The 2021 summer Camp preparations have begun in earnest! I’m super excited that within three days of emailing our staff I had 25 interviews scheduled. WOW! This is awesome. What this tells me is that the staff cannot wait for next summer!

We know the campers and staff really missed Camp this summer. No one could see 2020 turning out the way it has.

We were so excited for the improvements we made and that we were planning for 2020. We are also very excited for these improvements and changes to be implemented for 2021.

We all know that you cannot have a great Camp without having a great staff.

At Hermann Sons Life we love the fact that a very high percentage of our staff members come from the camper ranks. These former campers have worked their way through both the Counselor-in-Training and Junior Staff Program.

We are excited to announce that the CIT program for 2021 begins NOW!

The first step for both the CIT-1s and CIT-2s is to complete an online application. For application, click here. 

HOW TO BECOME A CIT-1

•  The FIRST STEP on the road to becoming a CIT is to complete the application. The application is for past Hermann Sons Life campers age 15 (as of Sept. 1, 2021) who wish to be considered for the first level of the CIT Program. Please check the CIT-1 box on the application.

THE DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS DEC. 15, 2020.

•  The SECOND STEP will be an interview with the Executive Camp Director. Approximately 150 candidates are expected to interview for the limited spots that are available Be sure to request an interview time slot as soon as possible since so many interviews must be coordinated to occur in a short amount of time.

Please click here to schedule the interview. For your convenience, the interviews will be scheduled predominantly via Skype, FaceTime or Google Hangout. The deadline for interviews is Jan. 15, 2021.

The THIRD STEP is to get three (not family members) references. This can be teachers, coaches, clergy, etc. You can simply have them go to hermannsonslife.org/camp-staff-applicant-reference. The deadline for references is Nov. 15, 2020. Please make sure they list you as the applicant! Letters of recommendation can also be mailed to Camp. Please do not send the same reference in multiple ways. If mailed to Camp, please send to Hermann Sons Life Camp - CIT Program Admissions, P.O. Box 629, Comfort, TX 78013

The FOURTH STEP is where successful applicants will be invited to enroll in the CIT Program in late January. Spaces for successful CIT-1s will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The cost of the CIT program is $190 for the week.

The weeks allocated for the CIT-1 Program in 2021 are:

Week 1: June 13-June 19, 2021
Week 3: June 27-July 3, 2021
Week 5: July 18-July 24, 2021
Week 7: Aug. 1-Aug. 7, 2021

HOW TO BECOME A CIT-2

Last summer, you were of age to become a CIT-1 at Hermann Sons Life Camp. Obviously with the cancellation of Camp, you were unable to participate in the summer Camp program. The CIT-1 week at Camp lays the foundation for our CIT-2s to become more involved and hands-on with our campers in the dorms and at the activities.

The FIRST STEP on the road to becoming a CIT-2 is to complete the online application. The application is for past Hermann Sons Life campers age 16 (as of Sept.1, 2021).

Please complete the application and check CIT-2 if you wish to be considered for the CIT-2 program.

To make up for the loss of your CIT week this past summer, we are scheduling an ACCELERATED LEARNING WEEKEND Jan. 16-18, 2021, for eligible CIT-2s in the 2021 summer Camp season. If you cannot attend the Accelerated Learning Weekend, you must attend the Staff Development Week before Camp which is scheduled June 6-9, 2021, in order to attend the CIT-2 week.

This weekend is free of charge and we’d love for you to attend. It will help you as you prepare for your role as a CIT-2! 

In addition to the CIT-2 week that you can attend, CIT-2s are permitted to attend an additional week at Camp. This additional week you will be scheduled to work in the kitchen or as a lifeguard (if certified) for half the day, and permitted to attend and participate in activities for the other half of the day. The additional week can be scheduled with the Executive Camp Director after the camper’s scheduled CIT-2 week.

All CIT-2s are eligible to sign up for the lifeguard training classes held in the spring for the staff.

The weeks in 2021 in which CIT-2s can enroll are: 

Week 2: June 20-June 26, 2021
Week 4: July 11-July 17, 2021
Week 6: July 25-July 31, 2021

The SECOND STEP on the road to becoming a CIT-2 is to complete the enrollment form for the Accelerated Learning Weekend and email it.

The deadline for the form is Dec. 16, 2021. Click here for form.

The THIRD STEP will be to attend the Accelerated Learning Weekend on Jan. 16-18, 2021.

Enrollment into the CIT-2 Program will begin on Jan. 19, 2021.

Campers unable to attend the Accelerated Learning Weekend can sign up for Camp after March 15, 2021 – however, you must attend the Staff Development Week (June 6-9).

Spaces for successful CIT-2s will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

The cost of the CIT program is $190 per week.

JUNIOR COUNSELORS

Potential 2021 JUNIOR COUNSELORS, our 2020 CIT-2s (staff aged 17) were also affected by the cancelation of Camp. We have made the decision that the CIT-2 campers in 2020 are automatically graduated into eligibility for the Junior Counselor program.

Much of our Staff Development covers many of the classes that the Junior Staff missed in their second year of the CIT program. All CIT-2s from the 2020 class, must complete and submit an application, click here.

While we have a limited number of spots for Junior Staff, they are able to attend as many weeks as their schedule permits.

As paid employees, they will need to interview with the Executive Camp Director. Click here to schedule the interview. For your convenience, the interviews will be scheduled predominantly via Skype, FaceTime or Google Hangout. The deadline for interviews is Jan. 15, 2021.

ADULT STAFF / COUNSELORS

It takes a lot of staff to run Camp. In order to run a successful and SAFE summer Camp program, we need to operate two full kitchens, a maintenance and housekeeping staff and two clinics with nurses and EMTs.

The hiring process begins now for the summer of 2021.

Ful-time counselors and staff members (18 years +) do not need to have attended Hermann Sons Life Camp nor participated in our CIT Program. While returning campers and staff are always given preference over the hiring of new staff, we are always on the lookout for TOP QUALITY individuals to work with our campers. If you know of a college-aged individual who works great with children, has high character values, please recommend us to them as a summer employment opportunity. The application can be found at hermannsonslife.org/employment/employment-camp/

We are not just looking for counselors. Nurses, EMTs, cooks and cafeteria workers at schools also have a place at Hermann Sons Life Camp. SPREAD THE WORD! Again, the hiring process has begun. If you know any nurses who can work a week at Camp, or know any school cooks who may be looking for summer employment, please have them contact me at 830-995-3223 or by email.