The Future Leaders program is described as a counselor in training program designed for young teens to learn the responsibilities of becoming a summer program counselor in the future. Teens who have completed 9th grade and up, or are age 15 or older are eligible for this program.
Future Leaders will be responsible for assisting in daily activities with the summer programs. Participants will be required to attend all orientation sessions, dates to be announced at their interview, and staff meetings as well as be available for 5 of the 6 weeks that the summer program is being conducted, which is June 30th – August 8th (no camp July 4th) to be in the Future Leader Program.
Future Leaders will be placed at the different school sites where Summer Days in the Park will be conducted by the Clifton Recreation Department. Future Leaders do not get to select the site location they will be working at for the summer and will be notified of their placement at staff training. Participants of the Future Leaders Program must be able to get to all programs being conducted; no switching sites will be permitted. Please note the summer program will be held outdoors as much as possible daily.
All participants registered in the Future Leaders Program will be asked to come in for an interview to acquaint them with the procedures of applying for a real job and to see if this program is the best fit for them. Participants will be required to submit a letter of recommendation from a coach, employer, or teacher at their interview. Enrollment for this program is limited to 15 participants only. All Future Leaders selected will be required to attend staff training at the Community Recreation Center, 1232 Main Ave. (the week of June 23rd), Anzaldi Park, 38 John Samra Way, and the school site they are assigned to for training. Exact dates & times will be given during interviews.
Each trainee will receive a mid-summer and final evaluation of their performance by the Site Director & the Summer Camp Supervisors. A personal consultation will accompany each evaluation to help the Future Leaders learn more about their performances and provide an opportunity for them to discuss any concerns or questions they may have encountered. A file will be kept on each participant of the Future Leaders Program and maintained at the Recreation Department.
The cost of the program is $75.00 (Residents Only), which includes two T-shirts. Future Leaders are eligible to attend weekly trips on Wednesdays with the Summer Days in the Park program for their enjoyment (not as a work day). Future Leaders must pre-pay for each trip that they wish to attend. If a Future Leader decides not to attend a Wednesday trip, then they do not work that day. All other trips/events that are scheduled or may be added (i.e. Summer Luau, Summer Olympics, Summer Picnic, Special Shows, Camp Hope) are considered work days for the Future Leaders in which they do not pay additional fees. Trips and events can be paid online with, a credit or debit card, up until midnight, Monday the week before each trip. See registration deadlines for each trip/event below. Due to the trip facility's current guidelines and safety policies, these are firm registration deadlines. Urban Air and High Exposure require waivers which can be found below under forms and links. They must be completed and submitted/handed in upon registration of the trip. Future Leaders should wear their blue Clifton Recreation t-shirt on trip days. Payments can also be made with cash or check at the Recreation Office following the same registration deadlines below. Once you pay for the trip you are registered. If you miss the pre-registration deadline or the trip is full, please put your child on the waiting list online. Participants will be notified, if a spot becomes available, in the order in which they registered on the waitlist. Below is a list of trips for each session. Prices can be found under each trip activity online.
Session 1:
Week 1: Funplex - Registration Deadline is 6/23/25
Week 2: The Castle Fun Center - Registration Deadline is 6/30/25
Week 3: Camelbeach Waterpark - Registration Deadline is 7/7/25
Session 2:
Week 1: Urban Air - Registration Deadline is 7/14/25
Week 2: Splashplex - Registration Deadline is 7/21/25
Week 3: High Exposure - Registration Deadline is 7/28/25
The Future Leaders Program Summer registration for 2025 will be conducted online. If you do not have access to a computer at home, you can come into the Recreation Department and use one of our computers. Visit www.cliftonrec.com/info/dept/details.aspx?DeptInfoID=1062 for registration procedures. Registration for this program ends Monday, June 2nd, or earlier if the program has reached maximum capacity.
Additional Information:
Please note, the majority of the day is spent outdoors for program activities. In the event of inclement weather the day will be spent indoors at the school site. Please make sure to sign-up for mobile notifications under your account to be kept aware of any major program changes, updates, or emergency information via text.