Choosing Summer Camps Taken from American Camp Association s website www.acacamps.org.media_center/view Overview Camp is not just recreation and fun. It is more than teaching skills, such as archery or swimming. It is about understanding the beauty of discovery that can lead to emotional growth and maturation. It is the expansion of one's world, a sharpening of one's vision that invites the acquisition of lifelong lessons. Camp professionals are not just teachers or counselors; they are coaches and mentors. They influence, advocate, shape, love, and protect. And it is true, both young and old do learn lessons from the camp experience. However, those lessons come after experiences that are real, relevant, and personal. The way in which parents select a camp should be based on intrinsic values rather than external facilities that a camp offers. Camp pioneer, Ruth Isserman is the former owner of Camp Chickagami, who at ninety-seven still serves as a strong, vital supporter of ACA and camp. She noted, "It is the development of a child as a person that is equally as important as academics." Further, "it's the richness of making their own entertainment" and the most important skills we contribute are listening and observing. "We are building better people for a better world," she stated. A shared vision with ACA enriching lives and changing the world." "Who will care when I'm not there?" It's every parent's question when they leave their children in the hands of strangers. Who will take the time to appreciate basic child development, as well as the unique qualities of their personalities? Who will ensure that my children have fun and, at the same time, learn important life lessons? Who will help my children understand how they can work as a team, contributing and succeeding? Who will help my children understand the importance of a community and the responsibilities that lie within? Who will keep my children safe and guard their tender feelings while they are acting invincible? Who will care when I'm not there? The answer to these questions is the camp professional. They offer children the opportunity to explore, discover, and learn about the best things life has to offer. They are willing to laugh, talk and cry with children, creating an understanding of social bonding. These are the people who are willing to care when I am not there. The camp experience is a win-win for everyone. Parents win because their children grow and learn. Children win because they have fun and collect lifelong friends and memories. Society wins because the camp experience helps make healthy, productive adults. Camp professionals win because they have made a positive difference in a child's life.
Benefits of Camp The camp experience enriches lives and changes the world. Camp provides children with a community of caring adults, who nurture experiential education that results in self-respect and appreciation for human value. All of the outcomes - selfidentity, self-worth, self-esteem, leadership, and self-respect - build personal competencies. These personal competencies are reflected in the four "C's" of the camp community: compassion, contribution, commitment, and character! For years, campers' parents have reported that when their children return home from camp they are more caring, understand the importance of giving, and are more equipped to stand up for what they know is right and are willing to be more responsible. These are the qualities that will help build a successful nation and a civil society. Children are at less risk at camp where they have a sense of community, develop intergenerational relationships, and learn through first-hand experiences. Trained, caring adult role models help children feel loved, capable and included. Camp provides children with a safe, supervised, positive environment, which helps children, grow. Camp Professionals have enormous power in conveying simple teachable moments special moments of passing experiences touched by the human spirit. These fleeting moments of time build three significant ACA values that are reflected in the benefits campers derive from camp. ACA values people. The moments that result in the camp experience repeatedly expresses the value of people. We demonstrate that value through respect, honesty, caring, and sharing. Through the camp experience, young people learn to understand the strength of mankind. They also develop an appreciation for the qualities required to protect the fragile relationships needed to protect these relationships. ACA values the natural world. We seek and appreciate what is real, genuine, and non-artificial. In seeking those qualities in people as well as in the actual world, we foster understanding of the importance of human connections for survival and of the critical connections to our physical world. Campers realize the need to protect not only one another, but also the environment in which they live. Our intent is to preserve and share that legacy with the next generation. Finally, ACA values a sense of contribution. Our contributions are both obvious and subtle. The benefits of our work are both immediate and slow to emerge. Most significantly, although the experience itself is
often fleeting, our impact on the human spirit lasts a lifetime. Children who attend camp develop connections with the world. We never underestimate the simplest lesson or the briefest wink of time. It may be a star in someone's horizon for all eternity. Benefits & Anticipated Outcomes of the Camp Experience Social Skills Development Leadership Communication Participation Self-respect and Character Building Responsibility Resourcefulness Resilience Community Living/Service Skills Caring Fairness Citizenship Trustworthiness Accreditation ACA Accreditation assures parents that the camp has had a regular, independent safety audit that goes beyond regulations in most states. Accreditation is different than licensing. Licensing, with surprise inspections, focuses on enforcement of minimum regulations - often in just sanitation and food service. Accreditation, with scheduled visits, focuses on education - supporting best practices in all aspects of camp operation Licensing varies significantly from state to state. Accreditation standards and processes are nationally developed, tested, and accepted, both by camp professionals and legal/regulatory authorities Licensing is required and imposed. Accreditation is voluntary. Camps that are accredited have demonstrated their commitment to providing safe and nurturing environments for children
To achieve accreditation, camps must demonstrate compliance with any mandatory standards applicable to their specific programs, as well as substantial compliance with an additional body of standards in ten operational areas that specifically address the delivery of a quality camp program. Five operational management areas such as facilities and staffing Five program areas such as aquatics and trips No accreditation process, no licensing program, no set of regulations or laws can guarantee safety. However, accreditation is the best evidence for parents that a camp is committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for their children. Accreditation helps parents select camps that meet government-recognized best practices. Parents can (and should) verify the accreditation status of any camp at any time. This may be accomplished through ACA's Web site at www.acacamps.org or by calling 1-800-428-CAMP. Accredited by the American Camp Association What does it mean? The American Camp Association is the advocate for the accredited-camp experience. ACA Standards are continually revised and updated to reflect the needs of camps, the public, and the changing body of laws and regulations. The main purpose of the ACA-accreditation program is to educate camp owners and directors in the administration of key aspects of camp operation, particularly those related to program quality and the health and safety of campers and staff. The second purpose of ACA accreditation is to assist the public in selecting camps that meet industryaccepted and government-recognized standards. Although many state and federal laws and regulations address basic sanitation and food service concerns, the ACA Standards go a step further in addressing the specific areas of programming, personnel, health care, and management practices. Separate standards are applied to activities such as aquatics, horseback riding, adventure challenge activities, and travel and trip programs. ACA accreditation is the best evidence parents have of a camp's commitment to a safe and nurturing environment for their children. This voluntary accreditation assures parents that camp practices have been measured against national standards and go a step beyond a state's basic licensing requirements. Accreditation is based on a commitment by the camp to best practices. ACA standards are recognized by courts of law and government regulators as the
standards of the camp industry. The ACA accreditation program has a 50-year history and is continually evaluated and updated to reflect current best practice in camps. ACA collaborates with experts from many fields such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Red Cross, and other youth-serving agencies to be sure required practices are current and sound. ACA standards are revised based on research in the public, legal, youth development, and camp arenas. No environment is risk free. However, ACA camps voluntarily go through a rigorous risk management process to prevent illness or injury to campers-and to have solid crisis plans if an emergency does occur. Camp provides a supervised, positive environment with controlled boundaries to help children grow. At least once every three years, an outside team of trained professionals observe the camp in session to verify compliance with applicable standards. The ACA has developed up to 300 standards that cover the various aspects of camp operations in ten specific areas. Site/Food Service: Fire protection, maintenance, sleeping areas, bathing/toilet facilities, food service areas and practices Transportation: Driver and vehicle requirements, traffic control, transportation safety Health Care: Staff and facility requirements, medication management, required health information and recordkeeping Management: Safety and security regulations, staff emergency training, crisis communications, insurance, planning Staffing: Staff qualifications, training, ratios, supervision and behavior management guidelines Program: Goals for camper development, orientation and safety policies for general and specialized programs, including aquatics, challenge courses, trips and horseback riding Few fields combine such a variety of backgrounds and disciplines, as does organized camping. Camp directors are required to have expertise in very technical fields such as nutrition, food service, facility design and maintenance, risk management, marketing, personnel and business management. Being a camp professional also necessitates the blending of the principles of social group work, recreation, child development, physical education, health and wellness, psychology, and education. Camping provides the unique opportunity to integrate these disciplines by working with people in a stimulating outdoor setting. From American Camp Association s website: www.acacamps.org.media_center/view
Questions to Ask Summer Camp Directors When you receive a camp s brochure, you will invariably have questions for the camp director. From that first phone call or letter, you begin developing an impression of what a particular camp is like and how it is run. A camp may be described in nothing less than glowing terms in its brochure. The setting may be absolutely breathtaking. Activities may run the gamut from racquetball to modern dance. In the end, however, it s the human equation of how those activities are operated and conducted that determines the quality of the camp program. Get to know the camp director as a person through telephone conversations, correspondence and a personal visit. Have the director describe the camp s philosophy and how the staff implements it. What is the camp s philosophy and program emphasis? Each camp has its own method of constructing programs based on its philosophy. Does it complement your own parenting philosophy? Many camps actively promote competition and healthy rivalry among camp teams, as reflected in team sports. For many campers this is pure fun. Some parents feel that learning to be competitive at an early age teaches essential survival skills. However, other parents and educators are in favor of cooperative learning. Knowing your child s personality and style of learning is valuable in selecting the right camp. What is the camp director s background? ACA minimum standards recommend that: directors possess a bachelor s degree; and have completed in-service training within the past three years; and have at least 16 weeks of camp administrative experience before assuming the responsibilities of director. What training do counselors receive? At a minimum, camp staff should be trained in: safety regulations; and emergency procedures and communication; and behavior management techniques; and child abuse prevention; and appropriate staff and camper behavior; and specific procedures for supervision. What is the counselor-to-camper ratio? ACA standards require different ratios for varying ages and special needs. Generally, the ratios at resident camps range from: one staff member for every 5 campers ages 4 and 5 one staff member for every 6 campers ages 6 and 8 one staff member for every 8 campers ages 9 to 14 one staff member for every 10 campers ages 15 to 17 The ratios at day camps range from: one staff member for every 6 campers ages 4 and 5 one staff member for every 8 campers ages 6 to 8 one staff member for every 10 campers ages 9 to 14 one staff member for every 12 campers ages 15 to 17
What are the ages of the counselors? ACA standards recommend that: 80 percent or more of the counseling/program staff be at least 18 years old Staff must be at least 16 years old and be at least two years older than the campers with whom they work. In special needs camps, 100 percent of the counseling staff must be at least 18 years old. What are desired qualities in camp staff? The same qualities of trustworthiness and dependability sought by any employer are valued commodities in camp employees. Also, the ability to adapt to a variety of situations. All of these are important characteristics for camp staff: empathy for and ability to work with camp clientele a strong self-image an outgoing personality What percentage of the counselors returned from last year? Most camps have from 40-60 percent returning staff. If the rate is lower, find out why. How are behavioral and disciplinary problems handled? This is where the director s philosophy comes through loud and clear. Positive reinforcement, assertive role modeling and a sense of fair play are generally regarded as key components of camp counseling and leadership. Rules are necessary in any organization and the disciplinary approach taken should be reasonable and well communicated. If penalties are involved for violations, they should be applied quickly, fairly, calmly and without undue criticism to campers. How does the camp handle special needs? If your child has special requirements, ask the camp director about needed provisions and facilities. Is there a nurse on staff? Do they have a designated place to store insulin or allergy medicine? Are special foods available for campers with restricted diets? Note: Every question and each answer is important. How does the camp handle homesickness and other adjustment issues? Again, the camp s philosophy on helping children adjust is important. Be sure you are comfortable with the camp s guidelines on parent/child contact. What about references? This is generally one of the best ways to check a camp s reputation and service record. Directors should be happy to provide references. Does the American Camping Association accredit the camp? It is only logical that members of your family attend an ACA accredited camp. Accreditation visitors ask the questions (300 of them) regarding essential health, safety and program quality issues important to a camp s overall operation. This does not guarantee a risk-free environment; but it s some of the best evidence parents have of a camp s commitment to a safe and nurturing environment for their children.