Overnight Camp CIT Apparel: Counselor-in-Training Shirts

CIT (counselor-in-training) programs are the bridge between camper years and full staff. CITs are usually fifteen to seventeen years old, attend at reduced tuition or no charge, and shadow full counselors in exchange for the training. The apparel program for CITs needs to read distinct from both campers and full counselors so the camp hierarchy is visible at a glance. Below is the full CIT apparel program.

Why CIT apparel reads distinct

CITs occupy a middle role. They lead activities under supervision, they participate in some staff meetings, and they enforce some cabin rules. Campers need to recognize CITs as authority, full counselors need to recognize CITs as junior staff, and parents on visit day need to spot CITs as a distinct group. The apparel does that visual work.

• Distinct CIT shirt color (often heather charcoal or maroon, distinct from any cabin color and any staff polo color)
• "CIT" printed on the back in athletic block letters so it reads from a distance
• Optional embroidered first name on the chest opposite the camp logo

CIT apparel program lineup

Piece	When worn	VIP base	Print
CIT daily tee (4-5 per CIT)	Throughout each session	$19.88 cotton or $23.86 performance	Camp logo front, "CIT" on back
CIT polo	Training week and parent-visit days	$34.88	Embroidered camp logo + "CIT" on chest
CIT gift hoodie	End of summer / graduation to full staff	$36.88	Embroidered first name + "CIT 2026"

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CIT gift hoodie tradition

Most overnight camps run a CIT-graduation ceremony at the end of summer where CITs who completed the program are recognized in front of the full staff and remaining campers. The CIT gift hoodie is presented at that ceremony. It marks the transition from CIT to full counselor for the next summer.

Standard design is the camp logo on the chest, "CIT 2026" embroidered below, and the CIT first name embroidered on the opposite chest. Most CITs wear this hoodie back to school as the visible badge that they made it through the program.

Sample budget for a 12-CIT cohort

Item	Quantity	VIP base	Total
Daily CIT tees (5 per CIT)	60	$19.88	$1,192.80
CIT polo (1 per CIT)	12	$34.88	$418.56
CIT gift hoodie (1 per CIT)	12	$36.88	$442.56
Total program			$2,053.92

Roughly $171 per CIT across the summer. Most camps absorb this in the CIT program budget since CITs are paying reduced tuition and the apparel is part of the experience the program promises.

CIT shirts that work and ones that do not

• Works: heather charcoal CIT tee with "CIT" in white athletic block on the back, embroidered first name on the front chest
• Works: maroon CIT polo for parent-visit and training days
• Works: navy CIT hoodie with embroidered "CIT 2026" and first name
• Skip: matching CIT and counselor shirts (loses the chain-of-command read)
• Skip: CIT shirts in any cabin color (campers confuse CIT with cabin staff)
• Skip: CIT shirts with no back graphic (the "CIT" needs to read from a distance for campers to know who they are)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the camp customize the CIT shirt with each CIT first name?

Yes, embroidered first names work on the polo and the gift hoodie. The daily tee usually skips the name to keep cost down.

When should CIT apparel be ordered?

Three to four weeks before CITs arrive at camp for their training week. Order with the staff polo and counselor shirt batch.

Do CITs get the same color cabin tee as campers if they bunk with a cabin?

No. CITs wear the CIT-distinct color even when assigned to a cabin. The CIT identity comes first so campers know they are junior staff, not bunkmates.

Is the CIT gift hoodie worth the budget line?

Yes. It is the keepsake that marks the transition to full staff. CITs are the staff pipeline for the next summer, the gift hoodie is a low-cost loyalty piece.