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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/risk-management-supervising-young-supervisor
Risk Management: Supervising the Young SupervisorBecause frontline staff, such as cabin counselors or activity leaders, typically spend the most time directly with campers, most accidents involving campers occur under their care. Therefore, it is...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/brighter-futures-through-innovative-programming-2022-eleanor-eells-award-winners
Brighter Futures through Innovative Programming: The 2022 Eleanor Eells Award WinnersEach year, ACA’s Eleanor P. Eells Award for Program Excellence honors camps that embody the spirit of the award’s namesake through their efforts to provide exceptional programming that effectively...
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/campline/prepare-lifeguards-takeoff-your-camp-aquatics-program
Prepare Lifeguards for Takeoff at Your Camp Aquatics ProgramLast spring, I had lunch with an old high school friend of mine who had recently switched careers. After almost 30 years as a paramedic/firefighter, he had an opportunity to pursue his lifelong dream...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/changing-framework-abuse-prevention-training
Changing the Framework of Abuse-Prevention TrainingThis past summer was one of navigating “firsts.” For many camps, it was navigating a reopening in the middle of a pandemic. For others it was dealing with the challenges created by quarantines and...
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...