ACA National 2023: TSCS Recommendations

Next week is the American Camp Association National Conference, and I asked EmJ (our incredible podcast producer and podcast enthusiast) to go through the program guide and make some recommendations. Just like so many conferences, there are SO many really awesome sessions. Find the sessions that are right for you, AND use EmJ’s as a jumping-off point!- Allison

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WOW WOW THERE ARE SO MANY SESSIONS!

The Frame

There are 10 session times and Allison asked me to highlight 10 sessions, so I did one per time slot (mostly…). The thought here is: what is the schedule I would map out as a TSCS member? For reference, TSCS members are typically year-round camp professionals at varying levels (some execs, some program directors, some camp directors, some other staff members) who have a commitment to innovation, social justice, gratitude, joy, and professionalism.

GRoup 1: 

If You Don’t Debrief It Didn’t Happen: Telling the Story of Your Campers and Your Camp (Ryan Gagnon, Clemson University; Barry Garst, Clemson University)

Camps have been around for a LONG time and that can sometimes make things tricky when it comes to owning the past. I think this would be a great session to go to for camps with long-standing traditions and history and newer camps to see how they own their impact and move forward in a changing world. 

Touchy subjects are great to learn about at conferences because I bet this group has a story about their goof-ups and how they navigated this firsthand.

group 2:

Teaching Others How to be a Great Follower (Deb Jordan, East Carolina University)

Camp is a GREAT place to learn and practice how to lead. But when was the last time you learned how to follow? This sounds super intriguing for how to incorporate it into staff training, with your campers, AND yourself as a leadership person. Camp directors always think they have to be leading, but what happens when someone else is? How do I, as someone with a habit of taking charge, step back and support them?

group 3:

“Staff Are So Different Now!” – Top Tools to Support, Supervise, & Train 2023 Staff Who Present Newer Needs & Challenges (Michael Brandwein, Educator/Author/Staff Trainer)

This is picked specifically because Allison is a Brandy Gal and MB is a must when you go to these conferences. 

ALSO– this is so true! Staff are different, always have been, and always will be! So now, as we get into the staff training planning and support, I bet he is going to have great ideas and plans for what you can do proactively for staff

group 4:

Name It Now Frame It: Techniques to Build a Culture of Communication and Self Care at Camp (Sterling Leija, Roundup River Ranch)

Communication and self-care are so important for all to do and respect at camp. I think this could play off of Michael Brandwein’s Session 3 and add in campers and leadership staff, too. 

We often talk about how important self-care is and are often the worst about doing it. So how can we frame it and put it into our culture for staff. 

OR

There Is More to Marketing Than Social Media (Cheryl Goldstein, Campfire Creative Marketing)

This one seems really great for those in a rut with their marketing and expanding the lens of what that is. We often flock to the trends, but they’re trends because they’re fleeting. What are other ways you can utilize your skills and people to have a better marketing plan to achieve your ideal outcomes (more staff? More campers? Better staff? More money?)

If you want social media tips– follow @thesummercampsociety (:

group 5:

From Strategy to Action: Bringing Your Strategic Plan to Life (Allison Krabill, The Summer Camp Society; Paige Moffett, Change Summer)

ALLISON IN THE HOUUUUZZZ. You know we have to go to this one! Not only is it a great duo, but this is such a practical and needed session to attend. When you dream big, you have to act big too and that part can be tricky and often overwhelming. You’ve got your plan. Now what? This is something where Allison and Paige are for sure going to have the tools, spreadsheets and the organization you need to get your plan in action!

group 6:

Mission, Vision, Values: Speaking to You, Speaking Through You (Kim Aycock, Kimspiration, LLC; Deb Jordan, ReD, East Carolina University)

ITS KIM! Another great person to check out at conferences if you’ve ever seen her weekly Kimspirations. This seems like a feel-good session that invites people to share their values in a way that makes it feel authentic and honest. 

group 7:

Reimagining Our Ecosystem(s): A Comprehensive MESH Approach (Tracey Gaslin, Alliance for Camp Health; John Hamilton, Alliance for Camp Health; Victoria Povilaitis, Tim Hortons Foundation Camps; Ellen Utley, The JED Foundation; moderated by Dave Brown, Mountain Camp/Fence Post Learning)

I am a sucker for Tracey Gaslin. The Mental, Emotional and Social Health Approach is another hot topic as we navigate post-covid and life in general. This group is going to offer a wide range of insight, education, and tools for how to bring a MESH lens into your programming and logistics. I think this is important for all camp professionals to hear from medical researchers and get their info from the source that has been studying it for their careers. 

This looks like a panel, which can be a great mid-conference “break” for a sit and get. 

OR

“When You Carrot Matters" Tips and Tricks on Menus, Staffing, and More from a Seasoned Kitchen Director Rayette Friar, Green River Preserve)

I think it’s important to go to sessions that wouldn’t normally be in your range of responsibilities at camp. This gives a new perspective and helps you appreciate and bring back info for your team. I love the idea of this session and what it will teach camps about meals and dining hall menus. Food is a basic need and often a stress point of uncertainty when going to camp (for anyone, not just campers). 

The staffing part is really cool, too, and maybe plays into some cool topics like supporting kitchen staff, hiring people under 18, etc. If I couldn’t go to this one, I would make one of my friends go to this for notes. 

group 8:

What Not to Say and How Not to Say It: Teaching Staff to Have Difficult, Important Conversations with Campers and Each Other (Deborah Gilboa, MD)

DR. GILBOA IS GOING TO BE HERE? AS I LIVEEE AND BREATHE! Wow YOU HAVE TO GO TO HERS! I am biased because I love her work with resilience, but this is a GREAT resource for the idea of camp circles and restorative justice. We know the importance of having hard conversations, but having to do them? * gulp *. Teaching others and giving them the confidence to have them? Send me all the help. This sounds amazing for not only camp, but for your personal life and many other relationships we have. 

OR

11 Smart, Easy, and Affordable Ways to Get More Donors (Allison Krabill, The Summer Camp Society; Jack Schott, The Summer Camp Society)

We all need more Jack! We love simple and easy. This session is inviting as a camp professional because we’re always looking for funding and how to expand our reach. You may have a dedicated grant writer or fundraising person, but you might not be tapping into all of your resources.  If I couldn’t go, I would ask for your notes (and if you just fill out this form, you’ll get all the TSCS notes from the conference).

group 9:

Leave No Trace: Education and Inclusion Approaches to Strengthen Your Camp Program! (Andrew Leary, Leave No Trace)

This is another one I would see as an out-of-the-box session to attend with Leave No Trace. I think it could be fun to go to since we spent so much of the last few years with single-use items for safety and health concerns (all valid, but can we adapt that now?). I would want to attend this as a new perspective and way to see how I and my camp could play a role in the land management that we work on. 

group 10:

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: The Power of Reflection at Camp (Nelson Strickland, The Summer Camp Society; Paige Moffett, Change Summer)

Camp is SO much! And how can people make it MORE? I would attend this to get a better understanding of balancing reflection and the fun of camp. I think we want to avoid camp feeling like school and sometimes reflections are a piece of curriculum and can be seen as such. But why is it so important and why are so many camps looking to jump on the reflective train? People will probably leave empowered to want to add this into their programming

OR

High Level Executive Director Skills (Jalisa Danhof, Camp Newaygo; Anne Izard, Green River Preserve; Amber Grundy, Camp Tannadoonah; Elizabeth Shreckhise, Camp Alleghany for Girls)

I am a big advocate for stepping out of your comfort zone and expanding your professional skills. Something I admire about conference friends is they will sit in on sessions that are “above their title” to learn more about the positions and get that perspective. Especially if you are looking for what your career path looks like, you can learn from those in these ED sessions and what they are thinking about, planning and etc. 

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Allison’s takes

I LOVE EmJ’s recommendations. AND there are some people/sessions that I just couldn’t NOT recommend to you. You may also want to consider:

• 25 Innovative Program Ideas from Coast to Coast - Jack Schott - Tue, Feb 21 at 4:00-5:15 (Group 1) - Salon 2

• Lessons Learned in LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Practices - 2022 - Chris Rehs-Dupin & Kelley Freridge - Wed, Feb. 22 at 8:30-9:45 (Group 2) - Salon 9

• Helping Outsiders Become Insiders: Illuminating the Hidden Curriculum - Jack Schott & Nelson Strickland - Wed, Feb. 22 at 1:15-2:30 (Group 3) - Salons 13-14

• Centering Equity & Justice at Summer Camp: The Kids are Ready - Simone Gamble - Wed, Feb. 22 at 2:45-4:00 (Group 4) - Salon 4

• Close Encounters of the Weird Kind - LeeKeshia Williams & Carri Burgjohann - Wed, Feb. 22 at 4:15-5:30 (Group 4) - Salon 1

  • YES! INTERACTIVE RISK TRAINING!

• How to Communicate & Say No to Us (Gen Z) - Gwynn Powell, Joy James, Teresa Tucker & Panel - Wed, Feb. 22 at 4:15-5:30 (Group 4) - Salon 4

  • I heard Gwynn’s Clemson student panel at ACA Southeast, and I haven’t stopped talking about it. I imagine this is going to be SO GOOD.

• The Art of Managing Up: How to Work with Your Boss - Dan Weir - Thurs, Feb. 23 at 8:30-9:45 (Group 6) - Salon 11

• Trans* Inclusion in Overnight Programs - Chris Rehs-Dupin - Thurs, Feb. 23 at 10:30-11:45 (Group 7) - Salon 4

• Stop Driving without a Roadmap — How to Use Fall So You Aren’t In This Position Again - Dan Weir - Thurs, Feb. 23 at 2:00-3:15 (Group 8) - Salon 8

• Responding to the "Panic Zone" Through a Trauma-Informed, Responsive & Anti Racist Lens - Simone Gamble - Thurs, Feb. 23 at 2:00-3:15 (Group 8) - Salons 13-14

• Training Staff to Curate Choice - Jack Schott & Chris Rehs-Dupin - Fri, Feb. 24 at 8:00-9:15 (Group 9) - Salon 2

• All the Research Forums

  • I don’t exactly understand how these will work, but in general, I think we could all benefit from some research!

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TSCS Hangout: Tuesday, feb. 21 at 6:30pm
Orena sports bar

Come hang out with us! Jack, Allison, Paige, and some other TSCS friends will be hanging out at Orena Sports Bar, and we’d love to see you there. Have a beer, don’t have a beer, talk camp, don’t talk camp - just have a good time! This is a great way to get to know people at the start of the conference.

Everyone is invited. No need to be a TSCS member. Bring your co-workers and friends!

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looking for more conference advice?

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EMJ JUSZCZYK

tscs podcast producer
program director, project kindreD
(POSSIBLY UNOFFICIAL) COnference consultant

EmJ can be reached at eajuszczyk@gmail.com.