Now that your camper is submitting their application for Leader Corps or Leaders-in-Training, we want to prepare you with the information you need to support your child through the process.
Please urge your camper to have their application and all three reference forms submitted no later than October 15 at 5:00 PM EST. We cannot move forward with applicants who have incomplete applications or reference forms. Campers who miss the deadline almost never receive spots in the Leadership Program because of the limited capacities.
Leader Corps and Leaders-in-Training positions require an application – and acceptance is competitive because of the limited capacities in each program.
While we take into consideration the written application and reference forms, the applicant’s behavior during their time at Takodah is the most heavily weighted factor in the selection process. Ultimately, we select the applicants who will best serve as role models to younger campers and age peers alike. Specifically, we look for maturity, judgment, positive attitude, emotional intelligence/regulation, interpersonal skills, stress management skills, good character/values, and an embodiment of our “Friendly to All” motto.
Now that your camper is applying for a Leadership Development Program position, we expect them to handle communication with us whenever possible. If you reach out on their behalf, it sends a message to us that your camper might not be ready for a position of leadership and responsibility.
In handling the application and communication with us, your camper will learn important life and career skills such as taking initiative, written/oral communication, and problem-solving. These skills will advantage them in the future with college/university and other jobs.
Most of the campers applying for the Leadership Development Program have attended Takodah for several years. Camp has given them a place where they could just be themselves without judgment. Everyone has been focused on their happiness and success, and they have rarely been told “no.”
Now that your child has completed their years as a camper – and they are applying for a competitive Leadership Development Program – they are facing the fear of not returning to camp next summer. Their concern is valid as not every applicant will receive a position in Leaders Corps or Leaders-in-Training.
We have a limited number of spaces for Leader Corps and Leaders-in-Training programs because of capacities related to cabins, staffing, transportation, and apprenticeships.
Every teenager has great characteristics, and every applicant has wonderful supporters. However, like any highly selective job, college/university, or award, there are limited available spaces.
If we could grade performance and applications on an academic scale, and everyone received an ‘A,’ we still could not take every applicant.
Managing disappointment is a hard and necessary part of life. You might consider reading this article on Rejection and How to Handle It on helping your camper in processing their feelings.
If my camper does not receive a Leader Corps or Leadership-in-Training position, then can they still return to Takodah as a traditional camper this summer?
No, campers age out of our traditional summer camp programs when they start 10th grade.
If my camper does not receive a Leader Corps position, then can they still apply for a Leaders-in-Training position next summer?
Yes, campers are not required to complete Leaders Corps to apply for Leaders-in-Training positions. However, it is important to recognize that the capacities are even more limited for Leaders-in-Training than Leaders Corps positions, and we prioritize campers who completed the Leader Corps program for Leaders-in-Training positions.
If my camper does not receive a Leaders-in-Training position, then can they still apply for a staff position next summer?
Yes, we strongly encourage former campers to apply for staff positions upon turning 18 years old and graduating from high school. Being in Leaders Corps or Leaders-in-Training are not requirements for staff positions.
Many of my camper’s friends are a year older than they are… Can they start the Leadership Development Program early?
No, we can only accommodate applications from campers who meet the exact grade-level requirements for each program.