ACA Mid-Atlantic Camp Conference

Date

January 22-23, 2024

Location

Camp Horizons
3586 Horizons Way
Harrisonburg, VA 22802
logo for mid-Atlantic conference.

Cost

See Below

CECs

4.00

If you are still interested in registering please reach out directly to Kathryn- kschaefer@acacamps.org

Please join ACA, Virginias for an person conference! The ACA Mid-Atlantic Conference at Camp Horizons. This event will be filled with a variety of educational sessions. Enjoy a time of networking and professional development and camp tour at the Mid-Atlantic Camp Conference.

Call for Proposals
The Conference Program Committees are accepting proposals for innovative and dynamic sessions that help to support the conference mission: create a community of camp professionals to educate, inspire and prepare them to provide a high-quality camp experience for their staff and campers. Submissions are closed.

 

If you are still interested in registering please reach out directly to Kathryn-kschaefer@acacamps.org

Not an ACA Member? Join today for FREE and get the best rates for this event!

1st person registration includes- 3 meals and group lodging. If you would like your own room, please reach out (additional cost $100.00). - LODGING IS FULL

Commuter Registration- Includes 1 meal ( Tuesday Lunch). 

Early Bird Registration ends December 15, 2023!   

Type Early-Bird Regular
1st Person Member $145 $170
1st Person Nonmember $155 $180
Commuter Member (Full Conference) $75 $85
Commuter Nonmember   Full Conference) $85 $95
Commuter Member (Tuesday Only) $65 $65
Commuter Nonmember (Full Conference) $75 $75

Carolyn Schuyler

Carolyn Schuyler is a psychotherapist and the founder and the first Executive Director of Wildrock (www.wildrock.org), a nonprofit Nature Playscape and Discovery Center offering day camps throughout the community to promote mental health through nature play. She currently serves as a Visiting Scholar at the University of Virginia and is the founding Co-Director of an emerging non-profit, Nature Connection Lab, with the mission to promote human and planetary health through nature connection education, innovation, and community collaboration.  She is passionate about cultivating communities of care through shared experience in nature to promote mental health and a conservation ethic.

Nature as Co-Counselor:  Practical Applications of the Science and Practice of Nature Connection for Camper and Staff Well-Being

Camps have a powerful role to play in addressing the current youth mental health crisis, but so many of us feel unsure how to best prepare our staff to meet mental health needs.  Our beautiful camp green spaces, no matter how small or whether they are urban or rural, can help us in vital ways if we understand them as more than a backdrop to camp life. We can become intentional about bringing nature front and center to help build a sense of community belonging, to relieve stress, and to promote camper and staff well-being.  This session provides specific, easily replicated approaches for reimagining your camp green space as a mental health resource. We will explore key concepts, the science behind them, and their practical applications in a broad range of settings. Participants will leave prepared to move towards camp wellness goals in new and creative ways.

January 22 & 23, 2024

Check out the Full conference schedule with session details and bios!

Monday:                                                                                                     

  • 1:00-2:00: Check-in
  • 2:00-3:00: Welcome & Icebreakers
  • 3:15-4:15: Session 1
  • 4:30-5:30: Session 2
  • 6:00: Dinner (overnight folks only)
  • 7:00:  Evening Social

Tuesday:                                                                                                       

  • 8:00-8:30: Breakfast (overnight folks only)
  • 8:30-9:30: Commuter Check-In
  • 9:00-9:30: Optional Roundtable Discussion
  • 9:45-10:45: Welcome & Opening Keynote
  • 11:00-12:00: Session 3
  • 12:00-12:45: Lunch & Announcements
  • 1:00-2:00: Session 4
  • 2:15-3:15: Session 5
  • 3:30-4:00: Closing

For questions regarding sponsorship opportunities, contact Kim Fitzgerald.

Our conference will take place at Camp Horizons, in Harrisonburg, VA.

Camp Horizons

For those staying onsite check out some of the group lodging spaces.

Lodging Spaces

 

Thanks to our sponsors!

UltraCamp logo
Fun Join logo
General Mills logo
RRS Foodservice logo

Event Sponsorship Opportunities

Sponsoring an ACA event will extend your brand identity and marketing capabilities.  For questions regarding sponsorship opportunities, contact Kim Fitzgerald.