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Teen Leader Programs

WHO

Counselors-in-Training

Rising: 9th-12th Graders - Who strive to become leaders!

Wranglers-in-Training

Rising 10th-12th Graders - Who love horses and want to learn!

 

WHEN

5-day Weeks: Monday - Friday, June 3 - August 9, 2024

4-day Weeks: July 1-3 & 5, 2024 (NO CAMP THURS, July 4)*

*We are only offering ONE 4-day week for the 2024 season.

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HOW TO GET TO CAMP

Transportation provided to and from the Ranch from BOULDER BUS STOP at Calvary Bible Church

 

TIMES

Morning Drop-off: 8:00 - 8:15am (Mountain Locals: 9:00am)

Afternoon Pick-up: 4:45 - 5:00pm (Mountain Locals: 4:00pm)

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TUITION

Counselors-in-Training

9th Graders   $564 5-day week; $451 4-day week (07/01)

10th Graders $451 5-day week; $361 4-day week (07/01)

11th Graders $338 5-day week; $270 4-day week (07/01)

12th Graders $225 5-day week; $180 4-day week (07/01)

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Wranglers-in-Training

10th-12th Graders $650 5-day week; $520 4-day week (07/01)

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TEEN LEADERS

Colorado Mountain Ranch is a confidence-building outdoor adventure summer day camp.

We offer rewarding teen leadership programs for rising 9th-12th graders.

GROW, LEARN & HAVE FUN
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Our Leadership Approach

CONSIDER THIS

Does your teenager need something fun and productive to do this summer? Do you want peace of mind as to where they are and what they are up to? Send them our way to be a Teen Leader at the Colorado Mountain Ranch. Teens thrive on being and feeling important. At the Ranch, they not only feel like it, they are stars! Teen Leaders get a one-of-a-kind summer in a wholesome outdoor setting, having fun and growing as leaders.

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TIME WITH PEERS

The 2024 Teen Leader Programs at the Colorado Mountain Ranch are designed to be safely supervised along with peer time together, guided by the CIT counselor or the Wrangler who is the WIT Counselor. The mentoring times are with their intentionally matched counselor, instructor, or wrangler. The CITs and WITs ride the bus and eat lunch with those in their own program.

THE OBJECTIVE

The objectives of the Teen Leader programs are for each teenager to gain personal competence, confidence, resilience, plus a sense of responsibility and motivation to solve problems in today's world.  A goal is for the teens to look ahead to their futures with a twinkle in their eyes.

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GUIDANCE, FEEDBACK & COMMUNITY SERVICE

Teen Leaders will  receive guidance and feedback while gaining experience as care-takers for children and horses, instructors, and positive role models for young children. Their time with children will be documented as community service hours. This documentation may be helpful for high school graduation or college applications and can be helpful when applying for volunteer or paid jobs in the future

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Counselors-in-Training

Goals for the CIT include learning how to interact with all ages in a positive way, training to become a children's group counselor or instructor, developing skills in teaching various activities by assisting, and feeling the satisfaction of community service.

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HOW THE CIT PROGRAM WORKS

For their first week at Camp each summer, the CITs are matched in advance with a group counselor as a mentor. This may be a group of elementary-school-age campers or middle-school-age campers, either Explorers or Focus Campers. The Western Riders Program is excluded.

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When having a group counselor as a mentor, the group’s campers are generally 2-3 years younger than their CIT. The CIT will learn to assist with the younger children. As a CIT with a group, the teen leader meets all the activity instructors around Camp for the possibility of choosing an activity instructor as a mentor for later in the summer. They are assistant counselors developing leadership skills while also participating in all the fun activities. Multiple Week CIT Participant; At the end of each week, the CITs indicate three choices of group counselors or activity instructors who they would like as mentors for subsequent weeks. For those who return to Camp later in the season, their choices are taken into account when matching CITs to their mentor each week.

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CAMP ACTIVITIES FOR CITS

Each CIT who helping with a group has the same opportunity as all the others in the group to participate, learn, practice individual skills, and enjoy all the activities. The CIT group also chooses one activity each week to all do recreationally together.

 

NOTE: Western Riders is the CMR program for those who really wish to have longer rides and improve on their riding skills! The Wrangler-in-Training program offers riding, too, when it fits for the WIT to ride on either trail rides or  the longer focus rides.  WITS work to improve their horsemanship and working with horses from the ground. They will also be introduced to all the work it takes to keep, train, and manage horses.

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Counselors-in-Training
Wranglers-in-Training
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Wranglers-in-Training

Spend every day at the corrals with the horses and wranglers.

Expect to learn to lead, groom, tack, care for and ride the horses. An overall goal at the Colorado Mountain Ranch is to provide safe guided experiences for young people to become comfortable with horses, both from the riding perspective and from the ground. Everyone learns first hand that horses respond best to people who have a quiet demeanor, talk softly with kindness, and move slowly. The Objective; Goals for the WIT include learning to interact gently with all ages of varying people and horses in a positive way, how to communicate with horses and understand horse psychology, to continually become more comfortable with horses, to develop and practice all the skills of a senior staff wrangler.

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A DAY AS A WIT

Arrival at the Ranch: A wrangler will check in with the WITs at the Flag Circle when they arrive and take them immediately to the Corrals.

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Arrival at the Corrals: When first at the Corral each morning, the WIT will check the daily schedule of rides, horse care, goat care, western art, and roping sessions. On their agenda there may be sessions where the WIT learns to lead a lot of the activities with the campers. WITs may spend all day at the Corrals until their bus is loading to return to Boulder. Each WIT will have a chance to learn from all the wranglers, including the head wranglers, interning with the wrangler who is their mentor for the week.

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Morning Tasks: A WIT may hop right in with their mentor to learn tasks such as leading horses, tying their lead ropes to the rail, picking hooves, grooming, rounding up a horse’s tack, and saddling.

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Daily Agenda: Throughout the day, there are other Barn activities for WITs to learn- such as checking, cleaning, and filling water troughs; leading horses to the main water trough between rides; helping with horses’ medical needs; changing saddles to fit the rider and the horse; helping children mount and dismount; giving new riders an introduction to the signals go, stop, and turn.

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Rides: WITs will have chances to ride for personal skill building and some just for fun. When ready, a WIT may be asked to ride along to help keep an eye on the young riders and their horses.

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Coaching Other Campers: Sometimes a WIT may stay at the Corral to be with a timid young camper. They may learn to give the child a slow and easy introduction to horses by first touching a horse, then possibly sitting on the horse, then being led while on the horse by a Wrangler or WIT in the Corral. The horse may be led out of the corral to give the rider a little longer, but still supported ride. Then the rider may take the reins with the WIT or Wrangler walking beside them. Some children want a Wrangler or WIT to walk beside them out on their first trail ride, too. This can be a very rewarding experience.

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The End of the Day and Week: WITs meet their mentoring Wranglers as each day and week comes to a close to share feedback about the ups and downs of the day and week. The mentor may give the WIT certain skills to work on and later evaluate progress. Also, some Wranglers and WITs may choose to participate in the all-camp gatherings and singing around the flag circle to open and close each day.

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TESTIMONIALS

We now know what a truly wonderful camp we have in our very own backyard! My daughter loved your camp and is looking forward to more mountainboarding this summer! When I came up to visit on the last day of camp, I was astonished at the beautiful setting, the expansive area, the deep charming character of your camp! Thanks again, we are truly honored to spend time there.

BS, Parent

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