Human Resources

Kevin Kevin was nine years old when his parents sent him to summer camp in Minnesota. He was overweight, not athletic, not very confident — and more than anything, not wanting to...

Introduction A call recently came into the American Camp Association (ACA) Crisis Hotline from a member camp: Three adults attended a family camp and brought medical marijuana with...

Raymond (not his real name) is an experienced camp director on the East Coast. When it comes to interviewing staff, Raymond feels especially confident about his ability to "sniff...

It takes a great staff to make a great camp. Jack Weiner once said: "With the right counselors, camp could be held in a parking lot." When one looks at all of the possible aspects...

Recruiting, interviewing, and hiring staff is the most important part of your job as a camp director. It is the single most time-consuming and, at times, tedious task you will...

Risk management in the camp profession often means rigorous tests of equipment, detailed training for staff, and preventative measures to eliminate risk. Yet, we often fail to take...

By this point in the year, you've processed your staff evaluations, and you've been thinking about those difficult decisions: "Should I hire her back?" or "This person just didn't...

Like many camp directors — and other educators for that matter — I am frequently thrust into the unenviable role of disciplinarian. And, frankly, I don't feel that I'm very good at...

It's a bright, sunny, warm day and you and your friends have the next twenty-four hours off. Not far from camp, about an hour away, is a remote yet popular swimming area where you...

Designed for seasoned program staff in camps, afterschool, summer enrichment programs, or other community-based youth settings, this certificate provides an opportunity to build on...