As we begin a new year, we find ourselves in a time of unprecedented transition — in the world around us and here at ACA. I want to personally thank Tom Rosenberg for his passion for ACA’s mission, his belief in the power of camp, and the countless hours he spent working to advance them both. I am humbled to have the privilege of taking on the role of interim president and CEO to support ACA through this transition.
As I step into this new leadership role, I am energized by the tremendous opportunities we have ahead. Though we stand in a moment in time when our communities can seem very far apart, we find common ground in the need to focus on supporting and preparing our children for the future as they continue to face many challenges. While approaches vary widely, we are unified in our recognition that collectively we must invest more to provide our children with a strong education and the critical social and emotional skills that will be required for them to achieve fulfillment and happiness.
Camp has always been at the center of this work, and we continue to benefit from an increased recognition of what an important partner camps can be to our families and communities. Camps have always provided the robust life skills that come from relationship building, experiential learning, time away from social media, and the guidance of strong role models.
We hope that you will consider helping us celebrate and advance this important work at our ACA National Conference in Dallas, Texas, February 18–21. Together we will celebrate how Camp Cultivates Character as we expand our networks, learn from leading experts, and advance the field of camp.
In addition to providing actionable insights on youth safety, leadership development, and business-leading practices, our hope is that this issue of Camping Magazine will provide a tempting glimpse of what to expect at our national conference. Enjoy interviews with Chris Moore and Rachel Rosen, both of whom will offer keynote addresses at the conference. Chris provides insights into experiential learning with a STEM emphasis through robotics, while Rachel demonstrates the power of games in building relationships.
At ACA, we are excited to support the long history of character development at camps through our Character at Camp initiative. Camps are the embodiment of philosopher Lao Tzu’s sentiment that words become actions, actions become habits, and habits become character. The Character Lab emphasizes that character is developed best when strengths are modeled, accomplishments are celebrated, and the environment enables traits such as creativity, curiosity, grit, and gratitude. That framework could easily stand in as a definition of the work we do at camp.
As you will see in this preview, our national conference will celebrate the many ways in which camp cultivates the character that will be critical to our future. In addition to our robust track of education, you will find many sessions that offer insights and practical skills on developing character. If you have not yet visited our Character Academy library of resources, I encourage you to do so as well.
Once again, I am thankful for this amazing opportunity to support all the critical work you do at camps across the country. I look forward to seeing many of you in February.
