City Kids youth begin their journey in the 6th grade during our applicant process. Each spring, we accept 20-24 new 6th graders to be our new Ranger class. This cohort will then move through the years of the program together – facing challenges, celebrating accomplishments and having a ton of fun along the way!
Our seven year program builds skills progressively upon the experiences and skills learned in previous years, evolving year to year to meet the needs of youth where they are and culminating in our paid JET Program with various opportunities for community leadership.
CAMPER YEARS: Rangers, Mountaineers, Elite & Leadership
In the camper years of the program, we use experiential education and outdoor adventure experiences as a means to teach and practice skills that help build resiliency, broaden their sense of personal possibility, and work with others as team leaders and team members. Our programs run afterschool and on weekends in DC and at summer camp in Wyoming.
THE JET PROGRAM
As they age in the program, youth become Job Experience Trainees (JETS) and attend programming focused on transferable job skills and future planning, college and career prep, and leadership skills. The JET Program is a “choose your own adventure” model, and provides our youth with the opportunity to let their individual interests and goals dictate the way they interface with our programming. JETs also serve as peer mentors for younger campers by working as junior counselors at camp.
Ages 11 – 13
Ranger & Mountaineers
Be Courageous & Be Compassionate
Participants learn outdoor skills and try new things, including:
- Camping
- Backpacking
- Canoeing
- Horseback riding
Youth development focus:
- Teamwork
- Taking care of self, others, and the environment
- Nonviolent conflict resolution
Ages 14 – 15
Elite
Be Excellent
Participants tackle physical challenges in the wilderness:
- Backpacking in the Sawtooth Mountains and Yellowstone
- Sea Kayaking on Yellowstone Lake
- Week-long kayaking trip in the rivers, swamps, and ocean of South Carolina (spring break)
Youth development focus:
- Skills Mastery
- Learning from mistakes
- Developing a growth mindset
Ages 15 – 16
Leadership
Find Your Personal Power
Participants test their mastery of outdoor skills through high adventure & reflective activities:
- Rock climbing
- White water kayaking
- 24 hour solo
- Social Justice Week
Youth Development Focus
- Ownership of Self
- Understanding of potential for impact on others
- Community Leadership
Ages 16-18
JET (Job Experience Training)
Create Your Vision
JETs choose from a variety of program paths, including:
- CAMP LEADER: paid summer job opportunity as a peer mentor and program assistant, preceded by six weeks of training during the school year.
- CAREER EXPLORATION: workshops and job shadow placements to explore career interests
- INTERNSHIP: workshops and longer internship placements to gain hands on work experience
- Job and post-secondary education coaching and training
- Opportunity to take a NOLS, Outward Bound or Wilderness Adventures course, hike the Teton Crest Trail or summit the Grand Teton as a culminating adventure
Ages 18+
Alumni
Alumni receive regular check-ins and support for at least two years after completing the program. Alumni are eligible for:
- One-on-one one mentorship and career planning support
- Post-secondary education and job coaching
- Alumni outdoor adventures and networking gatherings
- Volunteer engagement and job opportunities with City Kids programs
“ Being a JET is an empowering experience. It gives you the experience of an actual worker. This is going to be something that helps all JETs in the future. The whole City Kids experience gives people what they need and I want to be a part of that.”
— JERU CRAWFORD, JET 2015
