https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/dont-let-your-camp-go-pot-impacts-policy-challenges-legalized-marijuana-youth-camps
Don't Let Your Camp Go to Pot: Impacts and Policy Challenges of Legalized Marijuana on Youth CampsMarijuana is now legal for recreational use in seven states (Alaska, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington) and Washington, DC. It is still a federal offense to possess...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/yes-only-means-yes-until-something-better-comes-along-making-camp-best-offer-gen-z-staff
Yes Only Means Yes Until Something Better Comes Along: Making Camp the Best Offer for Gen Z StaffStaff sign a contract, then inform you the week before camp begins that they won’t be coming after all. Or staff commit to working the entire season only to tell (not ask!) you they are leaving for...
https://www.acacamps.org/blog/national-conference-takeaways-practitioners-researchers-everyone-between
National Conference Takeaways for Practitioners, Researchers, and Everyone in BetweenIn the latest Research 360 blog post, ACA Research Assistant Victoria Povilaitis shares highlights from several research sessions that were held at the ACA National Conference
https://www.acacamps.org/blog/planning-mental-emotional-social-health-mesh-summer
Planning for Mental, Emotional, and Social Health (MESH) This SummerThe smiling faces and laughter heard across camps each summer result from days, weeks, and months of planning. We spend considerable time meticulously planning our themes, activities, equipment, food...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/meeting-minds-camp-directors-higher-ed-college-students
A Meeting of the Minds: Camp Directors, Higher Ed, and College StudentsCamps need staff to run their programs; colleges/universities have various requirements for students regarding coursework and internships; and students are usually pulled between what they want to do...
https://www.acacamps.org/blog/why-every-camp-should-be-teaching-practicing-meditation-campers
Why Every Camp Should Be Teaching and Practicing Meditation with CampersThe wonder of a child — it’s something we strive for in adulthood. Imagination, amazement, and the simple appreciation for life’s little treasures: the gold spray of sunlight through a window, or the...
https://www.acacamps.org/blog/why-camps-after-school-programs-should-work-together-hire-staff
Why Camps and After-school Programs Should Work Together to Hire StaffI am a camp guy. I spent 10 summers growing up at various overnight camps as a camper, counselor, dishwasher, and unit head. As ACA research has shown, these experiences provided me with some of my...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/become-trauma-informed-add-capacity-your-mesh-toolbox
Become Trauma-Informed: Add Capacity to Your MESH ToolboxDid you know that two out of every three adults have experienced at least one adverse childhood event (ACE) by the time they reach 18 years of age? In addition, one in eight adults reports...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/campline/allergies-camp-whats-camp-director-do
Allergies at Camp — What's a Camp Director to Do?According to a study released in 2013 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, food allergies among children increased approximately 50 percent between 1997 and 20111. And, many of these...
https://www.acacamps.org/blog/how-get-kids-calm-down
How to Get Kids to Calm DownWorking closely and networking with other camp professionals is one of the best tools for growing our own camp programs. I am fortunate to have a dear friend, Audrey Monke, who is the owner/director...