Camp professionals do meaningful, high-impact work — but it isn’t stress-free. Between managing daily programs, ensuring camper safety, training staff, and securing funding, the responsibilities are constant, and the stakes are often high.

Over time, this pressure can lead to burnout, fatigue, and diminished job satisfaction, affecting not only staff well-being but also the camper experience itself.

That’s where creativity comes in. Research from the American Psychiatric Association shows that creative activities can help reduce stress and restore energy. Taking time to pause, reflect, and make something can be a powerful reset. For camp professionals navigating demanding roles, intentionally building creativity into their daily routine is a research-backed way to support well-being, strengthen resilience, and reconnect with the joy and purpose of the work.

That understanding is central to Trellis Press, the American Camp Association’s (ACA) new publishing partner. Creativity, in their view, isn’t just about making art — it’s a practical way to reflect on experiences, try new ideas, and build stronger connections with one another. That’s why the first two books Trellis Press produced for ACA members and camp professionals were journals designed with space for sketching, doodling, brainstorming, and personal reflection.

At the ACA National Conference, Trellis Press transformed a section of the on-site bookstore into a Creative Corner — a hands-on space filled with paper, markers, pens, and other art supplies to spark your creativity and allow time for reflection on all the experiences and learning moments at conference. Attendees used the space to experiment and create making bookmarks, doodling, and responding to daily prompts on the creative board.

In addition, Trellis Press launched a crowd-sourced book project focused on the question, “Why Camp?” Attendees created colorful submissions from card stock, markers, and whatever creative supplies were within reach —turning paper into mini masterpieces bursting with personality and perspective.

Want to be part of the crowd-sourced book? Grab a piece of paper, write your answer, and get creative with the materials you have lying around your house — markers, paint, collage scraps, old camp photos, stickers, fabric, even a little glitter if you’re feeling brave. There are no rules here except one: make it feel like you.

Then snap a photo of your creation and send it to [email protected].

Recharge the creative way!

Trellis Press, LLC is a boutique publisher specializing in educational materials, professional development titles, and distinctive works. For more information, visit trellispress.com.