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Below is a preliminary schedule of events for the conference.
Educational Session Schedule
This will be updated regularly... check back often!
Monday, September 25
9:30 am – 2:30 pm Board Meeting
9:00 am - 3:00 pm Standards Course (pre-registration required, no cost, lunch on your own)
Noon – 5:00 pm Conference Registration
1:45 pm - 3:00 pm Educational Sessions
3:15 pm - 3:45 pm Newcomers "Get to Know You"
4:00 pm – 5:45 pm Opening Keynote/General Session/Awards
6:15 pm – 9:00 pm Night at the Discovery Place
9:30 - 10:30 pm Accreditation Visitor Reception
Tuesday, September 26
7:30 - 8:30 am Coffee Cart in the Foyer
8:00 am Conference Registration
8:45am – 10:00 am Educational sessions
10:30 am – 11:45 am Educational sessions
Noon - 6:00 pm Exhibit Hall
Lunch on your own
2:00 pm - 3:15 pm
Educational Sessions
4:00 pm - 5:15 pm Educational Sessions
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm “Cocktails” and Conversation in Exhibit Hall
5:45 pm Final drawing in the Exhibit Hall
Dinner on your own (join up with a group!)
7:45 pm - 9:30 pm
Auction//Dessert Reception
(you won’t want to miss this!)
9:30 pm CAMPFIRE and Songs!
Wednesday, September 27
8:00 - 9:15 am Breakfast and Membership Meeting
9:30 am - 10:45 am
Educational Sessions
11:00 am - 12:00 noon Closing and Keynote Speaker
Current list of presenters and topics
(In alphabetical order according to title)
And The Survey Says… - Deb Bialeschki (American Camp Association)
Come to this session to learn about some of the cutting edge research conducted by ACA and how the information can help YOU and YOUR CAMP! We will briefly talk about the Enrollment survey, the Financial/Budget survey, the Program Improvement Project (PIP), and the Healthy Camps study. Sneak previews will be shared on the upcoming Salary study, the Camp Outcomes Measurement tools, and this year’s Enrollment survey. Participants will leave with a handy resource sheet that summarizes how the projects can help Directors and provides links to additional informational.
Archery at Camp – Christine Zink, Doug Engh (National Alliance for the Development of Archery)
How to be trained as a certified archery instructor, how to start or expand your camp archery program, and how to choose and maintain proper equipment.
Art for All Ages – Judy Short (Discount School Supply)
This fun Art Workshop introduces creative new art materials, including
BioColor, Foam Paint, Air Dry Putty, Liquid Watercolor and other unique paints & collage materials. Includes a group discussion on “How the Arts Help Children Grow,” an instructor demo of exciting new art materials and time for you to experiment on your own. Whether you’re an Art Specialist or “artistically challenged”, you’ll have fun, get inspired, and take home lots of new ideas.
Camp Staff as Adult Learners – Linda Oakleaf (Carolina Kids Camp)
What you need to know to be more effective teachers. This session will discuss theories about adult learning and how camp administrators can use those theories to make staff training more effective.
Certification Standards for Challenge Course Facilitiators – Sandy Kohn (Venture Program, University of North Carolina Charlotte)
The Association for Challenge Course Technologies is developing a system of certification standards for challenge course practitioners. How will this affect summer camps? This workshop will share the current status of the proposed certification program and suggest ways camps might begin to prepare for the eventual establishment of these standards.
Challenge Courses in Camps - Kenneth Jacquot (Challenge Towers)
A look at current challenge course technology and program facilitation needs in camps. Understand the type of challenge courses available, developing effective policies and procedures for your program, hiring staff appropriate for their roles on the course and making sure the training for your staff is appropriate for your course and their role on your course. This information should help with your current challenge course program or if you are looking at purchasing a course in what is available and how this may impact your program outcomes and staff and training needs. This is intended for any program with a challenge course or is thinking about building one.
“CIT” ing with the Future of Camp – Stephen Maguire (Maguire Presentations)
Building an effective C.I.T. program from the ground up. Participants will learn how to build a strong CIT tradition and how to identify future leaders among campers. How to choose a strong CIT leader, evaluation, group dynamics, and a “whole summer” approach will be emphasized.
Evaluation 101 – Karla Henderson (North Carolina State University)
Focus will be on providing an evaluation primer for camp staff members to use in evaluating camp programs and camper outcomes. Discussion on measurable goals, data collection methods, developing surveys, and writing an evaluation plan. Examples of evaluation tools included.
Exploring Prejudice and Creating Safe Spaces – Jessica Andrews (Georgia Teen Institute)
At a young age most people learn how to recognize differences more quickly than similarities, and how to dislike others who are not like us. This session will include activities and discussions exploring cultural diversity and prejudices in a safe environment in order to learn how to create safe spaces in your programs or organizations. Bring an open mind, as we will discuss critical diversity issues such as racism, heterosexism and sexism.
Girls on the Run – Molly Barker (Founder and Vision Keeper for Girls on the Run)
Molly Barker, Founder and Vision Keeper will provide a Girls on the Run "mini-training". Girls on the Run International started in Charlotte , NC just ten years ago and is now engaging girls in over 130 cities throughout North America . Participants will explore the principles and philosophies of this innovative and experiential program and learn how to get all the FUN and LIFE LESSONS, up and "running" at your camp!
Go Tech-Know - Dr. Christopher Thurber
Every camp needs an electronics technology policy that is in accord with its mission, vision, and values, but few have one. What place, if any, do personal music players, computers, or cell phones have at camp? What guidelines around the use of digital photographs keep camps out of hot water? In this enlightening and entertaining workshop, Chris will guide participants in the creation or refinement of their camp's electronics technology policy. Can you cut the “Digital Umbilical”?
Harness Safety & Inspection – Richard Powell (Extreme Engineering)
Hands on how to inspect a harness and what harness you need for what job.
Has MySpace Invaded Your Camp? – Andi York (Keyauwee Program Center)
MySpace...The Facebook...Xanga...Friendster...LiveJournal...Have you heard the buzz about these social networking and "blogging" websites but have no clue about what they are or how they’re being used to portray your camp or its staff? Learn about how these websites actually work and why our staff members (and campers) love them so much. We will also have discussion about the issues our camps face as our staff members post photos, journals, and messages in these public forums, which may or nay not be “camper appropriate”. We’ll offer ideas and suggestions for discussing this issue with staff and hopefully remove some of the mystery from these new technologies.
High Speed and Public - Dr. Christopher Thurber
The Internet is public space that is here to stay, which means that camps are faced with three core conflicts: (1) freedom of expression vs responsible use; (2) representation of the camp vs. behavior in an unregulated setting; and (3) healthy socializing vs. unhealthy isolation from responsible adults. In this engaging workshop, Chris will facilitate an exploration of the newest way your staff and campers communicate. Essential, up-to-date information that puts you in the best possible position to protect your camp, your staff, and your campers.
Homesickness Prevention - Dr. Christopher Thurber
Parents who promise "If you feel homesick, I'll come get you" have sabotaged their child's camp stay and cut you off at the knees. Learn how careful planning and new camper family education prevents pick-ups, eases parental anxiety, and sets children up for success before opening day. Effective homesickness prevention programs can decrease homesickness intensity in first-year campers by 50% or more! Take your homesickness management program to a new level.
Humor Therapy – David Mann (Victory Junction Gang Camp)
Presentation of humor theories, history, styles, and laughter clubs. Session will explore mental, physical, social aspects of laughter.
“I Know I Offer A Quality Program… Or Do I?” - Deb Bialeschki (American Camp Association)
Come to this session to hear what has been learned by other Directors involved in a national Program Improvement Project (PIP). This session will provide you with perspectives from campers and directors about the ways camps provide youth development environments for relationships, safety, youth involvement, and skill-building. The focus will be on how you can initiate your own process to improve the quality of your camp program. Each participant will receive guidelines for a step-by-step process that focuses on intentional approaches to gathering information from your campers and staff, the organizational practices that must be considered, and examples of “strategies that worked” in the PIP study. This session is intended to be interactive so come prepared to participate!
Including the Special Needs Camper – Linda Tatsapaugh (Talisman Camps)
With more children being diagnosed with a variety of disorders, camps are being asked to decide what are their limits and who they can accommodate. How do camps weigh the desire to serve all children with their need to provide a certain level of programming for the typical campers? How much accommodation is too much? Experienced director in both traditional and special needs camps leads discussion and offers suggestions and insights.
The Internet - use it to Engage Your Parent and Keep Your Camp Full – Ed Metzendorf (Bunk1.com)
Maximize your Website’s potential to keep parental focus throughout the year with the latest, greatest (and potentially free) technologies! This session will look at steps you can retrain and recruit campers, increase your online exposure, engage camp parents, and add $$$ to your bottom line. Special emphasis will be placed on Online Registration and Camp Management.
Project Learning Tree – Mark Case (Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches)
Brief overview of the Project Learning Tree activities. How does PLT fit into the camping program? How can you market the camp program to new groups by using PLT and other environmental education programs.?
Relaying Risk Management Concepts to Staff – Gwynn Powell and Crista Myers (University of Georgia)
You may understand the basics of risk management, but do your staff members? Join us for experienctial techniques of conveying the importance of this topic to your seasonal staff. Simulations, role plays, surprising facts, panels, and more…..
Scat and Other Natural Wonders – Michell Martin (Clemson University Department of English)
An interactive approach to outdoor environmental education that combines music, puppetry, poetry, children’s literature, sign language, and movement to get kids and adults alike singing, signing, dancing and learning! This session will feature interactive activities and several of Michelle’s original songs that participants will be able to plug into all sorts of programs for the young and the young-at-heart.
Show Me the Resources for My Camp – LaVerne Proctor-Streeter (JLJ Resources, Inc.)
Finding and obtaining the resources for camp can be a challenge. A fun and interactive session designed to help identify local, state, federal, private, and corporate funding resources. Partnering and Collaborating to share resources will be discussed.
Sing, Dance, and Play - Scott Arizala (The Camp Counselor)
In this rowdy session we will learn the fundamentals of good camp leadership. We will unlearn the myths surrounding leadership and ‘who’ it is bestowed onto, while we learn the process of making ourselves better leaders. We will uncover ways to teach and lead camp programs most effectively as well as the most effective ways to communicate the specific policies and procedures that govern camper supervision and management. We will spend some time specifically on creativity and what we can do to instantly become more creative people. Finally, we will learn several easy-to-remember techniques on how to present and facilitate the most exciting activities.
Staff’s “Mid-Summer Slump” – Stephen Maguire (Maguire Presentations)
It’s a marathon not a spring: Methods for successfully approaching the camps staff’s mid-summer slump. Even the best summer camp staffs can hit a mid-summer slump. With families expecting the best at all times, no camp can afford this slump. Participants will learn about unique ways to keep the staff at their best as well as keeping campers safe and having fun for the duration of the whole summer.
Taking a U-Turn on How We Think about Interns at Camp - Kat Shreve (American Camp Association)
No doubt many of us have been approached by a potential staff member with a request for his/her summer experience be part of an academic credit process for his/her college. How do we host this student in the camp environment and have both sides prosper from the experience? How can I use my ability to work with interns as a recruitment tool? We will look at several approaches to the process, have some time for question and answering, and share our own experiences.
Teaching Counselors What Works – Scott Arizala (The Camp Counselor)
Based on the training seasons of 2005 and 2006, find out Scott’s Top Ten teachable counseling skills. These are the most useful and easy to remember techniques that all great counselors should know. Hear it straight from the counselors themselves as they share stories of what worked. Finally, learn how these skills can be role modeled by YOU all summer long… become the counselor for the counselors.
Tell Me More about the Revisted Standards - Kim Brosnan (ACA National)
Get an overview of the newly revised accreditation standards, find out how and when the newly revised standards will affect your camp, and take the opportunity to meet and ask questions of the ACA Accreditation Programs Manager.
Unmasking Your Super Powers – Thomas Dismukes (Stories That Tell)
Thomas Dismukes, Motivational Storyteller, reveals the super powers that are essential for any organization and individual’s success. Come laugh and learn from Thomas’s camp and world adventures as we discover the Super Powers we all possess to make the things we do more successful, more meaningful and a lot more fun! www.StoriesThatTell.com
Volunteer Screening - Now You Can Access Inexpensive Background Checks From the FBI! -Susan Yoder (American Camp Association)
In 2003, the US Congress passed the “Protect Act” which is a multifaceted law that focuses on the prevention of the exploitation of children. Included in the Act was a pilot program to test out a number of different mechanisms to allow organizations that serve children to have access to timely, inexpensive FBI criminal background checks. The American Camp Association was accepted as a partner in the program in July 2006. This session will present the details of the program and give you the opportunity to sign up to receive $18 FBI fingerprint checks for camp volunteers.
You, ACA and the Future - Peg Smith (CEO, American Camp Association)
Discuss the future of ACA…how the association will serve the needs of its members, camps, the public in the future. Take this opportunity to share your thoughts of camp and ACA with Peg Smith, American Camp Association CEO.
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