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hvparent.com n Hudson Valley Parent 23 of New Paltz assures teens and parents not to get discouraged. "This was a great opportunity for my son to really do grunt work and not get paid, and I think that was a really good thing," says Duncan- Gilmour referring to her son's experience as a volunteer CIT at YMCA Camp Chingachgook on Lake George. "I think it's important for kids to take on responsibility and 'step into to their own' strength. It was very positive overall." CIT requirements Most camps have similar age requirements for CIT programs, focusing in on the high school population. "The town of New Windsor CIT Program is open to teenagers ages 13-15," says Veronesi. "If they are selected, they will be trained in First Aid, CPR and the leadership skills necessary to be a counselor. Day-to-day they get hands-on training during camp." Some recreational departments require stricter prerequisites before qualifying to become a CIT. "Our progressive leadership program starts with leader in training (LIT) prerequisite," says Jeanne Scigliano, recreation director for the Town of Beekman. With this program, teens must participate in leadership workshops directed by lead coordinators and complete the LIT program before being considered for a CIT role. Applications and interviews Like any job, there is an application and interview process to become a CIT. Applications typically can be found online, but the interview process differs from program to program. "We do group interviews once a month," says Scigliano, generally conducted from March to June. ® Specializing in children from infancy to teens Children with special needs welcome Sedation Dentistry available Child friendly environment with video games, Netflix TV and playhouse Most insurances accepted as full or partial payment. (Continued on Page 24)