Teen Leadership Program

Yes. The Pioneer Program is an application-based leadership program. After registration, parents will receive links to the Pioneer application and reference form, which should be forwarded to their teen. Applications and references are due by November 20, 2026.

Every teen who is invited to apply will have the opportunity to participate in the Pioneer Program, but the application and reference are required.

The Pioneer application is an important first step in the leadership journey. It gives teens an opportunity to reflect on themselves, their goals, and their leadership strengths while practicing skills such as self-reflection, written communication, and articulating their goals. These are skills that will be valuable when applying for jobs, college, and other leadership opportunities in the future.Phone calls to or from your camper are not permitted unless there is an emergency or if is your camper's birthday. If your child has a birthday at camp, they will call home during lunchtime. If this time does not work, please call the office to get in touch with your child’s Division Leader.

The application also helps Morgan and the Pioneer leadership team better understand each teen before the summer, including their individual goals, interests, strengths, and areas for growth. Once the application and reference have been received, they will be reviewed and feedback will be provided to each Pioneer.

Registration opens on Monday, September 28, 2026, at 10:00 AM CT. Parents should register their teen for “Pioneer - Session 1” through CampMinder.

If your teen is interested in participating in the optional Israel Experience, you should also register them for “Pioneer - Israel Experience”. Registering them for the Israel Experience does not constitute a final commitment. It will help us understand the level of interest and plan appropriately while we finalize the program. Once the dates and pricing are confirmed, families will receive additional information about the Israel Experience and the process for formally committing to the second session.

The cost of the First Session Pioneer Program is TO BE CONFIRMED.

The cost of the Second Session Israel Experience has not yet been finalized. We expect to have confirmed pricing and additional information available at the beginning of 2027.

The deposit for the first-session Pioneer Program will be processed upon registration and is fully refundable for 30 days. After 30 days, the deposit becomes non-refundable.

Pioneers live in a Yurts in the Yurt Village, with access to bathrooms and showers in the Multi-Purpose Space and the remodeled pool shower house. Pioneer Leaders live alongside the teens, similar to other camp cabins. The Yurt Village creates a unique community environment where Pioneers have the opportunity to build relationships with one another while developing independence and leadership skills.

No. Pioneers are intentionally placed together as a community rather than being assigned based on traditional bunk requests. This is an important part of the Pioneer experience. Teens will have the opportunity to build relationships with peers they may not already know well, develop new friendships, and learn how to create a strong community with a diverse group of people.

The first session will conclude on Friday, July 9, 2027, and the second-session Israel Experience is currently expected to begin on Monday, July 12, 2027. Pioneers will have an intersession period between the two sessions. Teens who live locally or have family in the area may return home during this time. For families traveling from outside the area, they can also return home or choose to stay with camp friends in the Chicagoland area.

No. The Israel Experience is an optional second-session add-on to the four-week Pioneer Program. The first-session Pioneer Program remains the core of the Pioneer experience and is a complete four-week program at Beber. Teens who choose to continue into the second session will have the opportunity to travel to Israel with their Pioneer age-group.

No. The Israel Experience is only available to teens participating in the first-session Pioneer Program. The four-week Pioneer experience at Beber provides the foundation for the Israel Experience. During their time at camp, teens will build relationships, develop leadership skills, and explore their Jewish identity before continuing that journey together in Israel.

We are currently working with our partners in Israel and other vendors to finalize the itinerary and programming. The experience will combine travel, Jewish learning, cultural experiences, leadership development, and opportunities to explore Israel with their Beber friends.

The trip will be designed to give teens meaningful opportunities to experience Israel beyond traditional tourism and meet the diverse communities who live there, while also allowing them to develop independence, confidence, and a deeper connection to their Jewish identity. More details about the itinerary will be shared once they are finalized.

We are currently working toward estimated dates of: Monday, July 12 – Monday, August 2, 2027. These dates are tentative and subject to change while we finalize arrangements with our partners and vendors.

Planning an international experience for a group of teens requires working with airlines, accommodations, educational providers, transportation companies, and other vendors well in advance. We want to make sure we have accurate information before committing families to final dates and pricing. We are currently working with our partners to build an experience that is both meaningful and financially responsible.

We expect to have more information about the Israel Experience, including confirmed dates and pricing, at the beginning of 2027.

Yes. One of the most exciting aspects of the Israel Experience is that teens will be able to explore Israel with the friends and community they built during their Pioneer experience at Beber. The relationships developed during the first session will provide an important foundation for the travel experience and allow teens to experience Israel together as a Pioneer community.

Absolutely. Leadership development is at the heart of the Pioneer Program, and the Israel Experience will provide a different environment in which teens can put those skills into practice. Traveling as a group, navigating new experiences, making decisions, communicating with others, and engaging with Israeli peers and communities will all provide opportunities for teens to grow in independence, confidence, and leadership.

While we are excited about making this trip a reality, the safety and wellbeing of our participants will always remain our highest priority. We will work closely with our Israel partners to continually assess the situation on the ground and determine whether it is appropriate to move forward. If at any point we determine that travel cannot be conducted safely, we will make the difficult decision not to move forward with the trip.

Yes. The CIT Program is an eight-week commitment. CITs must be available for the full program. If there is an instance where you are not available for part of the summer, please discuss this with Morgan and decisions will be made depending on individual circumstances.

During second session, CITs will transition from training into hands-on work with campers at Beber. CITs will live in cabins alongside staff and campers and will take on increasing responsibility for the day-to-day experience of their campers. They will assist with supervision, lead activities and hobbies, build relationships with campers, and learn what it means to be part of a camp staff team.

The second session is an opportunity for CITs to take the skills they developed during their first session and put them into practice in a real camp environment.

The cost of the entire eight-week CIT Program is TO BE CONFIRMED.

Registration opens on Monday, September 28, 2026, at 10:00 AM CT. Parents should register their teen for “CIT - Session 1” and “CIT - Session 2” through CampMinder. The deposit will be processed upon registration and is fully refundable for 30 days. After 30 days, the deposit becomes non-refundable.

Yes. The CIT Program is an application-based leadership program. After registration, parents will receive links to the CIT application and reference form to forward to their teen. The application is not simply about “getting in”. Every teen invited to participate in the application process will have the opportunity to be part of the CIT Program.

Instead, it is an important part of the learning journey, giving teens a chance to reflect on their experiences, strengths, goals, and interest in working with children while practicing self-reflection and written communication skills they can use for future jobs, colleges, internships, and other opportunities. It also helps Morgan and the CIT leadership team get to know each teen before the summer, including their goals, interests, strengths, and areas for growth.

Yes. Once an application and reference have been received, CITs will be invited to participate in a short interview with a member of the Beber full-time team. The interview is an opportunity for teens to practice professional communication, reflect on their experiences, and talk about why they are interested in working with children and taking on a leadership role at Beber.

The application and interview are not about “getting in.” They are about taking responsibility, practicing professional skills, reflecting on personal goals, and preparing for the leadership experience ahead.

During first session, CITs live in Yurts in the Yurt Village, with access to bathrooms and showers in the Multi-Purpose Space and the remodeled pool shower house. During the second session, when CITs are working directly with campers, they will live in cabins alongside staff and campers as part of their hands-on internship experience.

No. CITs are intentionally mixed so they can build strong relationships across the cohort, just as staff members do. Working with people they may not already know is an important part of the CIT experience and helps prepare teens for the reality of working as part of a camp staff team.

During the first four weeks, CITs will participate in an off-site internship experience in Colorado. This unique experience provides additional training and hands-on learning in areas such as inclusion, childcare, and leadership and complements the CIT curriculum at Beber. We are currently working with our partners to finalize the specific details of the Colorado Internship experience. In the instance that Colorado is not available for Summer 2027, an alternative internship destination will be planned for.

More information will be shared with families as the plans are confirmed.

The CIT Program is designed for teens who are genuinely interested in working with children and ready to take on greater responsibility as leaders. This may include teens interested in working at Beber, education, childcare, social work, recreation, youth programming, or other careers involving children and young people. Teens do not need to know exactly what they want to do in the future, but they should be willing to learn, take initiative, receive feedback, and actively participate in the experience.

The CIT Program provides meaningful preparation and experience for teens who may be interested in working at Beber in the future. However, completing the program does not guarantee employment the following summer. Future opportunities depend on camp staffing needs as well as each teen’s performance, skills, and readiness for a staff role.