https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/learning-disabilities-campers
Learning Disabilities in CampersHow often do you see the following examples occur in campers? Kenny, a bright ten-year-old, focuses his attention on the counselor's directions during an activity. He appears attentive, but always...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/horses-wilderness-meeting-needs-youth-risk
Horses and the Wilderness: Meeting the Needs of Youth at RiskThe staff at Kamp Kessa, an adventure education and treatment program utilizing horses and the wilderness for youth who are considered at-risk and who have special needs in Frankfort, Kentucky, are...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/learning-live-fire-how-camps-can-adapt-new-normal
Learning to Live with Fire: How Camps Can Adapt to the New NormalIn August of 2018, the Donnell Fire started in Tuolumne County, California — eventually destroying some 60 square miles of forests before burning out on October 1 of that year. It was a stressful...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/behavior-management-steroids-how-turbocharge-reinforcements-consequences-change-kids-behavior
Behavior Management on Steroids: How to Turbocharge Reinforcements and Consequences to Change Kids’ BehaviorAll of your campers want to behave well. It’s just that some of them haven’t learned how to behave well, in certain ways. That’s where you come in.
https://www.acacamps.org/article/campline/emergency-planning-preparedness-summer-2021-key-lessons-takeaways-related-covid-19
Emergency Planning and Preparedness for Summer 2021 — Key Lessons and Takeaways Related to COVID-19Like many of you, I spent last summer monitoring social media for information about how the camps in my home state of Missouri were handling the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the social nature of camps —...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/armed-dangerous-fugitive-situations-near-camp
Armed and Dangerous: Fugitive Situations Near CampIn the summers of 2017 and 2018, the West Virginia 4-H camp program experienced multiple incidents where camps were locked down due to armed suspects in the area. In one incident, a man stole a truck...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/first-contact-end-contract
From First Contact to End of ContractWe know that staff can be a challenge to find, attract, hire, engage, and retain. What makes the staff journey result in forward progress from start to completion of their camp experience? Current...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/preventing-burnout-caring-your-staffs-mental-health-while-camp-session
Preventing Burnout: Caring for Your Staff’s Mental Health while Camp Is in SessionA camp job is hard work. Camp is so worth it, as evidenced by all the positive outcomes research has shown campers achieve. But that does not make the job any easier — especially for the teenagers...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/sankofa-value-meaningful-debrief-end-camp-season
Sankofa: The Value of Meaningful Debrief to End the Camp SeasonAnother camp season is complete. After working overtime to ensure that every session was special, enriching, and fun-filled, we camp professionals are finally able to exhale. We did it! The energy,...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/are-you-prepared-bear-if-not-how-will-you-respond-armed-intruder
Are You Prepared for a Bear? If Not, How Will You Respond to an Armed Intruder?Running a camp is challenging. Running a camp in the United States, where violent events occupy the 24-hour news cycle, is even more difficult. There are so many risks and expectations to manage....