Speaker: Kristina Hill, Appel Farm Arts Campus

Does the idea of a "lesson plan" scare you? Do you read "curriculum" and think, "but this is camp!" It may sound boring, but curriculum design and lesson planning can be fun! Participants will be provided with editable curriculum maps and lesson plans that can fit any program and any age group, structured to empower ALL campers through authentic and engaging learning experiences. We'll discuss and practice differentiated instructional approaches and group management styles that build connections, create safe, brave learning spaces, and amplify student voice through choice. Participants will also learn simple, routine assessment practices to reflect on program efficacy and camper experience.

Speaker: John James Hickey, Camp Scatico

Feelings are a form of information and if we can learn to accurately identify them or those of others, we can decode and regulate the behavior that is governed by those feelings. Combining Dr. Gloria Willcox's "Feeling Wheel" with emotional intelligence tools developed by Dr. Marc Brackett in his book Permission to Feel (Mood Meter and R.U.L.E.R) participants will learn how to develop a new mindset around the power of emotions, accurately identify and manage them, and learn concrete tools to help others manage theirs. Mastering emotional intelligence is an effective way to help camp leaders to become better communicators. By learning to understand how others feel, it allows you to manage relationships more effectively.

Speaker: Adam Baranker, Jeff Lake Camp

Gen-Z has been affected by the pandemic in the same ways older generations were affected by 9/11 or the recession: undeniably and irreversibly. After having been stuck at home for months on end, our staff is out of practice in problem-solving and decision-making, which led to some shortcomings at camp this past summer. But instead of resenting our staff for pandemic-related challenges, it is our job as camp directors to adjust, adapt, and meet them where they are. For us, this is an opportunity to get creative and revamp some camp staples like orientation and staff appreciation to better this new Gen-Z.

Speaker: Lisa Drennan, MERGE

Even before the onset of the recent global pandemic, isolation, and loneliness are experienced by persons with disabilities at a considerably higher rate than their non-disabled peers. Now more than ever, it is crucial that we work to create opportunities for social connectedness and belonging. Inclusive camp programs provide an ideal opportunity for this to happen, but we recognized that it may not be a skill set that camp staff come to the table with inherently. When we focus on a person's gifts and values that they can share with their community we have taken the first step in facilitating a friendship to be fostered based on a mutual interest that two people might share. Join us to create a pathway to friendship FOR ALL.

Speaker: Kate Grenci, Girl Scouts of NJ

In April of 2020, Kate stood in her living room and said, “Youth development professionals are going to do need to brush up on trauma-informed care.” Brushing up is one thing – starting from scratch is another! We know the pandemic has had a profound impact on everyone, but the youth in our care are experiencing it in a very different way – all while their brains are developing and their social skills are sharpening. Pandemic aside, our campers may be grieving loss, living as victims of violence, or growing up in a home they don’t feel is theirs. In this session, we’ll break down trauma-informed care to the basics and discuss seven easy ways to establish a foundation for success.

Speakers: Roz and Jed Buck, Roz and Jed Consulting

How many of us can say that our first job ever was our role as a Camp Counselor? Some of us will be training first-year staff this summer who were campers with us, or possibly at another camp, as recently as last summer. How do we prepare these young, first-year counselors to make the change from being taken care of as campers to being the ones who take care of other people’s children as counselors? How do we help them recognize the important purpose of their work … Making a positive difference in the lives of their campers? Experiential training activities that engage our first-year staff and create teachable moments for them can help us empower them to be the role models and mentors that we need them to be for our campers. Camp leaders will leave this highly interactive session with a variety of activities that you can easily implement this summer as you train yesterday’s campers to be today’s best counselors.

Speaker: Lonnie Sarnell, LCSW and TLC Family of Camps

What kind of leader do you want to be? What is your plan for performing at your best this summer? How are you developing leaders in your organization and what skills are you teaching them? The goal of this session is to help you answer these questions and create a road map for success in 2022. Drawing from Dr. Sarnell's work providing sport psychology services for elite athletes, this session will teach you concrete tools for attaining optimal performance. We will start with self-reflection, mindfulness, and goal-setting exercises, with a focus on personal development. Then, we'll consider how to create positive relationships as a mentor and dive into skills that you can teach your team to help them achieve leadership excellence.

Speaker: Aaron Proietti, Today’s Innovator

The topic of "customer experience" at camps quickly becomes muddied. Who is your customer? Is it the camper that experiences your programming or the parents that (often) pay the fees? This confusion can quickly be overcome by treating parents as your "customer" who purchases a "camper experience" for their child. When the parent experience is exceptional, your camper (and staff) retention rates should rise. In this session, we'll discuss the importance of creating a memorable and positive experience for the parents of the kids your camp serves. We'll share best practices in customer experience design, and we'll share some specific strategies you can use to elevate the experience for the parents you serve.

Speaker: Jeff Jubelirer, AMSkier

You just received that dreaded phone call - a former counselor was arrested, or the kids in the junior bunk all came down with a contagious virus, and the local forecast calls for severe flooding while camp is in session. Each scenario is unique, but they all share something in common: the need to communicate difficult news to one or more of your most important camp constituencies, e.g., parents, alumni, and the surrounding community. But what's the best way to share sensitive news? E-mail? Phone calls? A virtual Zoom meeting? Social media? Traditional media? All of the above? Through three realistic scenarios, learn from an experienced public relations specialist some best practices on not only how to share difficult news, but when to share it and what to say.

Speakers: Adam Baranker and Panel of Teens

What better way to learn about Gen-Z than right from the source? In this session, join Moderator, Adam Baranker, and 6 Gen-Zers who are ready to be grilled about what they want from a summer program and/or summer job! Learn more about how they like to engage with your camp's brand, the types of leadership that works for them, and overall what Gen-Z trends you should be adopting at your camp.