions to the general staff members assigned to that area. As stated before, unlike previous summers participants in the program can spend their whole summer at camp for free, including the STAG leadership training course. They will even get the 25% Staff Discount at Spirit of Adventure Scout Shops to buy their summer uniforms and any other gear at the store. No other Boy Scout camp in New England offers a program like this for 14 year olds.
To apply to be a participant in the STAG Course and a CIT this summer all you have to do is fill out this electronic application. There will be two participant information meetings (both starting at 7:00 PM):
- May 17th in Chelmsford, MA, at Trinity Lutheran Church (170 Old Westford Rd)
- May 19th at New England Base Camp (411 Unquity Rd. Milton, MA)
Don’t miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity to live the adventure at the Northern NeXus.