Day Camp Convention

Call for proposals now open! 

We are seeking speakers with great day camp content to present at the 2026 Day Camp Convention. To submit a session proposal, please complete the form linked below. 

Proposals will be accepted through October 14. 

Submit a Proposal

Register Now

*Early-Bird rates through November 2. 

Lisa Drennan is the founder of MERGE Inclusion Consulting and brings more than 40 years of experience supporting people with disabilities in camp, recreation and community settings. A former YMCA Associate Director of Inclusion, Lisa let organization-wide disability inclusion efforts and helped strengthen inclusive practices across day camps and other youth programs. Today she works with camps and recreation organizations nationwide to create practical pathways to participation and belonging for campers of all abilities. Lisa serves on the ACA New England boardand is a contributing team member to the Day Camp Community, providing guidance, training and support to day camp professionals. 

Belonging is the Goal: Making Disability Inclusion Possible in Today's Day Camps. 

In this engaging and practical keynote, Lisa challenges participants to move beyond simply providing access and toward creating a culture of inclusion and belonging for everyone. Through stories, reflection, practical frameworks, and lessons learned from camps and recreation communities across the country, participants will explore how mindset, expectations, environment, staff practices, and opportunities for participation can either create-- or unintentionally limit --belonging. 

Designed for the full range of day camp settings and stages of inclusion journey, this session recognizes the realities facing today's camps, including increasingly diverse camper needs, neurodiversity, disability, behaviors that challenge us, staffing limitations, and the pressure to meet the needs of the entire camp community. 

Rather than offer a one-size fits all model, Lisa will demonstrate that inclusion is possible at every camp-- and it does not require having all the answers. Participants will leave with a shared framework for thinking about inclusion, practical strategies they can begin applying immediately, and a renewed understanding of the role every member of the camp community plays in creating belonging. 

*Note: all times are in Eastern Standard Time.

December 2: 

• 11:30 a.m. – 12:40 p.m. — Welcome & Keynote
• 12:50 p.m. – 1:40 p.m. — Education Session
• 1:50 p.m. – 2:40 p.m. — Education Session
• 2:50 p.m. – 3:40 p.m. — Education Session
• 3:50 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. — Collab Hub

December 3:

• 11:30 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. — Collab Hub
• 12:20 p.m. – 1:10 p.m. — Education Session
• 1:20 p.m. – 2:10 p.m. — Education Session
• 2:20 p.m. – 3:10 p.m. — Education Session
• 3:20 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. — Keynote & Closing

There is only space for one sponsor on a first-come, first-served basis.
The cost is $3,000 member / $5,000 non-member

Benefits include:
•    Verbal recognition from the host
•    Company contact information slide shown at the beginning and at the end of the event
•    Logo on event confirmation
•    Logo on event reminder
•    Logo on event update emails to attendees with a high-visibility banner (only one sponsor will be alternated for this spot)
•    Logo on event landing page
•    One educational session
•    Two minutes to address attendees at the opening of the event
•    One educational blog to be shared in an issue of ACA Now of your choosing.  Sent to 19,000+ emails
Please email Kim Fitzgerald or call 765-349-3309 if you are interested.

If you’re new to ACA and have not previously been a member, we’re excited to offer you a complimentary one-year membership—along with access to discounted registration rates. Getting started is easy: simply click the link below and sign up. Once your membership is active, the system will recognize your status and allow you to register at the member rate.

Free Membership