Tri-State

The "Unknown Known" Magic of the Campfire: The Serious Work of Making Fun
2026-03-12 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Room 309
We all know that getting camp culture right is one of the critical factors that lead to lasting success or closing our gates. Too often, we rely on what we’ve always done or chase after the newest trend without ever looking at what research actually tells us. We know what we’re doing even if we struggle to articulate what we know, but frankly, we don’t have time for academics. However, there are scholars—some with camp backgrounds—who take camp culture seriously. They test what we assume, study what we don’t fully understand, and uncover insights we might never see on our own. Their work often lies hidden in academic journals, but it has practical lessons that can strengthen and evolve our programs. This session introduces scholars whose research sheds light on camp culture. Participants will leave with clear, usable takeaways to get camp culture right.

Health Center Staffing: Diversity in Roles and Needs
2026-03-12 09:00 - 10:00 | Room 421
Camps have diverse profiles, locations, and operations. This means that there is no one particular health service model that works for everyone. This session will discuss the many variables that impact the decision of camp leadership on how to most effectively and safely staff health services.

Helping Camp Parents Thrive: Supporting their Campers, Setting Expectations, and Letting Go
2026-03-12 09:00 - 10:00 | Room 302
As summer camps increasingly serve as crucial developmental experiences for children, parents are navigating more complex emotions around separation, trust, and control. This session, led by a Psychotherapist, Camp Wellness Advisor, and former Camp Director, will explore how camps can play an active role in supporting not just campers, but their parents as well.
Participants will learn how to communicate with families in a way that validates their concerns while reinforcing boundaries that protect the camper experience. We’ll discuss strategies to help parents prepare for the emotional transition of camp drop-off, manage their need for control, and avoid over-involvement that may undermine their child’s independence. The session will also address why more communication, updates, or access isn’t always better-and how to help parents understand and respect this.

CIT Program Development = Strong Future Leadership
2026-03-12 09:00 - 10:00 | Room 308
We all know and have experienced the staffing challenge. Each year, we look for a new and creative solution to add to our hiring strategies. and camps mustn’t overlook the importance of building and maintaining a strong CIT Program. Your best staff is there, in camp, in the making. Camps need to ensure their CIT Program is effective and producing future staff. Most importantly, the CIT participants need to experience and feel their summer experience is one of professional and personal growth, and that being a camp counselor is an important step into their future endeavors. Come ready to evaluate, share, and build your CIT program. You will walk away with a clearer direction and incentive to spend time evaluating and building this essential feeder program.

We Get to Do This: Increasing Retention through Staff Engagement
2026-03-12 09:00 - 10:00 | Room 402
When the day starts, does your staff think “I have to go to work” or “I get to go to work”? Getting to go to work means our staff members understand the purpose of their jobs, they feel appreciated, and they have fun! This highly interactive session includes a mix of thought-provoking discussion as well as dynamic activities to encourage camp leaders to increase the engagement level of the staff they lead as a key tool to help increase staff retention.

Growing a Camper and Staff MESH Program - A Case Study
2026-03-12 09:00 - 10:00 | Room 313
This roundtable chat will explore one camp’s progression of MESH (Mental, Emotional, Social Health) support for staff and campers. From sporadic virtual consulting to the development of an on-site MESH department, Frost Valley YMCA has continued to invest in the well-being of its stakeholders and has seen the benefits. You’ll hear from Frost Valley’s mental health consultant, who has been working with the camp since the inception of the program, as well as its new on-site MESH Director. You’ll also hear insights from members of the Frost Valley director team, who can share about some of the successes and setbacks faced over the years. They’ll share about prioritizing MESH in the budget, thoughts on creating and implementing intentional policies, and more! Camp leaders who are considering making an investment in the mental, emotional, and social well-being of their campers and staff can’t miss this! Folks who have created MESH programs and roles are encouraged to come share their stories and experiences.

Authenticity Wins: Actionable Social Media Strategies to Grow Your Camp Community
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 310
Aaron Bloomfield, founder of Summer Camp Connect, the worlds largest online summer camp community, has generated over 70 million views across social media in the camp industry. In this session, he shares proven strategies for leveraging genuine, story-driven content to strengthen camp culture, engage alumni, and attract new families. Drawing from direct feedback from thousands of campers, counselors, alumni, and directors, Aaron reveals how authentic storytelling and community-centered content can bridge generations, showcase camp traditions, and spread the magic of camp year-round.
Most importantly, attendees will walk away with actionable strategies they can implement immediately without big budgets, marketing degrees, or complex tools required. Learn how to turn summer 2026 into a marketing engine, driving year-round connection, stronger communities, higher enrollment, and more effective staff recruitment.

Right Fit, Right Now: Mastering Camp Hiring
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 421
Great camps start with great people, but how do we find them? This session explores effective hiring practices that go beyond resumes and reference checks. Learn how to design a hiring process that identifies not just skill sets, but character, cultural fit, and potential.
We’ll look at strategies for spotting teachability, evaluating buy-in, and recognizing leadership capacity, even in candidates who may not check every traditional box. Whether you’re hiring summer staff or year-round team members, this workshop will equip you with tools to build a values-aligned team that’s committed, coachable, and ready to grow.
Come ready to rethink your approach to hiring, ask hard questions, and walk away with practical tools you can use to strengthen your team, one great hire at a time.

When People Get Mad: Supporting Big Feelings (Youth & Adults)
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 301
From campers to coworkers to parents, people get mad. This session equips you with de-escalation tools rooted in care and dignity. Learn how to regulate escalated moments, repair harm, and respond to conflict in ways that strengthen relationships instead of straining them.

The Parent Perspective: Understanding Families' Summer Choices in 2026
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 304
Every summer, parents face a growing menu of choices for their kids, including travel sports and specialty programs to traditional day and overnight camps. In this data-driven, story-filled session, Dan unpacks what families are signing up for, what influences those choices, and what this means for camps looking to stay relevant. We’ll explore the role of cost, convenience, safety, reputation, and location in a parent’s decision-making process. We’ll uncover opportunities for camps to better connect with today’s families.

Nurturing Healthy Competition in a High-Pressure World
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 303
Campers love competition, but justifying ferocious competition by saying, “Hey, it’s a competitive world out there!” ignores the critical differences between healthy and harmful competition. Even worse, most young people will arrive at camp feeling excessive pressure to succeed. Participants in this inspiring workshop will learn the keys to upending harmful competition and external pressures by using healthy approaches that not only boost campers’ mental health, they also improve performance!

From Chaos to Culture: Radical Candor and the Rebuild Year Ahead
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 315
Even the strongest camp cultures need moments of repair and renewal. Drawing on Radical Candor by Kim Scott and more than 15 years of experience leading an overnight camp, Executive Director Jacqueline McDonough explores how honesty, empathy, and accountability can transform leadership communication. Entering 2026 as a rebuild year, Jacqueline shares how she’s using radical candor to repair trust, strengthen staff culture, and model transparent leadership. Participants will leave with practical communication tools, feedback frameworks, and strategies for sustaining trust and morale in the seasons ahead.

Responses to Staff Sexual Misconduct: Punitive, Restorative, and Advocacy Approaches
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 314
When sexual harassment or assault occurs in our communities, camp leadership holds two distinct, and sometimes conflicting, responsibilities: supporting the staff member who was harmed and maintaining community safety going forward. Teaching camp directors how to use trauma-informed approaches that empower and center the needs of staff who experience harm, while also fulfilling their leadership responsibilities, is essential. As a camp consultant who has helped camp leadership teams through many challenging processes around sexual assault, Elissa Asch will share various best-practice approaches to supporting survivors, repairing harm, and moving forward as a community.

From Obstacles to Opportunity: How Great Leaders Turn Setbacks into Strength
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 313
Every day at camp brings the unexpected: storms, staffing shifts, homesickness, or last-minute parent concerns. These obstacles can feel overwhelming, but how leaders respond doesn’t just keep camp running smoothly; it models resilience and mindset skills for the next generation. In this engaging session, resilience strategist Erin Mark shares her story of overcoming impossible odds while living with a terminal illness.
That journey from “training to die” to “training to live” shapes her message about urgency, reinvention, and mindset shifts that fuel resilience. Through humor, story, and practical tools, Erin equips camp professionals to reframe setbacks, turn obstacles into opportunities, and strengthen their own leadership. Attendees will leave inspired and ready to thrive through challenges both at camp and beyond!

Fuel the Fun: Nut-Aware, Kid-Approved Choices
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 308
A practical playbook for camp snack service. We’ll cover nut-aware systems, clear labeling, pars and rotation, and how to keep kid-loved options ready—house granola bars and always-available colorful apples and bananas—alongside higher-protein and some extra special staff snacks. Leave with simple checklists, a weekly rotation, and a printable granola-bar recipe.

Supporting Younger Kids at Sleepaway Camp: Scaffolds for Success
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 415
Younger campers are excited, but often overwhelmed. They’re still developing the Executive Functioning skills needed for independence: transitioning, organizing, and regulating emotions. Without the right support, small struggles can spiral into homesickness or behavior issues. This session shows how to build EF-informed routines that help younger campers thrive-boosting retention, staff satisfaction, and family trust.

Blurred Lines, Big Responsibilities: Empowering CITs and Under-18 Staff in Child Abuse Prevention
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 316
Explore strategies for delivering child and peer abuse prevention training to counselors-in-training (CITs) and staff under 18. Learn how to address their unique roles, clarify boundaries, and equip them with practical tools that help them prevent incidents and respond appropriately to foster a safer camp community.

Current Challenges and Solutions for Aquatics Directors: A Panel Discussion
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 322
Aquatics Directors are navigating an increasingly complex landscape—staffing shortages, evolving safety standards, rising participant expectations, and the need for inclusive programming are just a few of the pressing issues. This panel discussion brings together experienced aquatics leaders from a variety of camp settings to share insights, strategies, and practical solutions to today’s most urgent challenges.
Panelists will explore topics such as: recruiting and retaining qualified lifeguards and instructors, managing risk and compliance with safety protocols, adapting programming for inclusion, responding to mental health needs in aquatic environments, leveraging partnerships and certifications to enhance training.
Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions, share their own experiences, and leave with actionable ideas to strengthen their aquatics programs. Whether you’re a seasoned director or new to the role, this session offers a valuable space for collaboration.

One Game, Five Ways: Designing Activities with Built-In Progressions
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 202
What if one great game could work for every age group at camp, without losing the fun, challenge, or learning? In this hands-on session, we’ll explore how to design and adapt activities with built-in progressions that grow with your campers. From Pre-K to 8th grade, we’ll show you how to scaffold skill development, rules, and roles so the same core game stays fresh, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate across all levels. You’ll leave with a toolkit of ready-to-use progressions and a framework to make every game at your camp more flexible, scalable, and purposeful.

From Ally to Co-Conspirator: An Anti-Racism Lab for Camp Leaders
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 401
This session is for leaders ready to move from passive allyship to active co-conspiracy in the fight against racism at camp. We begin by clearly defining this crucial shift, which requires using your voice, power, and resources to challenge and change systems. This is a lab, not a lecture, focused on building your practical toolkit for intervention and advocacy. You will practice interrupting microaggressions in real-time, discuss how to advocate for anti-racist policies in hiring, budgeting, and power structures, and policy shifts that you can push out tomorrow that will show your community that you’re walking the talk. Leave this session empowered with the confidence and concrete skills to act as a genuine co-conspirator for your staff of color.

What's Worth Repeating: Building Culture through Program Design
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 302
Every camp has that one thing that hits harder than anything else, that 11/10 program moment that becomes legend. But why? We’ll unpack the anatomy of a truly great program, from the spark of an idea to how it’s planned, staffed, budgeted, and embedded into culture. We’ll dig into the tension between Tradition vs. Expectation, and Sacred vs. Shared. We’ll also look at programming through a modern lens, one informed by parents, staff, and MrBeast’s Manifesto: storytelling, generosity, and overdelivering on the outrageous and unexpected.

Culture of Safety: The Systems that Make Safety Stick
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 417
A Culture of Safety doesn’t just live in people; it’s built through the systems, communication loops, and daily rhythms that hold camp together. This session explores how operational structures, from scheduling and incident reporting to feedback and follow-up, can make safety second nature. Through practical examples and discussion, participants will learn how to design systems that strengthen communication, build accountability without burnout, and help staff stay proactive instead of reactive. You’ll leave with tools to align your operations and team culture so safety isn’t just a policy, it’s built into the bones of your camp.

Camp Legal Crisis Ready: Risk, Response and Responsibilities
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 408/409
When legal crises strike at camp involving staff, quick and informed action is critical. This session explores high-stakes scenarios like abuse allegations, sexual harassment investigations, staff mental health emergencies, and terminations. Attendees will gain practical strategies to respond ethically, legally, and effectively. Through real-world examples and expert insights, camp leaders will leave better prepared to protect their staff, campers, and organization when the unexpected occurs.

From Governance to Growth: Activating Leadership Volunteers and Owners for Success
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 311
Strong Boards, advisory committees, and non-operating owners don’t just oversee—they lead, advocate, and fuel long-term success. As camps face increasing pressures around philanthropy, succession, risk, and sustainability, the role of board members and owners has never been more critical. In this interactive session, we will explore how to build and activate boards that are aligned with the mission/vision and prepared to meet the trends and challenges ahead. We’ll examine Board lifecycle and structure, clarify roles and responsibilities, identify common governance pitfalls, and share proven strategies for recruiting and engaging effective Board/Advisory members. Special focus will be placed on transforming these individuals into true mission and brand ambassadors. Participants will leave with practical ideas and ready-to-use tools to strengthen partnerships, increase impact, and position their camp for long-term growth.
