Designing Environments for Authentic Character Growth

Learn More About Character

This collaborative workshop experience is a follow-up session from the Character as Time, Place, and Culture webinar. Participants will work in small teams to develop practical, implementable Character at Camp strategies, including: 

• Personal Growth Portfolios — Design reflection frameworks that help campers document their character development journey through meaningful artifacts, self-assessments, and goal-setting processes 

• Observation Protocols — Create structured yet flexible observation tools that capture authentic moments of character demonstration, moving beyond checklists to rich, contextual documentation 

• Narrative Progress Reports — Craft storytelling approaches to communicate camper growth that honor individual pathways while providing meaningful feedback to campers, families, and stakeholders 

• Peer Reflection Circles — Establish collaborative assessment processes where campers engage in meaningful dialogue about character growth with other campers and counselors. 

Why You Should Attend

Participants will develop narrative-based assessment strategies that honor individual character development journeys, shifting from standardized measurement to observation and reflection methods that capture authentic growth and the complex, nonlinear nature of character formation.

Stay Engaged

We look forward to seeing you at our live event on December 10, 2025! While you wait, check out these ACA resources to dive into key insights, explore the trends shaping today’s camp challenges, and get a head start on the conversation. 

ACA Character Grant Program 
ACA Character Academy 
Camping Magazine Article by Lance

Meet the Presenter

Lance W. Ozier, EdD
Lance has been on the faculty of The City University of New York since 2009, having also taught courses at Teachers College, Columbia University. Born and raised on a Georgia farm, he now lives in New York, and has taught and worked in Atlanta and NYC classrooms for over 20 years. Lance also spent 15 seasons in the Catskill Mountains at Morry’s Camp, and serves on the American Camp Association’s research advisory committee. 

Additional Details

Registration closes at 12:00 p.m. ET the day of the webinar. Please contact customer service at 800-428-2267 if you have any difficulties registering for this webinar. Webinar log-in information will be sent to registrants before the webinar, with a reminder sent the day before the webinar.