|
 Friends:
I hope that
your summer experience was one full of
campers growing in relational skills, physical
ability, and awe about the universe around
us. We constructed
an observatory platform at camp this summer and had a great time with campers.
Not only did we use the telescopes, but we would lie on our backs, taking in
the blanket of stars and planets above us (with moments of learning as airplanes
and satellites moved overhead). At the end of the summer, it
was fun to sit with a group of staff as they realized that over the course
of their time with us the days had grown shorter (moving from June 21 to August
22).
These growing
moments are what inspire us to share our
skills at camp, whether it is our desire
to be part of a close community or to share/celebrate
the skills development of others or to
help campers grow in awareness of place
in the larger world. ACA
has helped us see that the more we can describe our expected contributions to
this development, the more effective we will be at accomplishing goals and making
changes. At the end of each summer, I find myself evaluating our program
and reviewing our goals, objectives, and activities. And then, together
with staff, I adjust our goal statements to strengthen our weak points.
Most of
us have been reminded that our summer staff
are at the tail end of adolescence (that
time of learning and testing). We do wonderful training and work
leading campers, and we marvel as we watch them grow. As I have been
chatting with camp leaders across the country this summer I have been hearing
stories of great staff teams. Many of the staff communities from this past
summer moved past making individual contributions to campers to a place where
they became teams cooperating, celebrating, and producing a greater benefit to
all campers in their care. Another developmental goal we seek and celebrate
when it occurs.
As we move
beyond the busy summer season, we have
a chance to send our summer staff off to
other pursuits, and we can take time to
begin recruiting and planning for next
summer. We have a wonderful chance
to recalibrate our goals, make staffing
changes, and adjust the directions of our
programs.
I hope that
you take a moment to lift your eyes from
your crucial work and see how you make
such an important contribution to camper
development. Each of us are challenged
by ACA’s 20/20 Vision, which includes
no fewer than 20 million children going
to camp annually with the ACA camp community
directly impacting the lives of those 20
million children by the year 2020.
Camp is the best experience to
help campers make key developmental steps,
and we need to strengthen our partnerships
to share this message. ACA
is adjusting to be more effective—we have a plan for greater public involvement
on the ACA National Board, and we are beginning discussions about the most effective
use of the Council of Delegates.
As you enter
your fall/winter cycle, observe how your
local office and ACA are working together
to meet the challenges presented by the
20/20 Vision. New ideas are going
to be important as we build wider communities
sharing the message about the value of
camp experiences. Your local office
meetings, the Education Leadership Training
event, the national board meeting and the
Fall Field Service Meeting will be important
tools during this transition.
Change is
not always easy (we grow comfortable expecting
that next summer will be like last summer’s experience). But
if we are helping children and communities
develop, we need to lead change into new
ways of living and being.
Onward Ever,
Peter Surgenor
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